Tirupperunturai

Tirupperunturai திருபெருந்துறை, known as "Avudayar Koil", is a Shaiva temple situated near Aranthangi in the Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu. One of the sacred books of Tamil Saiva Siddhanta, Manikkavacakar's Tiruvacakam, originated from this shrine. Manikkavacakar is said to have converted the king to the cult of Shiva and built the temple with money that had been intended for war-horses. [cite book |title=A History of Indian Literature |last=Das |first=Sisir Kumar |coauthors=Akademi, Sahitya |year=1991 |publisher=Sahitya Akademi |isbn=8172010060 |pages=p. 574 |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=sHklK65TKQ0C&pg=PA574&dq=Tirupperunturai&as_brr=3&sig=3GuR0HdexmWNtoQ-z3ZBmnraoUk |accessdate=2008-06-01]

Many renovations have been carried out: much of the current structure dates to the fifteenth CCE. The temple covers an area of over ten acres and faces south, constructed so that the setting sun strikes the sanctum even though it is cloistered within three circumambulatory paths. The thousand pillared hall has several delicately crafted pillars with depictions of the Oordhwa Tandavam of Shiva, Kaaraikkaal Ammaiyaar, Dhanurdhara Subramanya etc.

The presiding deity is formless ("Atmanatar"}; there is no Shivalingam but only a pedestal {Avudayar} located in the sanctum, hence the name Avudayar Koil. [cite book |title=The Dance of Siva: Religion, Art and Poetry in South India |last=Smith |first=David |year=2003 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=0521528658 |pages=p. 230 |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=fTLlcGlkdjkC&pg=PA230&dq=Tirupperunturai&as_brr=3&sig=kEsnooVAK3YReol6zy7YUymhdE4 |accessdate=2008-06-01] His consort is worshipped as Siva Yoga Nayaki in iconless form. There is no Nandi bull icon. As at Chidambaram and Tiruvanaikoil, here Vedic rituals are performed, unlike the Sivachariyar or Adhisaivar temples who follow Agama rituals. in this case the temple is administered by Nambiar Brahmins – a class of Vaideeka Brahmins said to be descendants of Rowshayadana, a saint who originated from Agni, and were taught the Vedas by Atmanatar himself. They are said to number three hundred and are also called Munnothioruvar.

Avudayar Koil is the second temple to Chidambaram where Aruvam (அருவம்.. அதாவது உருவமற்ற கடவுள் நிலை)is worshipped. It is also known as Kokozhi, Sivapuram, Akasha Kailasham, Vadavoor, Chatur-Veda-Mangalam and Adi Kailasam in Sangam literature and Atheetha Sabha as it has six Sabhas, the Kanaka Sabha, Chit Sabha, Sat Sabha, Ananda Sabha, Ratna Sabha and Deva Sabha in comparison to five at Chidambaram. It is believed that Manikkavasagar himself built these six sabhas, and covered each of them with 21600 plates of copper.

The annual festivals celebrated here are Aani Tirumanjanam and Maargazhi Tiruvaadirai as in Chidambaram. Worship or Pooja is done 6 times in a day .

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