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Soundareswararswamy Temple
Religion
Affiliation	Hinduism
District	Tiruvarur
Deity	Soundareswararswamy Swamy(Shiva)
Location
Location	Thiruppanaiyur, Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu, India
State	Tamil Nadu
Country	India
Location in Tamil Nadu
Geographic coordinates	10°51′47″N 79°39′24″E / 10.86306°N 79.65667°E / 10.86306; 79.65667
Architecture
Type	Dravidian architecture

The Soundareswararswamy Temple or Sountharyanathar temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the God Shiva. It is situated in the village of Thiruppanaiyur, three and a half kilometres (2.2 mi) from Nannilam. The temple is centred on a palmyra tree which is the sthalavrksham. The palmyra tree gives its name to the village itself ("Thiru" (holy) + "Panai" (palm) + "Ur" (city) or the "city of the holy palm"). In addition to the shrine to Shiva, the temple prominently features a sannidhi (shrine) dedicated to Goddess Devi Periyanayagi Amman/ Devi Brihannayaki Amba.

Significance

It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams. Sthala Purana (Shrine Legend) has it that Sundarar composed several hymns to Shiva at this temple. Sthala purana of the shrine also states that Rshi Parashara worshipped God Shiva at this shrine.

The temple is popular due to its association with the Early Chola king Karikala. It is believed that Karikala was standing under the palmyra tree when the royal elephant of the Cholas identified him as the king. Karikala was then taken to the capital on elephant back to be crowned Emperor.

References

• "Sountharyanathar Temple" (in Tamil).
• Tourist Guide to Tamil Nadu. Sura Books. 2010. p. 66. ISBN 978-81-7478-177-2.

Photogallery

• Main entrance
• Vimana of the presiding deity
• Nandi facing temple tank

v t e Tiruvarur district
District headquarters	Tiruvarur
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
Region	Chola Nadu
Divisions	Mannargudi Tiruvarur
Taluks	Kudavasal Mannargudi Nannilam Needamangalam Thiruthiraipoondi Tiruvarur Valangaiman
Revenue blocks	Koradacheri Kottur Kudavasal Mannargudi Muthupet Nannilam Needamangalam Thiruthiraipoondi Tiruvarur Valangaiman
Municipalities	Agarathirumalam Koothanallur Mannargudi Thiruthuraipoondi Tiruvarur
Rivers	Arasalar Noolaar Odampokki Vettar Vennar Mudikondan Nandalar Nattar Thirumalairajan Koraiyar Valavaikkal Kaattar Pandavaiar Arichandranathi Mullaiyar Pamaniyar
History	Early Cholas Kalabhras Pallavas Medieval Cholas Later Cholas Pandyan dynasty Delhi Sultanate Madurai Sultanate Vijayanagar Empire Thanjavur Nayaks Thanjavur Marathas Company Raj British Raj
Places of interest	Alangudi Siva Temple Engan Murugan Temple Koothanur Kothandarama Temple, Thillaivilagam Muthupet Dargah Muthupet Lagoon Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi Soundareswararswamy Temple, Thiruppanaiyur Srinivasa Perumal Temple, Kudavasal Thulasendrapuram Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvarur Tirucherai Saranathan Temple Tirucherai Sivasthalam Vaduvoor Bird Sanctuary
Universities	Central University of Tamil Nadu
Cities and towns People Villages

v t e Hindu deities and texts
Gods	Trimurti Brahma Vishnu Shiva Agni Ashvins Chandra Dattatreya Ganesha Hanuman Indra Kama Kartikeya Krishna Kubera Rama Shasta Surya Varuna Vayu Vishvakarma Yama more
Goddesses	Tridevi Saraswati Lakshmi Parvati Aditi Bhumi Chhaya Durga Ganga Shachi Kali Mahadevi Mahavidya Matangi Matrikas Radha Rati Rohini Rukmini Sanjna Sati Shakti Shashthi Sita more
Other deities	Apsaras Asuras Daitya Danava Devata Dikpāla Gandharvas Gana Kuladevatas Gramadevatas Rakshasas Vahanas Yakshas / Yakshini
Texts (list)	Vedas Rig Sama Yajur Atharva Upanishads Puranas Ramayana Mahabharata Bhagavad Gita Yoga Sutras of Patanjali more
Hinduism Hindu mythology

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• Shiva temples in Tiruvarur district
• Padal Petra Stalam
• Tamil Nadu Hindu temple stubs