Brahmapureeswarar, Villiyanallur, Nagapattinam

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Brahmapureeswarar	Ambal / Thayar:	Abhirami
Deity:	Siva	Historical name:
Vriksham:		Teertham:
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	to & to	Parikaram:
Temple group:		–
Sung by:		Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Villiyanallur	District:	Nagapattinam
Maps from (click):	Current location	Mayiladuthurai (11 km)	Kumbakonam (44 km)
	Tiruvarur (55 km)	Nagapattinam (64 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

This east-facing temple for Siva is located opposite a large pond which also serves as the temple’s Teertham.

No sthala puranam is available for this temple. However, this is a beautiful temple located in the heart of the hinterlands outside Mayiladuthurai.

The temple had been renovated and kumbabhishekam was last done in July 2014.

The temple has no gopuram, but has a welcome arch over the gate, with a stucco of Siva and Parvati. There is no dhwajasthambam, but there is a bali peetham followed by the mandapam.

In the mandapam is Nandi facing Siva. Right next to this Nandi is another, on the left, facing Abhirami Amman. Both Nandis look rather old, and perhaps attest to the age of the temple.

In the garbhagriham is Brahmapureeswarar, and the Lingam is tilted slightly to the left. There is a beautiful Vinayakar on the left at the entrance to the garbhagriham.

In the koshtam, there are shrines only for Dakshinamurti and Durga. In the prakaram, there is a lone shrine for Murugan with his consorts Valli and Deivanai, and the usual Chandikeswarar shrine. Even Chandikeswarar appears slightly tilted to the left. Back in the mandapam, there is a lone vigraham of Suryan. There is not even a Navagraham shrine.

The only other features in this temple are a decently maintained prakaram with flowering plants, and a temple well within the premises.

From the two Nandis – particularly the one facing Amman – it would seem that this temple was built in, or had some influence by, the Pandya period. The vimanams over the garbhagriham and the Amman shrine are beautiful.

Other information for your visit

The temple is open virtually throughout the day, and is not locked. Even if it is, locals living nearby will be able to help locate the keys to open the gates.