Panankatishvarar Temple

Overview : Tiruppuravaar Panangaatutaiyaar Temple is located in Pannaiyapuram village, Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu, India.Three inscriptions are there in this holy place.Kings Kulotunga Cholan the First inscription, Konerinmai Kondan, Parakesari Aadhi Rajendra Devan are existing. In the inscriptions, this temple is noted as Tiruppuravaar Panangaatutaiyaar Temple and the name of the God is carved as Tiruppanangaatutaiya Mahadevar. About the Temple: Of the Middle Holy Places this place is placed on the 20th position. Panangkaateeswarar, the main divinity poises as swayambu murthi. In the first seven days of the month of chithirai, every year, the sun rays falls on the God first, and then on Ambikai. This place is worshipped by the Sun God. In the exterior concrete hallway there are shrines of Lord Vinayaka and Arumuga.The three sacred Palm trees are situated near it.The Goddess in the upright pose, also faces east side. In mortar-structure are the women gate securities of the deity. We can worship Sathyambigai, after worshipping Dwara Ganapati and Dhandapani. We will reach the temple of the God when worshipping the Navagrahas, going around and so paying obeisance to the Flag post. Within the interior concrete hallway, there are the shrines of Vinayaka, Arumuga, Navagrahas, Sun, the 63 Nayanmar, Saptamaathas, Sani Bhagawan, Lord on the Rishaba vahana, Gajalakshmi, Naalvar, Bhikshaatanar, Tirumal, Dakshinamurthi, Linghotbavar, Durga, Brahma, Somaskandar, Nataraja, and Chantikeswarar. The image of Tiruneelakantar with his other half, both holding together the rod and praying with joined palms, is very rare. This is among the five sacred places which has Palm tree as a holy tree. This was named Puravaar Panangaatoor, for it was bounded by dense forests of mullai region,to differentiate it among other holy places. To safeguard the pigeon that surrendered to Sibi Chakravarthi, he came forward to give his eyes. The God appreciating his kind behavior, adorned the king his lost eyes in return. Hence, the God of this place is called as kanparitthu aruliya katavul. A yagna was performed by Daksha to abuse God Shiva. The Devas who joined the yagna and took the food (avirbhaagam), became the subject of the rage of God Shiva. As uttered by God Siva, Aghora Veerabhadrar went to Daksha’s yagna place and chastised all the Devas. The Sun lost its shine because of the sentence. Lamenting this indefensible blunder, he went to numerous holy shrines, worshipped God Shiva, prayed to Him with all solemnity and got reinstated his old bright form that gave brightness to this entire world.Puravaar Panangaatoor is one among the sacred places where the Sun worshipped God Shiva.