https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Papanasanathar_TemplePapanasanathar Temple - Revision history2026-10-29T05:56:26ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Papanasanathar_Temple&diff=524299&oldid=prevJeffryAlfaro75 at 11:49, 12 October 20252025-10-12T11:49:18Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}<br />
{{Infobox temple<br />
| name = Papanasanathar Temple<br />
| image = Vanatheertham falls 2007.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu<br />
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]<br />
| coordinates = {{coord|8|42|48|N|77|24|21|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}<br />
| country = [[India]]<br />
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]<br />
| district = [[Tirunelveli district|Tirunelveli]]<br />
| location = [[Papanasam, Tirunelveli]]<br />
| elevation_m = <br />
| deity = Papanasanathar([[Shiva]]), Ulagammai ([[Parvathi]])<br />
| architecture = [[Tamil architecture]]<br />
| temple_quantity = <br />
| monument_quantity= <br />
| inscriptions = <br />
| year_completed = <br />
| creator = <br />
| website = <br />
}}<br />
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'''Papanasanathar Temple''' in [[Papanasam, Tirunelveli|Papanasam]], a village in [[Tirunelveli district]] in the South Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]], is dedicated to Hindu god [[Shiva]]. It is located 60&nbsp;km from [[Tirunelveli]]. Constructed in the [[Dravidian architecture]], the temple has three precincts. Shiva is worshipped as Papanasanathar and his consort [[Parvathi]] as Ulagammai.<br />
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A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines. The temple has a seven-tiered gateway tower. The temple was originally built by Chandrakula Pandya, with further additions by the [[Vijayanagar Empire|Vijayanagar]] and [[Nayak dynasty|Nayak kings]] during the 16th century. The temple has artistic sculptures representative of Nayak art.<br />
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The temple is open from 5.30 am - 12 pm and 4.30-7:30 pm on all days except during festival days when it is open the full day. Six daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the Brahmotsavam festival during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] months of ''Chittirai'' (April - May) and Thaipoosam during ''Thai'' (January - February) being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].<br />
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==Legend and religious significance==<br />
[[File:Agastiyar with wife.jpg|250px|left|Image of sage [[Agasthya]] with his wife, [[Lopamudra]]|thumb]]<br />
As per Hindu legend, during the divine wedding of Shiva and Parvathi, there was heavy crowd at [[Kailash]]. Sage Agasthya could not get a vision of the event and was praying to [[Shiva]] at this place and pleased by his devotion, Shiva appeared to him and his wife Lopamundra in Kalyana posture. The falls nearby the temple is thus called [[Agasthiyar Falls]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Spiritual India Handbook|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=djI5mL2qeocC&q=papanasam+temple&pg=PT342|page=342|publisher=Jaico Publishing House|year=2009|isbn=9788184950243|last=Knapp|first=Stephen}}</ref> <br />
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As per another legend, sage Urosamar floated a set of flowers in [[Tamiraparani River]] and the first flower reached the shore at this place. The sage established a temple for Papanasanathar and worshipped the deity here.<ref name="dinamalar"/> <br />
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The [[lingam]], the iconic form of Shiva in the temple is believed to an aspect of [[Surya]], one of the planetary deities. The temple forms a series of [[Navagraha]] temples in the banks of Tamiraparani river where each of the nine planetary deities are considered to reside in one temples. The temples are classified as [[Nava Kailasam]] and the presiding deity of all the nine temples is Kailasanathar. The temple is associated with the planet [[Surya]] (Sun) and considered first in the series of the nine temples.<ref name="dinamalar"/><ref name=official>{{cite web|url=http://navakailasamtemples.tnhrce.in/papanatha_swamy_temple1.html|title=Arulmigu Papanatha Swamy Temple Papanasam (Suriyan)|publisher=Hindu Religious and Endowment Board, [[Government of Tamil Nadu]]|year=2014|access-date=15 November 2015}}</ref> <br />
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The lingam is believed to have appeared from ''kala'' tree and is called as Mukkala Nathar. <br />
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There are images of Somaskanda, Rishabaroodar and Agastya close to the image with unique sculptural representation.<ref name=Meena>{{cite book|title=Temples in South India|last=V.|first=Meena|publisher=Harikumar Arts|location=Kanniyakumari|pages=8–9}}</ref><br />
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As per another legend, the king of celestial deities, [[Indra]] slayed a demon Dwastha, the son of [[Sukracharya]] (the Guru of [[Asura]]s) as he was performing a penance to seek superior powers against the [[Deva (Hinduism)|Deva]]s. Indra incurred Brahmatti Dosha, a sin attained for slaying the [[Brahmin]]. He roamed around a lot of places for doing penance and finally on the advice of [[Brihaspathi]], he landed at Papanasam. Since his sin (''Papam'' locally) was expiated in this place, it came to be known as Papanasam. This Legend is to Elucidate the real Importance of Good Brahmin Communities and also the Power of Temple <ref name="dinamalar"/><br />
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==Architecture==<br />
[[File:0048 Pagoda of Papanassum (1800).jpg|250px|left|thumb|Historical image of the temple]]<br />
A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines, pierced by a seven-tiered gateway tower. The image of Papanasanathar in the form of [[Lingam]] is housed in the sanctum. The shrine of Ulagammai is housed in a west facing shrine. The shrine also houses the images of [[Vinayaka]], [[Muruga|Subramanyar]], [[Dakshinamurthy]], [[Durga]], and [[Navagrahas]] on the walls. The west facing shrine adjacent to the flagstaff has a hall with yali pillars, where [[Nataraja]] is housed. Natarja is routed in Ananda Thandava posture and also called as Punugu Sabapathy.<ref name="dinamalar"/> The temple tank in the temple is called Papanasa Theertham, while two other tanks namely Agasthya Theertham and Kalyani Theertham are also associated with the temple.<ref>{{cite book|title=Pilgrimage to Temple Heritage|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nAt8AgAAQBAJ&q=papanasam+temple&pg=PA548|publisher= Infokerala Communications Pvt. Ltd.|page=548|year=2013|last=Mathew|first=Biju|isbn=9788192128443}}</ref> There is a pounding stone in front of Ulagammai shrine where ladies grind turmeric. The turmeric is used during sacred ablution and also used by the devotees after the worship.{{fact|date=July 2020}}<br />
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==History==<br />
[[File:34Papanasam Pool of the Sacred Fish.jpg|250x250px|thumb|right|The temple tank]]<br />
The exact history of the temple could not be ascertained, but it is originally believed to have been built by the [[Pandya]] king, Chandrakula Pandya, who ruled over the regions of Madurai. He built the central shrine and vimana of the temple. [[Madurai Nayak dynasty#Muttu Virappa Nayaka .281609.E2.80.941623.29|Veerappa Nayaka]] (1609-23 AD), a ruler of [[Madurai Nayak]] dynasty built the Yagasala, dwajasthamba (flag staff) and Nataraja hall. In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].<ref name=official/><br />
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==Festival==<br />
The temple follows [[Saivite]] tradition. The temple priests perform the ''[[puja (Hinduism)|pooja]]'' (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. The temple rituals are performed six times a day: ''Tiruvananthal'' at 6:30&nbsp;a.m., ''Sirualasanthi'' at 7:00&nbsp;a.m., ''Kalasanthi'' at 8:30&nbsp;a.m., ''Uchikalam'' at 11:30&nbsp;p.m., ''Sayarakshai'' at 6:00&nbsp;p.m., and ''Arthajamam'' between 8:00&nbsp; - 8:00&nbsp;p.m. Each ritual has three steps: ''alangaram'' (decoration), ''neivethanam'' (food offering) and ''deepa aradanai'' (waving of lamps) for both Papanasanathar and Ulagammai. During ''Uchikala'' pooja, the food offered to the deities is offered to the fish in Tamirabarani river. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals performed in the temple. The temple is open from 6am - 1 pm and 4-8:30 pm on all days except during new moon days when it is open the full day.<ref name="dinamalar">{{cite web|title=Sri Papansanathar temple|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=871|year=2014|access-date=1 November 2015|publisher=Dinamalar}}</ref> The Brahmotsavam festival celebrated during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] months of ''Chittirai'' (April - May) and Thaipoosam during ''Thai'' (January - February) are the most prominent festivals of the temple. Other festivals like [[Sivarathri]] and Agasthiyar Thirukalyanam (sacred marriage) are also celebrated.<ref name="dinamalar"/><br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
{{commons category|Papanasam Temple}}<br />
{{Famous Shiva temples|state=collapsed}}<br />
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{{Vaippu sthalam}}<br />
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[[Category:Hindu temples in Tirunelveli district]]<br />
[[Category:Shiva temples in Tirunelveli district]]</div>JeffryAlfaro75