Prananadeswarar Temple

Prananadeswarar Temple is a Shiva temple in the village of Thirumangalakudi in Thanjavur district, 2 km from Aduthurai and 16 km from Kumbakonam. The lingam of the presiding deity is believed to be self-formed. Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar all sang of it in the Tevaram, so it is a Paadal Petra Sthalam. Its special feature is that the deities and parts of the temple carry the name Mangala, meaning prosperity: the goddess is Mangalambigai, alongside Mangala Vinayagar, the Mangala Vimanam and the Mangala Theertham tank.

The oldest masonry dates to the 9th-century Cholas, with additions up to the Thanjavur Nayaks, and inscriptions from the time of Kulothunga Chola call it Kulothunga Cholesawaram. The temple faces east and is entered through a five-tiered rajagopuram into three precincts, and two large dvarapalas flank the entrance to the ardhamandapa. It is among the few South Indian temples that stage Kaali Attam, a dance portraying Kali, and devotees go on to Suryanar Kovil after worship here.