Papanasanathar Temple, Papanasam
Overview
Papanasam is a village located in Tirunelveli district, around 60 kilometres from Tirunelveli town.
Papanasanathar Temple in Papanasam is dedicated to Lord Shiva who is worshipped as Papanasanathar and his consort Parvati as Ulagambigai. The temple has been constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture.
The temple lies on the banks of the Thamirabarani River and is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Govt. of Tamil Nadu.
Image Attribution : MariSelvam
Legend behind the Temple
There are many legends stating the significance of the Papanasanathar Temple. The most strongly believed mythological story being that of Sage Agasthiyar who had prayed to get a glimpse of the divine wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi. Lord Shiva, pleased by his devotion, appeared with his consort Parvati at Papasanathar, which he made his abode. The falls nearby was named Papanasam or Agasthiyar Falls.
The temple is believed to have been built during the Pandya rule with further additions made by the Nayak and Vijayanagar rulers.
Papanasanathar Temple Architecture
The temple has a seven-tiered Gopuram or gateway tower. The temple complex is surrounded by a granite wall. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple houses the shrine of Lord Shiva as Papanasanathar in the form of a Lingam. The shrine of Goddess Ulagambigai is found towards the west. Other shrines found in the temple are that of Lord Ganesha, Lord Murugan, Dakshinamurthy, Goddess Durga Navagrahas and Lord Nataraja.
Papanasanathar Temple Timings
The temple is open from 5:30 AM to 12:00 PM and from 4:30 AM to 7:30 PM. The temple remains open for the whole day during the festival days.
Pooja Timings in Papanasanathar Temple
| Pooja | Timing |
|---|---|
| Thiruvananthal | 6:30 AM |
| Sirualasanthi | 7:00 AM |
| Kalasandhi | 8:30 AM |
| Uchikalam | 11:30 AM |
| Saayaratchai | 6:00 PM |
| Artha Jama Pooja | 8:00 PM to 8:30 PM |
Papanasanathar Temple Festivals
The prominent temple festivals observed in the temple are the Brahmotsavam festival celebrated during the Tamil month of Chittirai (April-May) and Thaipoosam during the Tamil month of Thai (January-February).
How to reach Papanasanathar Temple
By road, Papanasam is well connected to Tirunelveli (60 kilometres), Ambasamudram (16 kilometres), Tenkasi (34 kilometres) and Madurai (215 kilometres). Tirunelveli is the nearest rail head (around 50 kilometres) and nearest airport is at Madurai (around 210 kilometres).