Padaleswarar Temple, Aridwaramangalam

Padaleswarar Temple stands at Aridwaramangalam in Tiruvarur district, a place also known as Aradhai Perumpazhi. Shiva is worshipped as Padaleswarar and Parvati as Alankaravalli. It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams praised by Tirugnanasambandar, and one of the five Pancha Aranya Sthalams, forest shrines of the Thanjavur, Kumbakonam and Tiruvarur region, its own forest being of vanni trees.

The legend explains both names. Just before his wedding, Shiva playfully hid in Patala, the underworld, and Vishnu, brother of Parvati, became a boar and went below in search of him. Because Hari made a doorway (dwara) to go below, the village became Haridwaramangalam, and because Shiva hid in Patala, the lingam is called Padaleswarar. Few temples honour Shiva and Vishnu side by side as this one does. The temple has no separate Durga shrine, since Alankaravalli herself is believed to be a form of Durga. The other forest shrines are at Tirukkarugavur, Avalivanallur, Alangudi and Thirukollam Pudhur.