Akshayapureeswarar Temple, Vilankulam

The Akshayapureeswarar Temple at Vilankulam is a 13th-century Shiva temple, best known for its shrine to Shani, the deity of Saturn, and counts among the 27 Nakshatra temples, and is linked with Pushya (Poosam). Legend says Shani, lamed when his brother Yama struck his leg, toured Shiva temples for a cure, and at Vilankulam tripped on vila tree roots on a Saturday that was Akshaya Tritiya. A spring rose where he fell, and Shiva appeared as Akshayapureeswarar, healed him and promised him marriage. The village name joins vila and kulam, spring.

Inscriptions say the Pandya king Parakrama Pandyan I worshipped here. The east-facing temple has a gopuram, a Vasantha mandapa and a four-armed standing Parvati as Abhivruddhi Nayaki. Twin Ganeshas, a dancing Ganesha in the wall niches and shrines to Murugan, Nandi and Naga complete the complex.