What is the sthala katha — the legend — of Aappudaiyar Temple, Thiru Aappanoor?

Early medieval · Hindu · India

Aappudaiyar Temple, Thiru Aappanoor

மதுரை திருவாப்புடையார் கோயில்

Sellur, Madurai (Thiru Aappanoor), Tamil Nadu · 9.9305°, 78.1228°

Shiva as Aappudaiyar (Rishabareswarar), with AmbalPandya—Paadal Petra Sthalam

Sacred since

600 CE

first attestation / structure

Standing structure

by 7th c. (Pandya); Nayak expansion

Pandya

History & significance

A Paadal Petra Sthalam within Madurai city, first raised by Pandya kings and later expanded under the Nayaks and Sethupathis, with a Somaskanda image of note.

Sthala katha — the legend

A carpenter's wedge ('aappu') is said to have turned into a Shivalinga so the Pandya king Solandhagan could cross the flooded Vaigai, naming both temple and deity.

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