This Shiva temple is the sixth in the sapta sthana temples. This is one of the 276 Padal Pethra Sthalam. Poo (pu means flower in Tamil), thuruthi (means place between the rivers in Tamil). This place is between the rivers Kaveri and Kudumurutti. Hence this place got the name Thiruppoonthuruthi.
Shri Shiva obtained flowers for Nandi’s wedding from this place. The place is on the southern bank of river Kaveri on Tanjavur Kallani route.
Mulavar: Shri Pushpavaneshwarar, Shri Adi Puranar, Shri Poyleliyar
Devi: Shri SaundaryaNayaki, Shri Azhakalamarthanayaki
Kshetra vruksha: Bilva
Sacred Teertha: Surya, Kashyap, Ganga and Agni
Puranik Name: Thiruppoonthuruthi
Present name: Melai-poonthuruthi
District: Tanjavur, Tamilnadu
The shiva linga is a swyambhu linga. The temple is very old temple, more than 1500 years old, spread over 2.5 acres. There is a huge nandi said to have been made for the shaiva saint Sambandhar.
The Rajagopuram is about 100 feet in height. The main shrine of Shri Shiva faces the east, whereas devi’s shrine faces the south. In this temple Shri Dakshinamurti is with a veena, hence he is known as Shri Veena Dakshinamurti.
Idols and other shrines:
The koshta murtis are Shri Vinayaka, Shri Ardhanarishwarar, Shri Bhikshatanar, Shri Veena Dakshinamurti, Shri Vishnu, Shri Brahma and Shri Durga Devi.
In the corridor, we have the idols of sapta matas. The history of Naalvars i.e four shaiva saints is painted on the walls. In the Somaskanda mandap, we have Nataraja sabha and the Navagrahas facing Shri Surya. We have the shrine of Shri Durga Devi and Shri Kashi Vishwanatha in the corridor.
In the outer parikrama, we have a shiva lingas and idol of Shri Kadavanamali, the place where he manifested. In this place, Shri Shiva gave darshan to Appar. Shri Durga Devi idol is depicted as doing penance on one leg as if to get rid of the sin of killing Mahishasur.
Those who worship at this place: Shri Indra, Sage Kashyap, Shri Vishnu, Shri Lakshmi Devi, Shri Surya and Saint Appar.
Shri Shiva created 13 teerthas in a well to appreciate penance of Sage Kashyap. He granted his darshan to the sage on new moon day in the Tamil month of Adi. Girivalam on new moon day is undertaken to get rid of pitrudosha. It is believed that Sambandhar carried the palanquin of Appar on his shoulders.
Kshetra purana:
Nandi is said to have moved slightly to allow Shri Shiva to sight Appar and Sambandhar arriving together. River Kaveri was born from the kamandalu of Sage Agasthya when a crow (Shri Ganesha) toppled kamandalu. It flowed through various places including Kandiyur, Thirupazhanam, Thiruvaiyaru, Thiruneithanam and finally she became stagnant to become the sea. On the way, she submerged, Karuppur, Konerajapuram, Nadukaveri, Thiruvalampozhi and Thirupoothur. Shri Indra after worshiping Shri Ayyarappar (Shri Shiva) made her towards the east by the grace of Shri Shiva. This made land fertile and she flowed through Kandiyur and Poothur. At a higher level on the bank of the river there was a banyan tree. As the land was fertile and soft the place got the name Poonthurutti.
Indra was cursed by Sage Gautam to have thousand ugly signs on Indra's body for Indra's immoral act. In order to get rid of them Indra did penance at various Shiva sthalams. When he worshiped Shri Shiva at this place with flowers he got completely relieved of the curse.
Two angels (Vinayas) who were cursed to beome eagles got their original form by worshiping Shri Shiva at this place.
Festivals:
Chitrai (April-May), Sapta Sthanams festival and Brahmotsav
Avani (August-Sept) Ganesh chaturthi
Purattasi (sept-oct) navaratri
Aippasi (Oct-Nov), Annabhishek and Skanda shashthi festival
Kathigai (Nov-Dec), Festival of light known as Karthikeya Deepam
Thai (Jan-Feb) Makar Sankranti
Masi (Feb-Mar) Shivaratri.
Besides this, the daily rituals, weekly pujas and fortnightly pradosha pujas are conducted. Arudra darshan is also celebrated.
Courtesy: Various websites and blogs
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