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Praised in the Thevaram hymns of Tirunavukkarasar, Arunagirinathar and Sri Ramalinga Adigal. The Lord is not visible to celestial beings, Iyakkas, Vichadharas and others easily.He is in sacred PoonduruthiUnder whose care and feet, we are Tirunavukkarasar. Devas, Iyakkas, Vichadaras are some group living in the upper world according to our scriptures. This is the11th temple praised in Thevaram hymns on the southe.

Veena Dakshinamurthy, Arthanareeswarar, Bikshadanar, Sapthamadhas and Vinayaka grace in the shrines in the prakaras. The history of Nalvar Gnanasambandar, Tirunavukkarasar, Sundarar and Manickavasagar are painted on the wall. There are also the Somaskanda Mandap and Nataraja Sabha.

Indira, Lord Vishnu, Mahalashmi, Sun and Sage Kashyapa worshipped Lord Shiva in this temple. Indira got cured of his illness by making a flower round in the temple. Two Vinjayas (a community in the upper world) cursed to be eagles got back their real personality worshipping in this temple.

Places between rivers are called Thuruthy. This place is in between Cauvery and Kudamurutti rivers. There is one such place (Kuthalam) near Mayiladuthurai. Saint Tirunavukkarasar did his services called Uzhavarathonduhere. He was holding a tool in his hand called Uzhavaram with which he was removing the thorny bushes on the way to Shiva temples to make the path comfortable for the devotees to walk safely.

When Saint Gnanasambandar was hesitant to step on the soil serviced by Tirunavukkarasar, Lord Shiva asked His Nandhi to move away to give darshan to him, according to the sthalapuranas. It is here Tirunavukkarasar carried the palanquin of Ganasambandar. This place is named Sambandar Medu near Tiruvalmpozhil and Vellamparambur. There is also a mutt established by Tirunavukkarasar a little far away opposite the temple.

This is a vast place divided as west and east. The temple is in the western division.

According to scriptures, Cauvery was born from the Kamandala water (pot carried by rishis) of Sage Agasthya when a crow put it upside down. It flowed eastward through Senthalai, Andili, Vellambiyur, Arcot, Kandiyur, Tiruchotruthurai, Tirupazhanam, Tiruvaiyaru, Tiruneithanam and up to Sathanur and became stagnant as a sea. Places in between as Konerirajapuram, Karuppur, Nadukaveri, Tiruvalampozhil, Tirupoonturuthi were submerged.

Indira, king of Devas in the celestial world, worshipped Lord Iyarappar, took the Cauvery further east and made places fertile. On this run, Kandiyur was the first on the way. Then came poonthuruthi with river sand. There was banyan tree on the western side at a higher level. This place was soft as flower (poo in Tamil), the place came to be known as Poonthuruthi. This is mentioned in Thevaram hymns. Places between rivers are called Thuruthi. There is also such a thuruthi called Kuthalam in the eastern side.

It is a popular story that Indira was cursed by Rishi Gautama to have 1000 ugly signs on his body for his immoral desires. While he was passing through many Shiva shrines for remedy from the curse, he came here, worshipped Lord Shiva with flowers and got the total relief. As Indira worshipped the Lord with fragrant flowers, the place was so named, according to another story.

That Lord Vishnu and Sri Mahalakshmi worshipped here is evidenced by the sculptures in the Tower built during the rule of Naickers. Other stories relating to the name of Poonthuruthi is that Poomagal worshipped here, Nandideva supplied Flowers (Poo) for Lords wedding and that many places in the Chola region were covered with dense flower gardens.

This was later translated as Pushpavanam (Pushpa  poo, vanam dense gardens) in the year 1782 during the rule of Thanjavur Tulasi Maharaja. Many stories are in rounds regarding the name of the place. It is in this sacred place Tirunavukkarasar bore on his shoulders the palanquin of Gnanasambandar. Also he established a mutt here. 

Moolavar: Pushpavaneswarar, Adipuranar, Poyyiliar

Amman / Thayar: Soundaryanayaki, Azhagalamarndha Nayaki

Thala Virutcham: Vilwa

Theertham: Surya theertham, Kashyapa theertham, Ganga, Cauveri, Agni theertham

Old year: 1000-2000 years old

Historical Name: Tirupoonduruthi

This Shivastalam is one of the 7 Sapta Stana Temples of Tiruvaiyaru, also known as Pushpavanam. This shrine represents the first point of interaction between Appar and Sambandar. The Saptastana temples of Tiruvaiyaru are  Tiruppazhanam, Tiruchottruturai, Tiruvedikkudi, Tirukkandiyur, Tiruppanturai  Tillaistanam and Tiruvaiyaru. Tiruppoonturutti is also known as Tiruppanturutti. This temple is located in between the rivers Kaveri and Kudamurutti and is considered to be the 11th in the series of Tevara Stalams in the Chola kingdom located south of the river Kaveri.

This is a vast temple with a huge Nandi, which is said to have moved aside to make way for Sambandar. As in Tiruvaiyaru, the Uttara and Dakshina Kailasa temples adorn this shrine. A lofty 100 feet high Rajagopuram adorns the entrance to this temple which occupies an area of about 2.5 acres. The ambal shrine faces south while the main sanctum faces east.

Dakshinamurthy is portrayed with a veena, Veena dhara Dakshinamurthy. The image above is that of the stucco image of Dakshinamurthy from the vimanam at the Tirumagaral Shivastalam in Tondainadu.

Indra and Kasyapar , Vishnu and Lakshmi are said to have worshipped Shiva here. Tirunavukkarasar is said to have spent a good part of his life here. He is said to have composed several Patikams here, and is also said to have borne Sambandar in a palanquin. The Nandi is said to have moved, to allow Shiva to look at the sight of Appar and Sambandar arriving together at the shrine. Appars patikam Angamaalai was composed here.

Lord Shiva graces in the temple as a swayambumurthy. Of the Sapthasthana (seven sacred places) this is the sixth. The place also has a Mutt established by Saint Tirunavukkarasar. This the sacred place where Tirunavukkarasar and Tirug.

Sapthasthana festival, Navarathri in September-October, Skanda Sashti in (October-November), Tirukarthikai in (November-December), Thirukalyanam Wedding festival,, Tiruvadhirai in (December-January), Mahashivarathri in (February-March) and Paarivettai are the festivals celebrated in the temple.

Devotees undertake a clockwise go round of the hill and worship the Lord for relief from any curse of their forefathers. Also, they pray for good wedding results, child boon and good education. They light lamps in the shrines here.

Devotees perform abishek and offer vastras to the Lord on realizing the boons sought by them.

The temple is open from 6.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.

Sri Pushpavaneswarar Temple, Tirupoonturuthi Post, Via Kandiyur ? 613 103, Tiruvaiyaru taluk, Thanjavur district. Contact Number -  +91 4365 322 290, 94865 76529
Do:
  • Do pray your Ishta Devata before pilgrimage to Temple.
  • Do contact Temple Devasthanam information centre for enquiry, temple information and for Pooja details etc.
  • Do reserve your travel and accommodation at Temple well in advance.
  • Do bath and wear clean clothes before you enter the temple.
  • Do concentrate on God and Goddess inside the temple.
  • Do maintain silence and recite Om Namahsivaya or your Istamantram to yourself inside the temple.
  • Do observe ancient custom and traditions while in Temple.
  • Do respect religious sentiments at Temple.
  • Do deposit your offerings in the hundi only.

Don't s:

  • Do not come to Temple for any purpose other than worshipping of God and Goddess.
  • Do not smoke at Temple.
  • Do not consume alcoholic drinks at Temple.
  • Do not eat non-vegetarian food in the Kshetram.
  • Do not approach mediators for quick Darshanam. It may cause inconvenient to others.
  • Do not carry any weapon inside the temple.
  • Do not wear any head guards like helmets, caps, turbans and hats inside the temple premises.
  • Do not perform Sastanga Pranama inside the Sanctum Sanctorum.
  • Do not take much time while performing Sparsa Darshanam to God in Garbhagriha.
  • Do not buy spurious prasadams from street vendors.
  • Do not encourage beggars at Temple.
  • Do not spit or create nuisance in the premises of the temple.