The Mayuranathaswami Temple or Mayuranathar Temple is a Hindu temple in the town of Mayiladuthurai in the Nagapattinam District of Tamil Nadu in India. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and has given its name to the town itself.
Shrine’s History
The temple was built by the Medieval Cholas.The oldest inscriptions on the temple walls date to the time of Kulothunga Chola I.Massive renovations were carried out in the 17th century.In May 1927, a temple entry of Dalits was organised on a big scale by the proponents of the Self-Respect Movement thereby resulting in a huge clash.
Legends Associated with This Shrine
According to mythology, the goddess Parvathi, the consort of Shiva, once offended him.Shiva was so annoyed he cursed Parvathi to be born as a lowly peahen.Later, when Parvathi repented, Shiva reduced this sentence.Parvathi had to pray first at Mylapore and then at Mayiladuthurai, at the end of which she was ridden of her curse and became known as “Abhayambal”.
Architectural Relevance of This Shrine
The temple complex is 719 feet long and 52 feet wide.The gopura at the eastern entrance to the temple is nine storeys high and measures 194 feet. The idol of Durga near the northern entrance of the temple is expertly sculpted and differs from those in other temples. On the temple walls, there is the sculpture of a devotee trying to sever his head as an offering to the God. There is an expansive temple tank in the centre of the complex. People travel in large numbers to Mayiladuthurai to bathe in this tank on the day of the new moon in the Tamil month of Aippasi.This bath purifies a person of sins because the waters of the river Ganges and other Indian rivers mingle with the waters of the Kaveri river in this tank on this particular day
Shrine’s Map Location and How to Go There
By Road
Mayiladuthurai is well connected by road. Mayiladuthurai is 32 km from Kumbakonam and 65 km from Thanjavur.
By Rail
Mayiladuthurai is connected by rail with most important towns and cities in south India. Mayiladuthurai Junction railway station is located on the Mainline connecting the state capital Chennai with Thanjavur. There are lines to Tiruvarur and Karaikudi, making it one of the major junctions in the region. The Mysuru – Mayiladuthurai Express connects Kumbakonam with Mysuru and Bengaluru. There are regular express trains that connect the city with major cities in the state like Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and Tiruchirappalli.There are passenger trains that connect Mayiladuthurai with Thanjavur, Tiruchirapalli, Thiruvarur, Chidambaram and Viluppuram.
By Air
The nearest international airport is the Tiruchirapalli International Airport, located 130 km from Mayiladuthurai.
Shrine Timings
Thulaa Festival is celebrated in October-November. Thousands of pilgrims come here during the Thulaa festival in Ipasi. Shiva’s dance is enacted at the Aadi Sabhai on the seventh day of the grand festival. Procession to River Cauvery(October – November) – The Mayuranathar temple has a daily procession of the Utsavar to the banks of the Cauvery throughout the monsoon month of Libra/Aypasi. Brahmotsavam(March – April) – The annual festival Brahmotsavam is observed in the Tamil month of Vaikasi.An annual dance festival called the Mayura Natyanjali festival is celebrated within the precincts of the temple each year.
Events Celebrated at This Shrine
Shivaratri