Paadal Petra Sthalangal 274

Lord Shiva, popularly termed as the lord of destruction, but without whom creation cannot occur, is symbolized by the Shiva Lingam. Saivism is the major faith in the Indian system of belief, that worships Shiva as its principal God. Shiva temples are spread all over India. Most important among them, glorified by the 63 Tamil Nayanmars, particularly the 3 viz, Thirunavukarasar (Appar), Sundarar and Sambandar in their Tevaram hymn, are revered as the Tevara Paadal Petra Sthalams. They are 274 Shiva temples in number and out of which 264 temples are situated in Tamilnadu. The 274 odd shrines that have at least one Pathigam composed in their honor are referred to commonly as Paadal Petra Stalangal, or more generally Shivastalams.
Thirunavukarasar No. of Sivasthalams
Pathigams composed in the praise of the Lord Shiva after visiting the sivasthalam and temple personally 125
Pathigams composed in the praise of the Lord Shiva but did not visit the sivasthalam or the temple 98
Pathigams not composed by Thirunavukarasar 51
Sambandar No. of Sivasthalams
Pathigams composed in the praise of the Lord Shiva after visiting the sivasthalam and temple personally 219
Pathigams composed in the praise of the Lord Shiva but did not visit the sivasthalam or the temple 12
Pathigams not composed by Sambandar 43
Sundarar No. of Sivasthalams
Pathigams composed in the praise of the Lord Shiva after visiting the sivasthalam and temple personally 84
Pathigams composed in the praise of the Lord Shiva but did not visit the sivasthalam or the temple 54
Pathigams not composed by Sundarar 136

Thirunavukarasar, Thirugnanasambandar and Sundarar were the first Nayanmars who composed songs in the praise of Lord Shiva after visiting the temples of Lord Shiva and brought out the glory of the God by their pathigams. The 3 Nayanmars visited these temples along with their followers in spite of the inconveniences they faced while travelling the nook and corner of Tamilnadu in search of these temples. There are instances when God Shiva himself had directed them and shown the way to some of the temples so that the above Nayanmars could visit these temples and compose Pathigams. These Pathigaams (poems or songs) composed in the classical Tamil language are of immense value to the Tamil literature.

Saivite Tirumuraigal have been grouped into 12. The first 7 Tirumuraigal consists of the Pathigams composed by Thirunavukarasar, Thirugnanasambandar and Sundarar and are collectively and popularly known as Tevara Paadalgal. These Tevara Paadalgal convey one message clearly - that the temples referred in the Pathigams were in existence 1000 years before.

There is a saying that Lord Shiva himself had made a comment on the services rendered by the 3 first Nayanmars and it goes like this to quote in Tamil language.

Gnanasambandan thannai paadinaan
Thirunavukarasan ennai paadinaan
Sundaran Ponnai paadinaan

which means that Gnanasambandan composed the songs in the praise of god bringing him also into the picutre, Thirunavukarasar composed the songs purely in the praise of god, whereas Sundarar composed his songs in the praise of god and at the same time requesting the god for wealth.




Chola Naadu - North of Kaveri

1. Koyil Chidambaram Temple
2. Tiruvetkalam
3. Tirunelvayil
4. Tirukkazhippalai
5. Tirunallurpperumanam
6. Mahendrapalli
7. Ten Tirumullaivayil
8. Kalikkaamoor
9. Tiruchaaikaadu
10. Pallavaneeswaram
11. Tiruvenkadu
12. Tirukkattuppalli
13. Tirukkurukaavur
14. Sirkali
15. Tirukkolakka
16. Pullirukkuvelur (Vaideeswaran Koyil)
17. Kannaar Kovil
18. Tirukkadaimudi
19. Tiruninriyur
20. Tiruppunkur
21. Tiruneedur
22. Anniyur
23. Tiruvelvikudi
24. Edirkolpaadi
25. Tirumanancheri
26. Tirukkurukkai
27. Karuppariyalur
28. Kurakkukka
29. Tiruvaalkoliputrur
30. Tirumannippadikkarai
31. Omampuliyur
32. Tirukkaanaattumulloor
33. Tirunaarayur
34. Kadambur
35. Pandanainallur
36. Kanjanoor
37. Tirukkodikka
38. Tirumangalakkudi
39. Tiruppanantaal
40. Tiruvaappaadi
41. Tirucheignalur
42. Tirundudevankudi
43. Tiruviyalur
44. Kottaiyur
45. Innambar
46. Tiruppurampayam
47. Vijayamangai
48. Tiruvaikavur
49. Kurangaaduturai
50. Tiruppazhanam
51. Tiruvaiyaru
52. Tiruneittanam
53. Tirupperumpuliyur
54. Tirumazhapadi
55. Tiruppazhuvur (Aalanturai)
56. Tirukkaanoor
57. Anbilalanturai
58. Tirumaanturai
59. Tiruppaatrurai
60. Tiru Aanaikkaa
61. Tiruppainneeli
62. Tiruppaachilasramam
63. Tiruveengoimalai



Chola Naadu - South of Kaveri



1. Vaatpokki
2. Kadambar Kovil
3. Tirupparaaitturai
4. Tirukkarkudi (Uyyakkondan Malai)
5. Uraiyur
6. Tiruchirappalli
7. Tiruverumbur
8. Nedunkalam
9. Melaittirukkattuppalli
10. Tiruvalampozhil
11. Tiruppoonturutti
12. Tirukkandiyur
13. Tiruchotrutturai
14. Tiruvedikkudi
15. Tenkudittittai
16. Tiruppullamangai
17. Tiruchakrapalli
18. Tirukkarukaavoor
19. Tiruppaalaitturai
20. Tirunallur
21. Aavoor Pasupateeswaram
22. Satthi Mutram
23. Patteswaram
24. Pazhayarai
25. Tiruvalanchuzhi
26. Adi Kumbeswarar Temple
27. Tirukkudandai Keezhkottam
28. Kudandaikkaaronam
29. Tirunageswaram
30. Tiruvidaimarudur
31. Ten Kurangaaduturai
32. Tiruneelakkudi
33. Vaikanmaadakkovil
34. Tirunallam
35. Tirukkozhambam
36. Tiruvavaduturai
37. Tirutturutti
38. Tiruvazhundur
39. Mayiladuturai
40. Viilanagar
41. Tiruppariyalur
42. Tiruchemponpalli
43. Tirunanipalli
44. Tiruvalampuram
45. Tiruttalaichankadu
46. Aakkoor
47. Tirukkadavur
48. Tirukkadavur Mayaanam
49. Tiruvettakkudi
50. Tiruttelicheri
51. Dharumapuram
52. Tirunallar
53. Tirukkottaru
54. Ambar
55. Ambar Maakaalam
56. Tirumeeyachur
57. Tirumeeyachur Ilamkovil
58. Thilataipati
59. Tiruppaampuram
60. Sirukudi
61. Tiruveezhimizhalai
62. Tiruvanniyur
63. Karuvili Kottittai
64. Penu Perunturai
65. Naraiyur
66. Arisirkaraiputtur
67. Sivapuram
68. Kalayanallur
69. Tirukkarukkudi
70. Tiruvanchiyam
71. Nannilam
72. Tirukkondeeswaram
73. Tiruppanaiyur
74. Virkudi
75. Tiruppugalur
76. Tiruppugalur Vardhamaneswaram
77. Ramanadeeswaram
78. Tiruppayatrankudi
79. Tiruchenkattankudi
80. Tirumarugal
81. Tiruchaattamangai
82. Nagaikkaronam
83. Sikkal
84. Keevalur
85. Tiruttevur
86. Palliyin Mukkoodal
87. Achaleswaram
88. Tiruvarur
89. Arurparavaiumandali
90. Vilamar
91. Karaveeram
92. Peruvelur
93. Talaiyalankadu
94. Tirukkudavaayil
95. Tirucherai
96. Tirunalurmayaanam
97. Kaduvaaikaaraiputhur
98. Tiruvirumpoolai
99. Aradaipperumpazhi
100. Avalivanallur
101. Paridiniyamam
102. Tiruvenniyur (Koyil venni)
103. Tiruppoovanur
104. Paadaaleeswaram
105. Tirukkalar
106. Tiruchitremam
107. Tiru Usaattaanam
108. Tiruidumbavanam
109. Kadikkulam
110. Tandalaineeneri
111. Kottur
112. Vanduturai
113. Tirukkollampudur
114. Pereyil
115. Tirukkollikkadu
116. Tenkoor
117. Tirunellikka
118. Tirunatyattankudi
119. Tirukkarayil
120. Kanraappur
121. Valivalam
122. Kaichinam
123. Tirukkolili
124. Tiruvaimur
125. Tirumaraikkadu
126. Tiru Agathiyan Palli
127. Kodikkarai
128. Tiruvidaivai


Eezha Naadu - Sri Lanka

1. Tirukkonamalai
2. Tirukketheeswaram


Paandya Naadu

1. Aalavaai (Madurai)
2. Aappudaiyaar Kovil
3. Tirupparankunram
4. Tiruvedakam
5. Tirukkodunkunram
6. Tirupputhur
7. Tiruppunavayil
8. Rameswaram
9. Tiruvaadaanai
10. Tirukkaanapper
11. Tiruppoovanam
12. Tiruchuzhial
13. Kutralam
14. Tirunelveli

Malai Naadu - Kerala

1. Tiruvanjaikkalam


Kongu Naadu

1. Avinaasi
2. Tirumuruganpoondi
3. Tiru Nana
4. Kodimadachenkunroor (Tiruchengode)
5. Venchamaakoodal
6. Paandikkodumudi
7. Karuvoor Aanilai

Nadu Naadu

1. Tirunelvayil Aratturai
2. Pennaagadam
3. Goodalaiyatrur
4. Erukkattampuliyur
5. Tiruttinai Nagar
6. Tiruchopuram
7. Tiruvatikai
8. Tirunaavalur
9. Tirumudukunram
10. Tirunelvennei
11. Tirukkovalur Veerattam
12. Arankandanallur
13. Tiruvidaiyaru
14. Tiruvennainallur
15. Tirutturaiyur
16. Vatukur
17. Tirumaanikkuzhi
18. Tiruppaatirippuliyur
19. Tirumundeeswaram
20. Puravaar Panankattur
21. Tiru Aamaathur
22. Tiruvannamalai

Thondai Naadu

1. Kachi Ekambam
2. Kachi Metrali
3. Onakanthan Tali
4. Kachi Anekatangapadam
5. Kachi Nerikkaaraikkadu
6. Kuranganilmuttam
7. Tirumaagaral
8. Tiruvothur
9. Panankattur
10. Tiruvallam
11. Tirumalper
12. Tiruvooral
13. Ilambayankottur
14. Tiruvirkolam
15. Tiruvalankadu
16. Tiruppaasur
17. Tiruvenpakkam
18. Tirukkallil
19. Sree Kaalahasti
20. Tiruvotriyur
21. Tiruvalithayam
22. Tirumullaivayil
23. Tiruverkadu
24. Tirumayilai
25. Tiruvanmyur
26. Tirukkachoor
27. Tiruvidaichuram
28. Tirukkalunkunram
29. Tiru Acharapakkam
30. Tiruvakkarai
31. Arasili
32. Irumbai Maakalam

Tuluva Naadu - Karnataka

1. Gokarnam

Vada Naadu

1. Tirupparuppatham (Sree Sailam - Andhra Pradesh)
2. Indraneelaparvatam (Nepal)
3. Anekatangavadam (Gowrikund)
4. Tirukkedaram (Kedarnath)
5. Tirukkayilaayam (Mount Kailash)