Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

1122 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
High medieval · Hindu · India

Tirucherai Gnanaparameswarar Temple

Tirucherai, Tamil Nadu · 10.8776°, 79.4528°

Shiva as Gnanaparameswarar / Saraparameswarar (consort Gnanambikai)Undetermined—Paadal Petra Sthalam
Sacred since
1000 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
dating unrecorded
Undetermined

History & significance

One of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, where the Nayanmars Appar and Sambandar sang in praise of the deity.

Sthala katha — the legend

The sage Markandeya, the river-goddess Kaveri and the rishi Dowmya are said to have worshipped Shiva at this shrine.

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Related sites

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1003–1010 CE
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mid-12th c. CE
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Madurai · India
current structure largely 16th–17th c.
Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
Chidambaram · India
core 10th c.; expanded to 13th c.
Ekambareswarar Temple
Kanchipuram · India
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Ramanathaswamy Temple
Rameswaram · India
12th–18th c. (great corridor 18th c., Sethupathis)

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Undetermined