Saptasthana Shiva temples of Mayiladuthurai

Mayiladuthurai was earlier known as Mayavaram. There is a puran about religious importance of this place which gives an account of the temples and the places where the rishis, devas performed penance. There are references about the greatness of Mayiladuthurai in Skanda puran, Shiva puran, Bramhand puran and Chidambar puran. According to these puran, this place was created by Shri Bramha to worship Shri Shiva. This place got the name Mayiladuthurai as according to puran, Shri Parvati Devi performed penance in the form of a peahen. She was cursed to become a peahen as she was distracted by the dancing peacock when Shri Shiva was explaining the meaning and the importance of panchakshari mantra. Later, Shri Shiva performed the famous Gauri-tandav also known as Mayur tandav at this place on the request of Shri Parvati Devi. We had already explained about the importance of Rishabh tirtha and how the saptamatrikas got relieved of their dosha by worshiping Shri Shiva at 7 places, around Mayiladuthurai.

There are seven temples around Mayiladuthurai which form the saptashtana Shiva temples of Mayiladuthurai with Mayurnadar temple at the center. The temples are 

• Shri Mayurnadar temple at Mayiladuthurai
• Shri Aiyyarappar temple at Mayiladuthurai
• Shri Punugeeshwarar temple at Koorrainadu
• Shri Margasahieeshwarar temple at Moovalur
• Shri Azhagaiyanadar temple at Shozhampettai
• Shri Kashivishwanadar temple at Thulakattam
• Shri Bramhapureeshwarar temple at Siddarkadu