Koorainadu Punukeeswarar Temple


Koorainadu Punukeeswarar Temple, or simply Punukeeswarar Temple, is a Hindu temple located in Koorainadu in the town of Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is dedicated to Lord Punukeeswarar, a form of Shiva.

Location

The temple is located in Koranad, a residential neighbourhood in Mayiladuthurai on the Mayiladuthurai to Kumbakonam state highway, a couple of kilometers south of the Cauvery River. It is about southeast of Chennai, the state capital. The nearest railway station is Mayiladuthurai railway junction, from the temple. The nearest bus terminal is Mayiladuthurai, from the temple.

Etymology

According to the historical legend, a civet in the forest area of Koranad was searching for a goddess to worship and receive divine blessings. The civet looked for a Shiva Lingam in the surrounding area and found one in a paddy field. It applied punugu, an ancient fragrance, to the sacred Lingam and offered vilva leaves to Lord Shiva in worship, having brought the leaves reverently in its mouth. After many days of prayer, Lord Shiva is believed to have appeared before the civet, granted it divine status, and offered it a place in Mount Kailash.

Architecture

Beyond the rajagopuram, the entrance leads into the front hall, where the temple flagstaff is located. Following the flagstaff are the bali peetha and Nandi statue. On the right side of the temple premises is the shrine of the Goddess Amman.
Circumambulating the sanctum, one can see the shrine of Chandikeswari. In front of the Amman shrine, there are also the bali peetha and Nandi. Near the Amman shrine are the decorative hall and resting chamber.
Along the corridor around the sanctum, there are shrines dedicated to Varadha Vinayakar, Anjaneyar, Somaskanda, Ayyappan, Nesanayanar, and Subramaniyar. In the outer circumambulatory path, there are shrines for Surya, Bhairavar, and Keelakkumaran Subramaniyar. Nearby is the Navagraha shrine, followed by the 63 Nayanmars.
On the koshta, images of Brahma, Adimudi Kaana Annal, Dakshinamurthy, and Vinayaka are seen. The shrine of Chandikeswarar is situated nearby. In the outer prakaram, there are sculptures of Shaniswaran, Lingathirumeni, and Vinayakar.
As of June 2016, renovation works were being carried out in the temple.

Deity

The presiding deity of the temple is Punukeeswarar, and the goddess is Santhanayaki.

Mayiladuthurai Saptha stana temples

This temple is one of the seven Shiva temples that take part in the Sapthasthanam festival, which is celebrated at the Ayyarappar Temple under the administration of the Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam located in Mayiladuthurai district.
  1. Mayuranathaswami temple – Mayiladuthurai.
  2. Margasahayeswarar temple – Moovalur.
  3. Aiyaarappar temple - Koranad, Mayiladuthurai.
  4. Kasi Vishwanathar temple - Lagadam, Mayiladuthurai.
  5. Brahmapureeswarar temple - Sitharkadu, Mayiladuthurai.
  6. Azhagiyanathar temple - Sholampettai, Mayiladuthurai.
The presiding deities of these seven temples come together at the Mayuranathar Temple during the Sapthasthanam festival, which is held annually in Mayiladuthurai.