Paadal Petra Sthalam

The 3 foremost Nayanars with Manikkavacakar - collectively called the Nalvars: (from left) Sambandar, Appar, Sundarar, Manikkavacakar.

Thevaram literally means "garland of divine songs" and refers to the collection of verses sung praising Shiva, the primary god of the Shaivite sect of Hindu religion, by three Tamil poets known as Saiva Kuruvars - Thirugnana Sambanthar, Tirunavukkarasar (aka Appar) and Sundaramoorthy Nayanar (aka Sundarar).[2] The three are considered the primary three among the sixty three Nayanmars of the Saivite sect of Hinduism. The former two lived during the 7th century AD while the latter around 8th century AD. All songs in Thevaram are believed to be in sets of ten songs, called pathikam in Tamil. Some musical experts consider Thevaram as a divine musical form.[3] There is a common view that Sanskritization of names of the temples are carried out in later period that superseded the names mentioned in Thevaram - some of the common examples are Chidambaram as against Tillai in Thevaram and Kumbakonam as against Kudanthai.[4]

The 275 temples that are mentioned in Thevaram are referred as Paadal Petra Thalam, meaning the temples that were sung in the verses. On the contrary, Vaippu Thalam are temples that were mentioned casually in the songs in Thevaram and lacking a mention of those temples. In modern times, the verses of Tevaram are sung daily and during the festive occasions in most Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu by musicians called Odhuvars.[5]

Manikkavacakar is considered the 4th in the line of Saiva Kuravars, whose verses are classified as Thiruvasagam. There is a saying that "Thiruvasagathuku urugar, oru vasagathukum orugar" meaning the person who does not budge for thiruvasagam won't budge for anything else.

There are around 275 temples that are revered by the verses of Saiva Nayanars and are amongst the greatest Shiva Temples of Tamil Nadu.[1] In Tamil Nadu there are 265 temples, 2 temples in Andhra pradesh, 1 temple in kerala, 1 temple in karnataka, 2 temples in Uttarakhand, 2 temples in Sri Lanka, 1 temple in Nepal, and Tirukayilaayam in Mount Kailash. The list is as shown below.

This refers to the temples that are the manifestation of the five elements - Land, water, air, sky, fire.

• 
  Ekambareswarar Temple, Kanchipuram(Land)
• 
  Arunachaleshwarar Temple, Thiruvannamalai(Fire)
• 
  Thiruvanaikaval temple, Trichy(Water)
• 
  Chidambaram temple, Chidambaram(Sky)
• 
  Kalahsti Temple(Air)

Pancha Bhoota stalam Map

The temples where Shiva is believed to have performed the Cosmic Dance.

• 
  Thiruvalangadu temple, Chennai
• 
  Chidambaram
• 
  Madurai Temple
• 
  Tirunelveli temple
• 
  Thirukutralam

Pancha Sabhai Map

The temples where Shiva is believed to have performed with fury. The eight temples are in 1. Thiruvadhikai 2. Thirukoyilur 3. Thirukkadayur 4. Vazhoovur 5. Thirukkurakaval ( kurukkai ) 6. Thiruppaliyalur 7. Thirukandiyur 8. Thiruvirkudi.

Temple	Location	District	Image
Tiruvadigai Veerattaaneswarar Temple	Tiruvadigai, Panruti	Cuddalore district
Korukkai Veeratteswarar Temple	Tirukurukkai	Nagapattinam district
Tirukkovilur Veerateshwarar Temple	Tirukoilur	Tiruvannamalai district
Amirtagateswarar Temple	Thirukadaiyur	Nagapattinam district
Vazhuvur Verateswarar Temple	Vazhuvoor, Mayiladuthurai	Nagapattinam district
Keelaparasalur Veerateswarar Temple	Tirupariyalur	Nagapattinam district
Kandeeswarar Temple	Thirukkandiyur	Thanjavur district
Tiruvirkudi Veerataneswarar Temple	Thiruvirkudi	Thiruvarur district

The Thyagarajar Temple at Tiruvarur is famous for the ajapa natanam (dance without chanting), that is executed by the deity itself. According to legend, a Chola king named Mucukunta obtained a boon from Indra (a celestial deity) and wished to receive an image of Thyagaraja Swamy (presiding deity, Shiva in the temple) reposing on the chest of reclining Vishnu. Indra tried to misguide the king and had six other images made, but the king chose the right image at Tiruvarur.[6] The other six images were installed in ThiruNallaaru, Nagapattinam, Tirukarayil, Tirukolili, Thiruvaaimur and Tirumaraikadu.[7] All the seven places are villages situated in the river Cauvery delta. All seven Thyagaraja images are said to dance when taken in procession(it is the bearers of the processional deity who actually dance). The temples with dance styles are regarded as Saptha Vidangam (seven dance moves)[8] and the related temples are as under:[9]

• 
  Thyagarajar Temple

The sapthasthanam festival is conducted at Tiruvaiyaru during April every year. Hundreds of people witness the convergence of seven glass palanquins carrying principal deities of respective temples from seven places at Tiruvaiyaru. The palanquins are paraded near the car stand, the crowd witnessed the Poochorithal(flower festival) in which a doll offers flowers to the principal deities in the palanquins. After the Poochorithal, the palanquins leave for their respective places.[10] The seven temples are

The seven temples are

Aathara Stalam indicates the places which are considered to be diving impersonification of Tantric chakras associated with human anatomy. Annamalaiyar temple is called the Manipooraga stalam[11] associated with Manipooraga the human anatomical cause for spiritual ignorance, thirst, jealousy, treachery, shame, fear, disgust, delusion, foolishness and sadness.[12] 4 temples are located in Tamil Nadu, one in Andhra Pradesh, and one at Varanasi.

Tantric Chakra	Description	Temple	Location	Symbol
Anthagam (Sanskrit: आज्ञा, ājñā [aːɟɲaː])	Brain directly behind eyebrow	Natarajar Temple	Chidambaram
Visuthi (Sanskrit: विशुद्ध, Viśuddha)	Neck region near spine	Sri Kalahastheeswara Swami Temple	Kalahasthi
Anahata (Sanskrit: अनाहत, Anāhata)	Central channel behind spine	Kashi Vishwanath Temple	Varanasi
Manipooragam (Sanskrit: मणिपूर, Maṇipūra)	Spine directly behind the navel	Arunachaleshwarar Temple	Thiruvannamalai
Swathistanam (Sanskrit: स्वाधिष्ठान, Svādhiṣṭhāna)	One's own abode	Thiruvanaikaval	Trichy
Moolatharam (Sanskrit: मूलाधार, Mūlādhāra)	Basal end of the spinal	Thyagaraja Swamy Temple	Tiruvarur

• 
  Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvarur
• 
  Rameshwaram temple
• 
  Rockfort temple, Trichy
• 
  Chidambaram
• 
  Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Mylapore, chennai
• 
  Tiruvannamalai temple
• 
  Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam
• 
  Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai
• 
  Kedarnath Temple
• 
  Kailash Hills, Kailash
• 
  The Towering Rajagopuram with one of the Temple Cars
• 
  Pashupatinath TempleKathmandu, Nepal
• 
  Thiruvasi Temple, Trichy

• Shiva Temples of Tamil Nadu
• Iconography of Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu

• Map of padal petra stalam
• Padal petra stalam around Madurai
• Padal petra stalam around Kerala
• Padal petra stalam around Karnataka
• Padal petra stalam around Erode
• Padal petra stalam around Srilanka