Tirupunkur derived its name from its connection to the 'sthala vruksham - Pungai'; the Indian Beech tree. 'Sthala Purana' focuses on a miracle attributed to Nandanar, a venerated Nayanar. Nandanar was born in poverty and was a staunch devotee of the god Shiva. Nandanar was not allowed to enter the temple because of his lineage, So, he would stand outside the temple and sing the praises of Shiva and dance. However, he harboured a strong urge to pay his respects to the deity at Sivalokanathar Temple, Tirupunkur. He stood outside the temple, but a huge stone Nandi, the bull mount of Shiva blocked his path of vision. Shiva ever compassionate, ordered Nandi to move a little to side and the bull complied, allowing the Nayanar to see the central icon of Shiva, unobstructed. In most Shiva temples, the Nandi is usually seen with his tongue protruding outside. But here at Tirupunkur, the nandi that moved for Nandanar appears with the tongue inside its mouth. 'Rishabha Theertham', the water body found in the temple was created overnight by Vinayaka to aid in Nandanar's worship.
The Shiva temple at Tirupunkur, is one of the Paadal Petra Shivasthalam on which devotional hymns were sung by three revered Nayanmars—Gyanasambandhar, Tirunavukkarasar, and Sundarar. The towering five-tiered Rajagopuram serves as a majestic gateway, inviting devotees into spacious courtyard. The outer prakaram houses the sannidhis of Vinayaka and Subramanya, along with the sacred tree known as 'Sthala Vruksham' and the Brahma Linga. Passing the dwajasthambam and the slightly displaced Nandi and proceeding further, the inner gateway adorned with the auspicious Pancha Murthys on its apex comes into view. As one pays homage to the Dwara Palaks and steps into the inner prakaram, a series of sannidhis unfolds, starting with those of Surya, Kalikkamar, the four primary Nayanmars, and Sundara Vinayaka. The Somaskandar idol, deemed particularly significant and auspicious within this temple, follows next. The Lingas worshipped by Surya and Agni, Arumukha, and the Linga Banas named TathPurush; Akora; Vamadeva; and Sathjotha, Gajalakshmi, grace the subsequent sannidhis. To the left lies the sannidhi of the female consort deity, Sokka Nayaki, encircled by a dedicated pathway facilitating the sacred ritual of pradakshina. Completing the circumambulation of the prakaram, the devotee encounters the Navagraha Sannidhi, Bhairavar, and Chandra before arriving at the sanctum housing the presiding deity—a clay-made Swayambhu Linga, reverently covered by a pot. The Goshta murthas surrounding the sanctum include Narthana Vinayaka, Bikshadanar, Agasthya, Dakshinamurthy, LingothBhavar, Brahma, Durga, Artha-Nareeshwarar, and Bhairava. The temple has witnessed the veneration of the deity by the celestial gods and sages alike, who have all merited from their worship.
Once, the revered Nayanar saint Sundarar and his companion Ayarkon Kalikkama Nayanar made a pilgrimage to the sacred Thiruppunkur temple during a time of severe drought and hardship for the local populace. The surrounding region had been plagued by a prolonged absence of rainfall, leading to widespread suffering and adversity. Sundarar approached the ruling monarch and proposed that should the king bestow 12 'veli' (A measuring unit used in those days. 1 veli = 6.43 acres) of land upon the temple, the heavens would open and the life-giving rains would return. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the king readily agreed to Sundarar's terms. With the agreement in place, Sundarar composed and sang a pathikam, to invoke the blessings of the divine and bring forth the much-needed rains. As the melodious strains of the pathikam filled the air, the skies darkened and the rains began to fall, bringing relief and rejuvenation to the parched land. However, the rains continued unabated, threatening to flood the region. In response, Sundarar once again petitioned the king, this time requesting an additional 12 'veli' of land to stem the deluge. With the granting of the additional land, the rains subsided, and the region was restored to a state of harmony and abundance. The 24 'veli' of land obtained through Sundarar's intercession were then formally annexed to the Thiruppunkur temple.
Entrance
View of the Gopuram from inside the temple
Way to the sanctum
Nandi
Nandi
Muruga with Valli, Deivanai
Sthala Vruksham