Late medieval · Hindu · India

Thirumakaraleeswarar Temple

Magaral (Tirumaagaral), Tamil Nadu · 12.7183°, 79.7547°

Shiva (Thirumakaraleeswarar), with Parvati as TribuvananayagiVijayanagara Nayak—Paadal Petra Sthalam

Sacred since

1400 CE

first attestation / structure

Standing structure

15th-16th c. Nayak structure; Chola origin

Vijayanagara Nayak

History & significance

A Shiva temple in Kanchipuram district counted among the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams of the 7th-century Tevaram. The original complex is attributed to the Cholas, while the present masonry temple was raised under the Vijayanagara Nayaks.

Sthala katha — the legend

Shiva is said to have appeared here as a magaral, an iguana, prompting a repentant king to build the temple after he had pursued a boy who burned a sacred jackfruit tree.

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