Punukeeswarar Temple, Koranad

Punukeeswarar Temple is in Koranad, or Koorainadu, a residential part of Mayiladuthurai on the state highway to Kumbakonam, a couple of kilometres south of the Kaveri and close to the town's railway junction. Shiva is worshipped as Punukeeswarar and the goddess as Santhanayaki.

The name comes from a legend of a civet that found a lingam in a paddy field, anointed it with punugu, an old fragrance, and carried bilva leaves in its mouth to offer; Shiva is believed to have appeared and granted it a place on Kailash. Past the rajagopuram, a front hall holds the flagstaff, altar and Nandi, and the goddess has her own shrine on the right. The corridors hold Varadha Vinayakar, Anjaneyar, Somaskanda, Ayyappan, Nesanayanar, Subramaniyar, the Navagrahas and images of the 63 Nayanmars. The temple is counted among the seven that join Mayiladuthurai's annual Sapthasthanam festival.