Author London Swaminathan standing in front of the tall tower.

Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 15,479

Date uploaded in Kumbakonam, India –  9 March 2026

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

xxxx  

About sixty years ago, we used to travel from Madurai to Vaitheeswaran Koil to worship our family deity Shiva. There Lord Shiva is called Mr Doctor (In Sanskrit Vaidyanathan) . He is doctor for the diseases our body catches as well as the disease of birth and death. And we used to stay in our uncle’s house at Mayavaram, also known as Mayuram, Mailaduthurai ; in fact Mayiladuthurai is the name used by the Thevaram saints. Since the God Mayuranathar is sung by Appar/Tirunavukkarasar and his junior Gnana Sambandar the place is well known for at least 1400 years.

When we stay at our uncle’s house we used to go to the temple and spend much time sitting in the Prakara (corridor) discussing various matters.

The temple at Mayuram (Mayura in Sanskrit is Mayil in Tamil meaning peacock) has a story.

Goddess Parvati went to her father Daksha’s Yagna (Fire sacrifice) uninvited. Daksha invited all but not Shiva. He didn’t bother; but when he insulted Parvati   she fell in the Yagna fire and sacrificed herself. Shiva became angry and sent Virabhadra to destroy all the people in the Yagna Hall. At the same time Shiva cursed even his own wife for not obeying to his instruction. She was cursed to become a peacock (peahen)and she worshipped Shiva at this place to get out of the curse.

Several inscriptions in the temple show the donations made by Choza , Pandya and Vijayanagara kings. So the temple has a long history.

Salient features of the Mayiladuthurai Temple are:

It is on the southern banks of the River Kaveri. Every Aippasi month (one of the 12 Tamil months) thousands of people take holy dip in the river in the early morning. At that time, it is as holy as Ganga and the town is as holy as Kasi (Varanasi/Benares). The 30 day holy bath (Thula Snanam) concludes in the first day of next month called Kartikai.

God Shiva appears in the form of Swayambu Linga here. Goddess is called Abhayambikai. In the same temple there is a shrine called Adi Mayuranathar shrine where Goddess is in peacock form.

The statuesof planet Saturn (Sani) and goddess Durga in the temple have unique features. Sani has Flame (fire) head; Durga has demons at her feet.

Nataraja here did Gauri Tandava.  The tower is 165 feet tall and it is a nine storeyed tower.

Lord Ganapati is called Agastya Vinayaka. All the popular Hindu Gods have shrines in the temple. There is a tank attached to the temple.

·         Architecture: Originally from the 7th century, it was significantly built/expanded by the Cholas (11th century).

·         Mythology: Legend says Goddess Parvati worshipped Shiva here in the form of a peacock (Mayur).

·         Location: Situated in the heart of Mayiladuthurai town, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu.

·         Important Festivals: The “Thula Utsavam” in the Tamil month of Aippasi (October-November) is a major event.

·         Address: Mayuranathar Colony, Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu – 609001.

In the 14th century, Tamil poet Arunagirinathar composed a Tiruppugaz song on the deity Murugan, in this temple. The shrine is managed by Thiruvavaduthurai adheenam.

It is about 256 km (159 mi) southeast of Chennai, the state capital.  The nearest railway station is Mayiladuthurai railway junction 2 km (1.2 mi) from the temple.

The temple is a huge temple and one needs an hour or less to complete the round.

–subham—

Tags- Mayiladuthurai, Peacock, Lord Shiva, Mayuram, Goddess  cursed, Thula Kaveri Bath, Snanam