Soundareswarar Temple, Tirunaraiyur

Location of the temple Tirunaraiyur
Lord Shiva known as Soundareswarar
Female deity known as Thiripurasundari
Pathigam Thirunavukarasar, Sambandar
How to reach This temple is located 17 Kms from Chidambaram enroute to Kattumannargudi via Kumaratchi and one has to get down at a bus stop known as Tirunaaraiyur. A branch road from this bus stop goes to the temple which is about half a km. from here.
Temple address Arumighu Soundareswarar Temple
Tirunaraiyur Post
Via Lalpet
Kattumannarkudi Taluk
Cuddalore District
Pin-608303
Map showing location of Tirunaraiyur temple from Chidambaram
Map courtesy by: Google Maps
Map showing location of Tirunaraiyur temple from Kattumannarkudi
Map courtesy by: Google Maps

This Shivasthalam is famous for the shrine of Pollaappilliar who blessed a small boy by name Nambiyaandar Nambi with divine knowledge. According to legend, the Chola King First Rajarajan was informed by Pollaappilliar the whereabouts of Tevara Paadal. Eventhough Tirunavukarasar, Sambandar and Sundarar composed the Tevara Pathigams during 7th to 9th Century AD, the inscriptions of the same were lying buried inside Chidambaram Temple. Chola King First Rajarajan with the help of the blessed boy Nambiaandar Nambi saw to it that the Tevaara Paadal were recovered and preserved. Apart from what were destroyed by white ants, the remaining Tevaara Paadal (Pathigams) were indexed and arranged in proper order and what we know today of Tevaara Paadal were thus recovered from destruction by the blessings of Pollaappilliar, whose shrine inside Tirunaaraiyur Shiva Temple is well known.