Tirtha Atlas

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

1126 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
Late medieval · Hindu · India

Thirukumaresar (Neelakandeswarar) Temple

இராஜேந்திர பட்டினம் சுவேதாரண்யேசுவரர் கோயில்

Rajendrapatnam (Erukkattampuliyur), Tamil Nadu · 11.4239°, 79.3478°

Shiva as Thirukumaresar (Thiruneelakandeswarar), with Parvati as Verumulai AmmanNayak—Paadal Petra Sthalam
Sacred since
1500 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
16th c. masonry (Nayak); Chola origins
Nayak

History & significance

The Paadal Petra Sthalam of ancient Erukkattampuliyur, birthplace of Tirunilakanta Nayanar of the 63 Nayanmars; the Chola foundation was rebuilt under the Nayaks behind a five-tiered gopuram.

Sthala katha — the legend

Raja Raja Chola is said to have prayed here and been blessed with his son Rajendra, after whom the village was renamed Rajendirapattinam.

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Related sites

Brihadisvara Temple
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1003–1010 CE
Airavatesvara Temple
Darasuram, Kumbakonam · India
mid-12th c. CE
Meenakshi Amman Temple
Madurai · India
current structure largely 16th–17th c.
Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
Chidambaram · India
core 10th c.; expanded to 13th c.
Ekambareswarar Temple
Kanchipuram · India
Chola core; Vijayanagara gopuram 1509
Ramanathaswamy Temple
Rameswaram · India
12th–18th c. (great corridor 18th c., Sethupathis)

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Nayak