Basic information about the temple
| Moolavar: | Brahmapureeswarar | Ambal / Thayar: | Atulya Kujambigai |
| Deity: | Siva | Historical name: | |
| Vriksham: | Teertham: | ||
| Agamam: | Age (years): | ||
| Timing: | to & to | Parikaram: | |
| Temple group: | – | ||
| Sung by: | Temple set: | ||
| Navagraham: | Nakshatram: | ||
| City / town: | Pozhakudi | District: | Tiruvarur |
| Maps from (click): | Current location | Mayiladuthurai (17 km) | Tiruvarur (28 km) |
| Kumbakonam (33 km) | Nagapattinam (41 km) |
Location
Sthala puranam and temple information
We request you to please read this short background about village temples, before you proceed.
Once, Vayu and Adiseshan had a fight as to who was more powerful. Seeing this, Vishnu punished both of them to be born on earth. Brahma was also similarly punished as he had forgotten his duties of creation, bringing the universe to a standstill. Brahma and Adiseshan conferred, and recognised that this are around modern-day Pozhakudi was a superior place to worship Siva, who would bless them both and redeem them from their curse.
Accordingly, both of them came here, and took a bath in the temple tank, before worshipping Siva here. Later, Adiseshan moved to nearby Tirupampuram to continue his worship, while Brahma remained here in his own penance, after which Siva blessed them both at the respective sites.
The place gets its name Pozhakudi, from the fact that a group of people called Pozhar lived here several centuries ago.
The temple’s sthala puranam is painted on the walls of the passageway (vavvaal-nethi mandapam) between the entrance of the temple and the ardha mandapam.
The core temple is regarded as being so extremely ancient, that it lacks any sort of timeline. The original structural temple here is early medieval Chola, perhaps from the 9th or 10th century. The gopuram is from a later period, as are the various renovations that have been carried out in the rest of the temple.
Outside the ardha mandapam, Vinayakar and Murugan stand guard instead of dwarapalakas. The Vinayakar murti clearly seems to be from the Chola period, at the peak of its craftsmanship activity. Next to the Nandi in front of the moolavar, is a small murti of a snake, said to be Adiseshan, following the temple’s sthala puranam.
To the rear are separate shrines for Vinayakar, and Murugan with his consorts Valli and Deivanai. Dakshinamurti is in the southern koshtam, with two (instead of the usual four) rishis. The entire area around this koshtam is in bad shape, structurally.
Because of its association with Adiseshan, and its proximity to Tirupampuram (only 5km from here), this temple is also considered to be a naga dosham nivritti sthalam.
As with many such temples, this place also requires patronage and visits, to make the temple more prominent.
Other Information for your visit
There is no regular priest, and hence no regular pujas taking place at this temple. However, a very kind caretaker lady is there at most times and is eager to welcome devotees and take them around the temple. During our visit, some of the locals joined in as well, to explain what they knew about the temple.
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