Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

3031 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
High medieval · Hindu · India

Podhu Aavudayar Temple

Parakkalakkottai, near Pattukkottai, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu · 10.3865°, 79.4262°

ShivaUndetermined
Sacred since
1000 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
dating unrecorded
Undetermined

History & significance

A Shiva temple at Parakkalakkottai near Pattukkottai in Thanjavur district, unusual in its hours: it opens only at midnight on Mondays and closes three or four hours later, with additional access on the morning of Thai Pongal.

Sthala katha — the traditional account

What follows is the temple’s own traditional account, transmitted through liturgy and local memory. It is recorded here as tradition, not as attested history.

Two sages, Vankobar and Mahakobar, are said to have argued over whether celibacy or married life was the higher path and, unable to settle it, asked Shiva to judge; he appeared to them at Parakkalakkottai and gave his verdict.

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Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-28 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Undetermined