Early medieval · Hindu · India

Kripapureeswarar Temple, Thiruvennainallur

Thiruvennainallur, Tamil Nadu · 11.8603°, 79.3664°

Shiva as Kripapureeswarar (Arutkondanathar), with Parvati as MangalambigaiCholaDravidianPaadal Petra Sthalam

Sacred since

900 CE

first attestation / structure

Standing structure

10th c. (Chola); Sembiyan Mahadevi and Rajaraja I endowments

Chola

History & significance

The 10th-century Chola temple where the saint-poet Sundarar, claimed by Shiva as his slave, began the Tirumurai; it was endowed by queen Sembiyan Mahadevi and Rajaraja I and stands among the Paadal Petra Sthalams.

Sthala katha — the legend

Shiva, appearing as an old man with a palm-leaf bond over Sundarar, revealed himself and bade the saint sing, beginning with the word 'Pitha' - the first verse of the Tevaram.

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