The Paadal Petra Sthalam, also known as Tevara Sthalam, are 276[1] temples that are revered in the verses of Shaiva Nayanars in the 6th-9th century CE. The Divya Desams by comparison are the 108 Vishnu temples glorified in the poems of the contemporary Vaishnava Alvars of Tamil Nadu, India.
Tevaram literally means, "garland of divine songs" and refers to the collection of verses sung in praise of Shiva, the supreme god of the Shaivite sect of Hinduism, by three Tamil poets known as Shaiva Kuruvars - Sambandar, Appar, and Sundarar.[2] The three are considered the primary three among the sixty-three Nayanars. The former two lived during the 7th century CE while the latter around the 8th century CE. All songs in Tevaram are believed to be in sets of ten songs, called patikam in Tamil. Some musical experts consider Tevaram as a divine musical form.[3] There is a common view that Sanskritisation of names of the temples are carried out in later period that superseded the names mentioned in Tevaram - some of the common examples are Chidambaram as against Tillai in Tevaram and Kumbakonam as against Kudanthai.[4]
The 275 temples that are mentioned in Tevaram are referred as the Paadal Petra Sthalam, meaning the temples that were sung in the verses. On the contrary, Vaippu Sthalam are temples that were mentioned casually in the songs of the text. In modern times, the verses of the Tevaram are sung daily and during the festive occasions in most Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu by musicians called Odhuvars.[5]
Manikkavacakar is considered the 4th in the line of Shaiva Kuravars, whose verses are classified as Thiruvasagam. There is a saying that "Thiruvasagathuku urugar, oru vasagathukum orugar" meaning the person who does not budge for thiruvasagam won't budge for anything else.
There are around 276 temples that are revered by the verses of Shaiva Nayanmars and are amongst the greatest Shiva Temples of Tamil Nadu.[1] 267 temples in Tamil Nadu, 2 temples in Andhra pradesh, 1 temple in kerala, 1 temple in karnataka, 2 temples in Uttarakhand, 2 temples in Sri Lanka, 1 temple in Nepal, and Tirukailayam in Mount Kailash. The list is as shown below.
See main article: Pancha Bhuta Sthalam.
This refers to the temples that are the manifestations of the five elements of the universe according to Hinduism: land, water, air, sky, and fire.
| Category | Temple | Location | |
| Land | Kanchipuram | ||
| Fire | Arunachaleshwarar Temple | ||
| Water | Thiruvanaikaval | Trichy | |
| Sky | Chidambaram Temple | Chidambaram | |
| Air | Sri Kalahastheeswara Swami Temple | Kalahasthi, Andhra Pradesh |
See main article: Pancha Sabhai.
This is a category temples where Shiva is believed to have performed his cosmic dance called the tandava.
| Category | Temple | Location | Element | |
| Rathinachabai | Thiruvalangadu | Emerald | ||
| Porchabai | Natarajar Temple | Gold | ||
| Vellichabai | Meenakshi Amman Temple | Madurai | Silver | |
| Thamirachabai | Nellaiappar Temple | Tirunelveli | Copper | |
| Chithirachabai | Kutralanathar Temple | Thirukutralam | Art |
This category includes eight temples where Shiva is believed to have vanquished his foe. The eight temples are in 1. Thiruvadhikai2. Thirukoyilur3. Thirukkadayur4. Vazhoovur5. Thirukkurakaval (kurukkai)6. Thiruppaliyalur7. Thirukandiyur8. Thiruvirkudi.
The Thyagarajar Temple at Tiruvarur is famous for the ajapa natanam (dance without chanting), that is executed by the deity itself. According to legend, a Chola king named Mucukunta obtained a boon from Indra (a celestial deity) and wished to receive an image of Thyagaraja Swamy (presiding deity, Shiva in the temple) reposing on the chest of reclining Vishnu. Indra tried to misguide the king and had six other images made, but the king chose the right image at Tiruvarur.[6] The other six images were installed in ThiruNallaaru, Nagapattinam, Tirukarayil, Tirukolili, Thiruvaaimur and Tirumaraikadu.[7] All the seven places are villages situated in the river Cauvery delta. All seven Thyagaraja images are said to dance when taken in procession (it is the bearers of the processional deity who actually dance). The temples with dance styles are regarded as Sapta Vidangam (seven dance moves)[8] and the related temples are as under:[9]
| Temple | Vidangar Temple | Dance pose | Meaning | |
| Thyagarajar Temple, Tiruvarur | Vidhividangar | Ajaba Natanam | Dance without chanting, resembling the dance of Sri Thyagaraja resting on Vishnu's chest | |
| Dharbaranyeswarar Temple, Tirunallar | Nagaravidangar | Unmatha natanam | Dance of an intoxicated person | |
| Kayarohanaswamy Temple, Nagapattinam | Sundaravidangar | Vilathi natanam | Dancing like waves of sea | |
| Kannayariamudayar Temple, Thirukarayil | Adhividangar | Kukuda natanam | Dancing like a cock | |
| Brahmapureeswarar Temple, Thirukkuvalai | Avanividangar | Brunga natanam | Dancing like a bee that hovers over a flower | |
| Vaimoornaathar Temple, Tiruvaimur | Nallavidangar | Kamala natanam | Dance like lotus that moves in a breeze | |
| Vedaranyeswarar Temple, Vedaranyam | Bhuvanivividangar | Hamsapatha natanam | Dancing with the gait of a swan |
The sapthasthanam festival is conducted at Tiruvaiyaru during April every year. Hundreds of people witness the convergence of seven glass palanquins carrying principal deities of respective temples from seven places at Tiruvaiyaru. The palanquins are paraded near the car stand, the crowd witnessed the Poochorithal(flower festival) in which a doll offers flowers to the principal deities in the palanquins. After the Poochorithal, the palanquins leave for their respective places.[10] The seven temples are
| Temple | Place | District | |
| Aiyarappar temple | Thiruvaiyaru | Thanjavur | |
| Apathsahayar Temple | Tirupazhanam | Thanjavur | |
| Odhanavaneswarar Temple | Tiruchotruthurai | Thanjavur | |
| Vedapuriswarar Temple | Thiruvedhikudi | Thanjavur | |
| Kandeeswarar Temple | Thanjavur | ||
| Puvananathar Temple | Thirupanturuthi | Thanjavur | |
| Neyyadiappar Temple | Tiruneithaanam | Thanjavur |
The seven temples are:
| Temple | Presiding deity/consort | Mangai | Location | |
| Chakravageshwarar Temple | Chakravageshwarar/Devanayagi | Chakramangai | Chakkarapalli, Thanjavur | |
| Arimutheeswarar Temple | Arimutheeswarar/Gnambikai | Harimangai | ||
| Krithivageswarar temple | Krithivageswarar/Alangaravalli | Soolamangai | Soolamangalam, Thanjavur | |
| Jambugeswarar Temple | Jambugeswarar/Akilandeswari | Nandimangai | Tirupullamangai, Thanjavur | |
| Pasumangai Temple | Pasupatiswarar/Palvalainayagi | Pasumangai | Thirukkandiyur, Thanjavur | |
| Chandramouleeswarar Temple | Chandramouleeswarar/Rajarajeswari | Thazhamangai | Thazhamangai, Thanjavur | |
| Tirupullamangai Temple | Alandurainathar/Soundaranayagi | Pullamangai | Pullamangai, Thanjavur |
See main article: Aathara Stalam. Aathara Stalam indicates the places that serve as the personifications of tantric chakras associated with the human anatomy. Annamalaiyar temple is called the Manipooraga stalam[11] associated with Manipooraga, regarded to be the human anatomical cause for spiritual ignorance, thirst, jealousy, treachery, shame, fear, disgust, delusion, foolishness, and sadness.[12] Five temples are located in Tamil Nadu, one in Andhra Pradesh, and one at Varanasi.
| Tantric Chakra | Description | Temple | Location | Symbol | |
| Sahasrara (Sanskrit: सहस्रार,Sahasrār) | Above head | Madurai Meenakshi Temple | Madurai | ||
| Ajna (Sanskrit: आज्ञा, ājñā in Sanskrit pronounced as /aːɟɲaː/) | Brain directly behind eyebrow | Kashi Vishwanath Temple | Varanasi | ||
| Visuthi (Sanskrit: विशुद्ध, Viśuddha) | Neck region near spine | Natarajar Temple | Chidambaram | ||
| Anahata (Sanskrit: अनाहत, Anāhata) | Central channel behind spine | Sri Kalahastheeswara Swami Temple | Kalahasthi | ||
| Manipooragam (Sanskrit: मणिपूर,) | Spine directly behind the navel | Arunachaleshwarar Temple | |||
| Swathistanam (Sanskrit: स्वाधिष्ठान, Svādhiṣṭhāna) | One's own abode | Thiruvanaikaval | Trichy | ||
| Moolatharam (Sanskrit: मूलाधार, Mūlādhāra) | Basal end of the spinal | Tiruvarur/Kanchipuram |