Shiva (Mayuranathar) temple · Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Arulmigu Mayuranathaswamy Temple in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, is a Hindu temple to Shiva as Mayuranathar, with his consort Abhayambigai (Anjal Nayaki). It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams praised in the Tevaram hymns — the 39th on the south bank of the Kaveri — and is administered by the Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam (The New Indian Express; The Hindu).
Faith & Tradition
By legend, Parvati worshipped Shiva here in the form of a peahen and was united with him; Shiva took the form of a peacock (mayura) and performed the Gowri Thandavam — hence the names Mayuranathar and Mayiladuthurai, the New Indian Express explains. The 7th-century saints Thirunavukkarasar (Appar) and Thirugnanasambandar sang of the deity, as did Arunagirinathar in the 15th century, and the composer Muthuswami Dikshitar visited and composed songs here.
Dinamalar notes that in this temple Murugan receives his Vel from Shiva, rather than from the goddess, during Skanda Sashti, and that Aadhi Mayuranathar has a separate shrine in the prakaram.
Heritage
Inscriptions show the deity was worshipped as Thirumayiladuthurai Udaiyar in Chola times (New Indian Express). The temple's Mahakumbabhishekam was held on 3 September 2023, with holy water poured on the gold-plated kalasams of the nine-storey rajagopuram, The Hindu reported. In January 2023 the temple elephant Abayambigai completed 50 years at the temple, having arrived from Kerala in 1972, the New Indian Express reported.
The temple complex has a nine-storey gopuram about 165 feet tall and five enclosures (prakarams) (New Indian Express).
Plan Your Visit
Confirm darshan timings with the temple office before visiting.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam before travelling. Last reviewed 6 October 2026.
Sacred Calendar
The processional deity is taken to the Kaveri every day of the month (New Indian Express).
The goddess is taken in procession to the Kaveri (New Indian Express).
Location
The temple is in Mayiladuthurai town, Mayiladuthurai district, Tamil Nadu (PIN 609 001).
Location: Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, India
More in Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu · Shiva (Mayuranathar) temples
Questions
In Mayiladuthurai town, Tamil Nadu.
By legend Shiva appeared as a peacock (mayura) to Parvati, who worshipped here as a peahen.
Yes, one of the 275 temples praised in the Tevaram.
The Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam.
The Mahakumbabhishekam was held on 3 September 2023.
Further reading: Mayuranathaswamy Temple, Mayiladuthurai on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Write to info@hindutone.com — see our editorial policy.
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