Perur Pateeswarar Temple, Coimbatore
Shiva as Pateeswarar, with Goddess Pachainayaki temple · Perur, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
The Pateeswarar Temple at Perur, on the western edge of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, is a Shiva temple on the bank of the Noyyal river. Shiva is worshipped as Pateeswarar, a self-manifested (swayambhu) linga, with the Goddess as Pachainayaki. Dinamalar places the temple about 6 km from Coimbatore on the road to Siruvani.
The temple is best known for its Kanaka Sabha, a hall with an image of Nataraja and richly carved pillars, and for the riverside where many families perform rites for their ancestors. It is administered by the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, which has carried out major renovation work in recent years.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Perur Pateeswarar Temple, Coimbatore
The temple's name comes from a legend recorded by Dinamalar. Kamadhenu, the divine cow, is said to have worshipped Shiva here by pouring milk on a linga hidden in an anthill. Her calf, Patti, playfully broke the anthill, and Shiva, pleased with the calf, is believed to have stayed here as Pateeswarar. The place was therefore also called Pattipuri and Kamadhenupuram. Dinamalar records the belief that a hoof-mark scar can still be seen on top of the linga.
Perur is closely associated with Nataraja. According to Dinamalar, devotees believe Shiva showed his Ananda Tandava (dance of bliss) here, and the Nataraja image in the Kanaka Sabha is unusual in being shown with both legs lowered, as if at the close of the dance. Dinamalar notes that the temple is called 'Melai Chidambaram', the Chidambaram of the west, and that the Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan) festival is its most important.
The bank of the Noyyal beside the temple is a place for rites for the dead. The Deccan Chronicle reported in 2016 that large numbers of people come to Perur every day to perform last rites and offer pinda (rice balls with sesame) to their ancestors in the river, and that a dry spell had left pilgrims using tap water. The Hindu reported in 2024 that a tarpanam (ancestral rites) hall and an annadhanam (free meals) hall were being built at the temple.
Heritage
History of Perur Pateeswarar Temple, Coimbatore
The temple's foundation is traditionally attributed to the early Chola king Karikala. The HR&CE Minister described it in 2022 as 'built by Karikala Cholan', according to DT Next, and Wikipedia gives the same attribution, dating it to the 2nd century CE. The evidence for so early a date is not clear: Wikipedia also notes additions by the imperial Cholas in the late 10th and early 11th centuries, and the Deccan Chronicle described it as a 9th-century temple. Dinamalar estimates its age at 1,000 to 2,000 years.
Wikipedia records that the poets Arunagirinathar and Kachiappa Munivar praised the temple; Kachiappa Munivar wrote the Perur Puranam, which describes the temple's traditions, including the sapling-planting festival.
In May 2022 the HR&CE Minister inaugurated a battery-car service for devotees at Perur and said Rs 6 crore had been sanctioned for the temple's consecration, DT Next reported. The Hindu reported in December 2024 that the renovation included the new tarpanam and annadhanam halls, and that the Minister had announced a consecration ceremony (kumbabhishekam) for February 2025.
Architecture and sacred features
According to Wikipedia, the temple has several gopurams and halls, the most notable being the Kanaka Sabha, whose ceiling is hung with chains carved from stone and whose pillars carry carvings of Shiva in different forms. The Deccan Chronicle described the temple as famous for its single-stone sculptures. Dinamalar notes that the Goddess's vimana is square, that Murugan appears between the shrines of Shiva and the Goddess in the Somaskanda arrangement, and that the temple has a Bhairava without his usual dog, a wooden image of Hanuman, and a Varadaraja Perumal shrine.
Dinamalar also describes two sacred trees: a tamarind called 'pirava puli', whose seeds are said not to sprout, and a palm called 'irava panai'. Both are linked by devotees to liberation from rebirth.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
The riverbank is busy with families performing ancestral rites, especially on new-moon days; please be considerate of them. The temple is crowded during Margazhi Thiruvathirai and the Panguni festival. Confirm current timings and festival dates with the temple administration (HR&CE) before visiting.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Perur Pateeswarar Temple, Coimbatore
Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Arudra Darshan)
The temple's most important festival according to Dinamalar, celebrating Nataraja's dance.
Panguni Brahmotsavam and car festival
The annual festival, with the temple chariot drawn through the streets around Panguni Uthiram, and a float festival in the same season (per Dinamalar and Wikipedia).
Aani sapling-planting festival
A sapling-planting festival celebrated by farmers along the Noyyal, with a reference in the Perur Puranam. Dinamalar links it to the belief that Shiva once played the part of a field labourer here.
Perur Natyanjali
A classical dance festival at the temple, held in 2012 with the HR&CE, according to The Hindu.
Location
How to Reach Perur Pateeswarar Temple, Coimbatore
Perur is about 6 km from Coimbatore on the Siruvani road, according to Dinamalar, which notes that town buses reach it from most parts of the city. Coimbatore is the nearest railway station and airport.
Location: Perur, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Nearest airport: Coimbatore (per Dinamalar)
Nearest railway station: Coimbatore (per Dinamalar)
More in Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu · Shiva as Pateeswarar, with Goddess Pachainayaki temples · Temples in Coimbatore-South Taluk · Temples in Coimbatore District
Questions
Perur Pateeswarar Temple, Coimbatore: Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the deity called Pateeswarar?
According to legend, the calf Patti of the divine cow Kamadhenu broke open the anthill hiding the linga, and Shiva, pleased with the calf, stayed here as Pateeswarar.
Why is Perur called Melai Chidambaram?
Devotees believe Shiva performed the Ananda Tandava here, and the Kanaka Sabha holds a Nataraja image. Like Chidambaram, the temple celebrates Margazhi Thiruvathirai as its chief festival.
Who built Perur Pateeswarar Temple?
It is traditionally attributed to the Chola king Karikala, with later additions by the imperial Cholas. Its exact founding date is uncertain.
Can ancestral rites be performed at Perur?
Yes. Many people perform last rites and offer pinda to their ancestors on the bank of the Noyyal beside the temple, and a tarpanam hall has been built.
How far is Perur from Coimbatore?
About 6 km, on the Siruvani road, with town buses from most parts of Coimbatore.
When is the Perur temple car festival?
In the Tamil month of Panguni (March–April), during the annual Brahmotsavam.
Sources and attribution
- Dinamalar (Temples) — Sri Patteeswarar Temple, Perur
- DT Next — 23 temples in Kovai being renovated at Rs 63 cr: HR & CE Minister (24 May 2022)
- Deccan Chronicle — Noyyal river goes dry at Perur, devotees worried (7 November 2016)
- The Hindu — HR&CE Dept. deposits 28 kg of gold from Anaimalai's Masani Amman Temple (18 December 2024; includes Perur renovation)
- The Hindu — Perur Natyanjali (12 September 2012)
- Wikipedia — Perur Pateeswarar Temple, Coimbatore
Further reading: Perur Pateeswarar Temple, Coimbatore on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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