Panaiyur GnanapatheeswararTemple, Pudukkottai

Address

Panaiyur village,

Pudukkottai District,

Tamil Nadu 622412

Moolavar

Gnanapatheeswarar

Amman

Akilandeswari

Introduction

Gnanapatheeswarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in the Panaiyur village, Pudukkottai district, Tamil Nadu. Now this town is known as Melappanaiyur. In the north-east of this town is the Shiva temple is located. The inscriptions at Panayur describe the features of this temple. Here the Presiding deity is called as Gnanapatheeswarar and Mother is called as Akiladeswari. This is very ancient temple has a large circular wall and a porch called Gudavariyavasal on the south side. Both Swami and Ambal sanctum are separately placed in east facing position.

Puranic Significance

The statue of Amman, which was once in the temple, has been repaired. Due to this, the village people decided to remove the idol and install a new one. According to the legend of the villagers, Ambal appeared in the king’s dream when the King of Pudukottai was preparing to erect a new statue. What am I missing? Why did you ask me to be thrown out? If your child gets any disability, will you lift your child outside?’ she asked. After that, even though the new idol is consecrated, the old idol is kept in the front hall of the temple without being removed from the temple.

Beliefs

It is believed that those who worship in this temple will get wisdom. Similarly, diseases do not come close.

Special Features

The Temple is believed to be more than 1200 years old. Deities like Moolapillayar, Subrahmaniyar, Bhairava, Chandikeswarar etc. have separate shrines. Dakshinamurthy is seated in the small mandapam attached to the southern line of the sanctum sanctorum. There are no idols in the west and north devakothams of the sanctum sanctorum. Subrahmaniyar and Shaniswarar along with Valli-Deivanai are showering blessings from their own sanctum sanctorum.

There are Arthamandapam, Mahamandapam and Vasanthamandapam. About 60 inscriptions are found in various places in this temple. The name of the Lord here is Bhatheeswarar. But it is said that in earlier times the Lord had names as Arivisuramudayar and Ambal as Akilaminnachiyar.