Mayuranathaswami Temple, Mayiladuthurai

The Mayuranathaswami temple is located in the southern part of Mayiladuthurai about a mile from the Kaveri River.[2] The temple is on the Chidambaram–Thanjavur highway.[3]

Thiruvayyaru, Mayiladuthurai, Thiruvidaimaruthur, Thiruvenkadu, Chayavanam and Srivanchiyam are considered equivalents of Kasi. Like in Kasi, where the city is centered around Kashi Vishwanath Temple, the temples in these towns along the banks of river Cauvery, namely Aiyarappar temple in Thiruvaiyaru, Mahalingeswarar temple in Thiruvidaimarudur, Mayuranathaswamy temple in Mayiladuthurai, Chayavaneswarar temple in Sayavanam, Swetharanyeswarar temple in Thiruvenkadu, Srivanchinadhaswamy Koil in Srivanchiyam are the centerpieces of the towns.[4]

It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams - Shiva Sthalams glorified in the early medieval Tevaram poems by Tamil Saivite Nayanar Tirugnanasambandar.

Hindu goddess Parvathi in the form of a peahen worshipping a shivalinga

The presiding deity is a swayambhu lingam or a self-manifested lingam, the symbol of the Hindu god Shiva. Shiva's consort is known by the names Abhayapradhambikai, Abhayambikai, Anjalanayaki and Anjalai. There are three smaller shrines to the Hindu god Ganesha and another to Shiva as Nataraja or "Lord of Dance".[5] One of the sculptures in the temple represent Shiva embracing Goddess Parvathi.[6] According to mythology, the goddess Parvathi, the consort of Shiva, once offended him.[6] Shiva was so annoyed he cursed Parvathi to be born as a lowly peahen.[6] Later, when Parvathi repented, Shiva reduced this sentence.[6] Parvathi had to pray first at Mylapore and then at Mayiladuthurai, at the end of which she was ridden of her curse and became known as "Abhayambal".[6] It is believed that Brahma, Lakshmi, sage Agastya, Manmatha, birds and animals worshipped Mayuranathar.[5]

Image of the temple

The temple was built by the Medieval Cholas. The oldest inscriptions on the temple walls date to the time of Kulothunga Chola I.[7] Massive renovations were carried out during 1907-1927 by Devakottai AL.VR.P.Veerappa Chettiar & Pethaperumal Chettiar.[8] In May 1927, a temple entry of Dalits was organised on a big scale by the proponents of the Self Respect Movement thereby resulting in a huge clash.[9]

The temple complex is 719 feet (219 m) long and 520 feet (160 m) wide.[10] The gopura at the eastern entrance to the temple is nine storeys high[2] and measures 194 feet (59 m). The idol of Durga near the northern entrance of the temple is expertly sculpted and differs from those in other temples.[2] On the temple walls, there is the sculpture of a devotee trying to sever his head as an offering to the God.[2]

There is an expansive temple tank in the centre of the complex. People travel in large numbers to Mayiladuthurai to bathe in this tank on the day of the new moon in the Tamil month of Aippasi (November–December). This bath purifies a person of sins because the waters of the river Ganges and other Indian rivers mingle with the waters of the Kaveri river in this tank on this particular day.[11]

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  Temple tank
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  View from entrance
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  Inner gopura
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  Adhimayurathaswami vimana