By Thiruparaithurai Temple is 15km from Thrichy,Tamilnadu in Thrichy-Karur raod. The Ramakrishna Thabovanam is near by.The presiding deity are Arulmeigu Thiruparaithurai Nathar(Lingam) and Pasumpon Mayilambikai Ambal.
The Temple has its name after the “Parai” Tree.The tree is the temple Tree. The bark of this tree mixed with Turmeric is a good medicine for a number of skin diseases.
The Temple was built around 600AD by Paranthaka Cholan and subsequently added and renovated by rulers of Pandiya,Vijayanagara and Madurai Nayaks.
The subtle mission of this temple is that, Bhakthi with a love for God is the way to Mukthi rather than dry vedantic and ceremonial worship.The puranic history of the temple has a story that explains this. At that time a group of sages had performed Thapas and Yagnas and acquired great powers(sidthees).This went into their head and their Egos got bolstered. When Lord Shiva had come to them as a mendicant they were blindfolded by their ego and couldn’t recognise him. They argued with him and their self esteem brought them into conflict with the Sarvaeshvara. They lit their yagakundams and produced different types of rogue creatures to quell the Lord. But the Lord unassumingly over powered them all and wore them as ornaments. The sages could not understand this mighty personality in a beggars cloth.Then the Lord revealed himself. The sages were dump struck seeing the luminous figure of the Lord and with melted hearts the sages learnt that Bakthi is the easy way to overpower the powerful ego to attain the feet of the supreme.
Saints Thiruganasambanthar, Thrunavukarrasar and Manickavasagar have sung Pathigams on the Thiruparaithurai nathar. Also later day saints like Arunagirinathar & Pattinathar have sung the praise the Lord.
The temple has a tranquil atmosphere and a mere presence in front of the deity lifts us to yearn for HIM.
