Sri Paalaivana Nathar Temple is also known as Sri Paalaivaneswarar Temple. The actual place where the Temple is located in Papanasam is known as Thiruppalathurai. The full name of the Temple is Sri Thavalavennnagaiyaal Samedha Sri Paalaivananathar Temple. It is believed that this Temple is more than 1500 years old. Sri Paalaivananatha Swamy Temple has an East facing five tiered Rajagopuram. Beneath the Rajagopuram is a North facing Idol of Sri Ganapathy and a South facing Idol of Sri Murugan. On entering the Temple premises there is a huge cylindrical granary with a conical top. It is said that it was built between 1600 to 1634 AD by the Nayak Ruler King Raghunatha. It could easily store upto 3000 Kalangal which is a measurement in Tamil for storing grains in those days. It is now under the care of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) while the other parts of the Temple comes under the HR & CE of the Tamil Nadu Government.

Just before the Dwajasthambam is an East facing Idol of Sri Kodimarathu Vinayagar. Then is the Dwajasthambam or Kodi Maram after which is the Neivedhya Peedam or Bali Peedam. The Nandhi Vaahanam which is West facing and looking towards the Moolasthanam is seen beneath a four pillared Mandapam atop which a total of 8 Nandhis are seen with 4 Heads which was an Engineering Marvel of those days. To the right is a vacant multi pillared Mandapam after which there is yet again a three tiered East facing Rajagopuram.

At the entrance of the Moolasthana Mandapam there are two huge black Dwara Baalaka Idols standing guard. To the left Dwara Baalaka is an East facing of Idol of Sri Ganapathy. On entering the Moolasthanam there is a small Neivedhya Peedam or Bali peedam and another Nandhi Vaahanam looking towards the Moolasthanam. At the threshold of the Moolasthanam are two more black Dwara Baalaka Idols standing guard on either side. In the Sanctum Sanctorum the Presiding Deity of Sri Paalaivananatha Swamy is seen East facing in the form of a Divine Shiva Lingam. He looks Omnipotent and resplendent when seen in the background of the naturally lit oil lamps. Around the Koshtam of the Moolavar Sannadhi are the Idols of Sri Arthanareeswarar, Sri Vinayagar, Sri Oorthuvathandavar, Sri Dhakshinamoorthy, Sri Lingothbhavar, Sri Brahmma, Sri Gajasamhaaramoorthy, Sri Pichandavar, Sri Durgai and Sri Chandikeshwarar.

In the initial multi pillared Mandapam there is a North facing Sub Shrine in which the Naalvars comprising of the Idols of Sri Thirugnana Sammadhar, Sri Appar or Sri Thirunavukkasarar, Sri Sundarar and Sri Manickavasagar are seen. Close to the Madapalli is a multiple pillared corridor in which the Temple's Vaahanam are displayed in a spectacular manner. The peripheral of the Temple has an East facing Sub Shrine of Sri Vinayagar before which a Moonjur Vaahanam is seen. Next is the East facing Sub Shrine of Sri Somaskandar and then is another East facing Sub Shrine of Sri Subramaniyar who is seen with a Vel and a Kodi. Flanking Him on either side are His Consorts Valli and Devasena. The two Shiva Lingams kept here are believed to have been Prayed by Sage Vashistar and Sri Malaithvajan. Then is the East facing Sub Shrine of Sri Mahalakshmi after which are two Divine Shiva Lingams which were Prayed by Sri Rama and Sri Parthiban respectively. Unusually the 63 Naayanmaar's Idols are all South facing whereas generally in other Shiva Temples they are North facing. There is a South facing Sub Shrine of Sri Natarajar who is seen along with His Consort Sri Sivagami Ambal. Close to this is the Temple's Navagraha Sannadhi and to the rear of the Navagraha Sannadhi is the Yaagasaalai and there is small West facing Sri Saneeswara Bhagwan's Idol just before the Yaaga Saalai. There are two Idols of Sri Bhairavar who are seen along with the Idol of Sri Surya Bhagwan and all three of them are West facing.

The Consort of this Temple is known as Sri Thavalavennagaiyaal. The Ambal's Shrine is on the outer peripheral and is an exclusive East facing Shrine. There is a small Nandhi Vaahanam and a Neivedhya Peedam or Bali Peedam looking towards the East facing Moolasthanam of Ambal. Similarly there is another huge Nandhi Vaahanam outside Her Shrine. This Nandhi Vaahanam is kept within a four pillared Mandapam and is West facing as though looking towards the East facing Shrine of Ambal. Her Shrine does not have the usual Dwara Baalaki Idols but instead the Idols of Sri Ganapathy one each on either side is seen and they too are East facing. The Ambal is seen in a standing posture and East facing. Sri Thavalavenn Nagaiyal is seen hlding an Akshaya Paathiram in Her left hand. She is said to have a smiling face but on contrary it is said that She has an aggressive nature though benevolent and liberal to Her Devotees. She is said to be in a Kalyana Kolam. There is a Palliyarai located within Her Shrine. Around the Koshtam of the Ambal's Shrine is a solitary South facing Chandikeshwari's Idol.

The Temple has a Madapalli or Temple Kitchen. The Sthala Viruksham of this Temple are Veppalai Maram and Vilva Maram. The Sacred Tank or Pushkaranis are Indra Theertham, Vashista Theertham and Brahmma Theertham. This Temple is unique in many ways since it is one of the famous Shiva Temples in which the Pancha Pandavas had visited during their lifetime. Infact it was Sri Arjunana who Prayed to Sri Paalaivananathar and observed a Penance. Pradosham, Thiru Karthigai, Arudhra Dharisanam, Vinayagar Chathurthi, Skanda Shasti, Aani Thirumanjanam, Vaikasi Visakam are some of the Functions conducted here with great following. This is one of the Thevara Paadal Petra Sthalam and is also considered as a Thirumana Parihaara Sthalam.

Contact Details: Vignesh Gurukkal 70103 24728

Temple Timing: 7 AM to 12:30 PM and 5 PM to 8:30 PM

Distance from Kumbakonam to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 14 Kms

Distance from Sundaraperumal Kovil to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 5 Kms

Distance from Patteswaram to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 9 Kms

Distance from Dharasuram or Darasuram to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 11 Kms

Distance from Nannilam to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 48 Kms

Distance from Alangudi to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 83 Kms

Distance from Nandhipura Vinnagaram or Nathan Kovil to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 14 Kms

Distance from Swamimalai to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 9 Kms

Distance from Valangaimaan to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 14 Kms

Distance from Trichy or Tiruchirappalli to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 94 Kms

Distance from Vaitheeswaran Kovil to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 49 Kms

Distance from Ayyavadi to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 23 Kms

Distance from Thirunageswaram to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 23 Km

Distance from Thiruvidaimaruthur to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 25 Kms

Distance from Mayavaram to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 35 Kms

Distance from Thiruvarur to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 48 Kms

Distance from Mannargudi to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 47 Kms

Distance from Vaduvur to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 40 Kms

Distance from Thanjavur to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 29 Kms

Distance from Srivanjiyam or Srivanchiyam to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 28 Kms

Distance from Thirucherai to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 22 Kms

Distance from Chennai to Papanasam near Kumbakonam is 305 Kms

Nearest Railway Station is Papanasam R.S.

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