Palaivananathar Temple, Papanasam

Palaivananathar Temple stands on the bank of the Kudamurutti river at Papanasam, Thanjavur district, 14 km from Kumbakonam and 28 km from Thanjavur on the highway between them. Shiva is worshipped as Papanasanathar, 'the one who absolves sins', and Parvati as Thavalavennayagal, and the temple is a Paadal Petra Sthalam. Legend says Shiva wore the skin of a tiger he killed in the Darukavana forest, and that Arjuna came here during the Pandavas' exile to receive archery skills and weapons from him.

The original temple is credited to the Cholas and the present masonry to 16th-century Vijayanagar kings. Entered through a five-tier gopuram, the complex has two prakarams within granite walls, and carvings on the tower walls show the Thiruvilaiyadal, Shiva's 64 sacred plays. The first precinct holds images of Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Durga, Chandesa and the 63 Nayanmars. A brick granary from the Vijayanagar period is kept as a monument by the state archaeology department.