Historical Period12c CE
9th–12th c. CE (Chola grand-temple)
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Deities
Vanmikanathar / Thyagaraja
Thyagaraja of Tiruvarur — capital Shiva
Thyagaraja of Tiruvarur — capital Shiva
Paadal Petra Sthalangal are Shiva temples sung in the hymns of the 3 Tevaram saints — Tirugnana Sambandar, Tirunavukkaracar (Appar), and Sundaramurti (Sundarar). Composed 7th–9th c. CE, the Tevaram is the sacred geography of Tamil Shaivism and foundational to the Shaiva-Siddhanta philosophy.
Capital Shiva of the Chola empire. Thyagaraja dances the Ajapa-natanam (dance of breath) — one of 7 sacred Shiva-dances. 7 of 63 Nayanmars were born in Tiruvarur district. The great composer Thyagaraja of the Trinity (1767–1847) was named after this deity.
Daily 5-fold puja (ushat-kalam at dawn, kala-santi 6 AM, ucchikalam noon, sayaraksha dusk, ardha-jama 9 PM). Principal offerings: jala-abhisheka, panchamrita (milk/curd/ghee/honey/jaggery), vibhuti, bilva leaves.
Every Paadal Petra's sanctity rests on WHICH saint sang of it and HOW MANY pasurams. Tamil Shaiva tradition treats the Tevaram as Dravida Veda — equivalent in holiness to the Sanskrit Vedas.
