This place is also known as Melai Poonthuruthi.
This is at about 3 kms from Kandiyur on Tanjavur-Thirukattupalli-Kallanai route, 5.8 kms from Thiruvaiyaru, 14.8 kms from Tanjavur and 14.6 kms from Thirukattupalli.
This temple is on the southern bank of Kaveri and on the bank of Kudumurutti river.
This temple has been revered by Shaiva Saints Appar, Vellalar and Sambandar, but sacred hymns of Sambandar are not available. This temple must have existed even before the 7th century. It was later reconstructed by the Chola king. The extensions were carried out by Chola, Pandya and Vijayanagar kings. The stone inscriptions in the temple give an account of endowments and the work done by various kings.
This Shiva temple is the sixth in the saptha sthana temples. 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.
Moolavar: 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, Tamil Nadu
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 Agastya 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 a 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 become eagles got their original form by worshiping Shri Shiva at this place.
Those who worshiped at this place:
Shri Indra, Sage Kashyap, Shri Vishnu, Shri Lakshmi Devi, Shri Surya and Saint Appar.
Salient features:
1. The idols and paintings in the temple are very beautiful.
2. All the eight planets in the NavaGraha shrine face Lord Surya.
3. In this temple, we can have darshan of all seven ShivaLinga of the Sapta-Sthanam of Thiruvaiyaru.
4. The huge Nandi is believed to have moved aside to make way for Sambandhar.
5. In this temple, Ambika is facing the south which is considered very auspicious.
6. All the Nandis in this temple are slightly away from the center.
7. There are seven Gopurams in the temple and we can have darshan of all of them from a point in the mandap.
About temple:
This is a very old temple and occupies 2.5 acres. This temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, Antarala, ArthaMandap and MahaMandap. This is an east facing temple with a five tiered RajaGopuram. The sanctum sanctorum has a mini-gopuram. Nandi and Balipeetham are in between the two Gopurams. They are not in a straight line with Moolavar. The shiva linga is a swayambhu linga. There is a huge nandi said to have been made for the shaiva saint Sambandhar. The Rajagopuram is about 100 feet in height.
The koshta murtis are Shri Vinayaka, Shri Ardhanarishwarar, Shri Bhikshatanar, Shri Veena Dakshinamurti, Shri Vishnu, Shri Brahma and Shri Durga Devi.
On the walls of the outer prakaram, paintings depict Shaiva saint Appar’s biography.
Idols and Shrines in the Prakaram:
Shaiva saints Appar, Sundarar along with his wives Paravainachiyar and Sangilinachiyar, Appar in sitting position, Shaiva saints Nalvar, Goddess MahaLakshmi, Goddess Durga, VeeraBhadra, Lord Vinayaka, Sridevi, Ayyanar, SaptaMatrika, NavaGraha shrine in which eight planets face Lord Surya, ChandiKeshwarar, Surya, KailashNadar, Sadhathapa Maharshi and Thirupanthankar.
Outer Parikrama:
Durgambika is a separate south facing shrine, KashiVishwanathar, Shivalingas of Sapta Sthana temples of Thiruvaiyaru. There is a SomaSkanda mandap and Nataraja Sabha in this parikrama. At this place, Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi offered prayers to Lord Shiva. Goddess Lakshmi is also praised as Poomagal and as she worshiped at Thuruthi the place is known as Poonthuruthi.
The history of Naalvars i.e four shaiva saints is painted on the walls.
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.
Lord 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.
Prayers:
1. Devotees believe that on the day of the new moon, after performing Girivalam, if they worship at this temple they will be relieved from Pitrudosh.
2. Devotees worship here for child boon, for the removal of marriage obstacles and excellence in education and knowledge.
Pooja:
1. Daily four rituals are performed.
2. Pradosha pooja is performed regularly.
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 are conducted. Arudra darshan is also celebrated.
Temple timings: 6:30am to 11:30am, 4:30pm to 8:30pm.
Temple address:
Shri Puvananathar temple, At post Thiruppoonthuruthi, Via Kandiyur Taluka, Thiruvairaru, District Tanjore, TN 613103.
Phone: +91-4365322290, +91-9486576529
Courtesy: Various websites and blogs
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