Satya Murti Perumal, Tirumayam, Pudukkottai

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Satya Murthy Perumal	Ambal / Thayar:	Ujjeevana Thayar
Deity:	Perumal	Historical name:	Tirumeyyam
Vriksham:	Aalamaram	Teertham:	Satya Pushkarini
Agamam:		Age (years):	1000-2000
Timing:	6 to 11 & 5 to 8	Parikaram:
Temple group:	Divya Desam	–
Sung by:		Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Tirumayam	District:	Pudukkottai
Maps from (click):	Current location	Pudukottai (19 km)	Sivaganga (64 km)
	Tiruchirappalli (76 km)	Thanjavur (90 km)

Location

Tirumayam is located almost halfway between Pudukottai and Karaikudi.

Sthala puranam and temple information

Once two demons named Madhu and Kaitabha tried to kidnap Sridevi and Bhoodevi, from Vaikuntam. Scared, the two Devis hid themselves in the chest and at the feet of Lord Vishnu. Without disturbing Lord Vishnu, Adiseshan spewed venom on the demons and drove them away. But he was worried that he acted without the Lord’s permission. Lord Vishnu, however, appreciated Adiseshan’s deed and blessed him. To denote this incident, Adiseshan is depicted with the shrunken hood and scared look on his face. The Lord’s depiction in sayana kolam as Tirumeyyar clearly shows Madhu and Kaitabha running away.

Satyamurti Perumal is also in nindra kolam (standing), with sangu and chakram (prayoga chakram) in two hands.

The moolasthanam is in a natural cavern in the rocks of the Tirumayam fort. The sayana vigraham of Perumal in the moolasthanam is bigger than the one at Srirangam Ranganathar temple.

It is believed that while the Srirangam temple has been in existence for 64 chaturyugams (one chaturyugam = one each of Satya Yugam, Treta Yugam, Dwapara Yugam and Kali Yugam), this temple has been around for 96 chaturyugas. As it is considered older, this temples is sometimes also referred to as the Adi Rangam temple.

Uyyavanda Nachiyar (Ujjeevana Thayar) at this temple is considered padi-thaandaa-pathini, and so does not come out during temple processions.

Tirumaingaiazhvar performed mangalasasanam alone at 46 temples, and this temple is one of them.

Both the Satyamurti Perumal temple and Satya Gireeswarar temple are Pallava temples, built in the time of Narasimha Varman I in the 7th century CE. The reason for both temples being close to each other was to instill a sense of unity amongst the Saivites and Vaishnavites. Devotees cannot do a pradakshinam (circumambulation) of either temple separately – they would have to cover both temples necessarily.

Devotees believe that worshipping at this temple is beneficial for marriage, childbirth, and for curing physical and mental illnesses.

Tirumayam town and the Tirumayam fort are both of historical importance in the Indian freedom movement. The fort itself is an ASI protected site, and is abutted by both the Satya Gireeswarar temple and Satyamurti Perumal temple.