Temple Overview & Shrine Details
| Mulavar (Presiding Deity) | Panangateeswarar |
|---|---|
| Ambal (Consort) | Satyambikai |
| Theertham | Padma Theertham |
| Sthala Vruksham | Panai Vruksham |
| Paadiyavar | Gyanasambandar |
| Travel Base | Villupuram |
| Nearest Railway Station | Mundiyampakkam |
| Continent / Region | Nadu |
| Circle / Taluk | Villupuram |
| District | Villupuram |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
Location & Accessibility
This temple is located on Chennai - Kumbakonnam Highways 2kms from Vikravandi Toll. The buses going to Pondicherry via Mundiyampakkam is going through Panayapuram. The temple is 12 KM from from Villupuram, 28 KM from Tindivanam, 33 KM from Puducherry and 154 KM from Chennai. Nearest Railway station is Villupuram.
Architecture
This is the 52nd Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 20th Paadal Petra sthalam of Nadu Naadu. As per the Thevara hymns this place was called as Thiruppuravar Panangattur and now called as Panayapuram. This is one of the Shiva temples, in which Palm Tree as sthala vruksham ( The other places ase Thirupanandal, Thiruvothur ( Cheyyar ), Thirupanangadu- Thiruvan Parthan Panankattur, Thirupanaiyur, Thirumazhapadi and Thiru Valampuram ). The temple is facing east with a 4 tier Rajagopuram and there is no stucco images. Balipedam, Dwajasthambam and Rishabam are are immediately after the Rajagopuram. Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of Sanctum Sanctorum. Vinayagar and Murugan are on the both sides. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai.
History & Sacred Legend
The pace obtained the name as Puravar Panangattur since, Palm tree as Sthala Vruksham. The other reason is Sibi Chakravarthy cuts his thigh flush for the pigeon for its weight to Vulture and worshiped Lord shiva of this temple. In another legend Dakshan father of ma Parvati performed an yagna to which all the celestial deities are invited and avirbakam share was also given. Lord Shiva was not invited intentionally. Angry Lord Shiva send Veerabhadra to destroy the Yagna and punish those are attended. Surya lost his eye sight. He came to Bhoolok and Worshiped Lord Shiva at Thirupannakadu and got back the eye sight. Hence lord shiva is called as Kan Parithu Aruliya Kadavul Netroddharakaswami. Sun rays falls on moolavar on first 7 days in the month of Chithirai. People with eye related ailments worships Lord Shiva of this temple to get cured.
Festivals & Celebrations
Apart from regular poojas special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha shivaratri in Masi ( Feb- March ), Surya Pooja in the Tamil Month Chithirai, Thiruvathirai in Margazhi ( Dec- January ) and anna abhishekam in tamil month Aippasi.