Vyagrapurisvarar Temple, Thiruvengaivasal

Vyagrapurisvarar Temple is at Thiruvengaivasal, or Thiruvengaipathi, in Annavasal taluk of Pudukkottai district, and its god is also called Thiruvengainathar. Its legend tells of Kamadhenu, cursed by Indra, worshipping Shiva here with water held in her ears on the advice of the sage Kapila. Shiva tested her by appearing as a tiger before revealing himself with the goddess, and she was freed of the curse.

The sanctum faces west so that the evening sun reaches the deity. The goddess, Parvatidevi, has her own shrine, and the vanni is the temple tree. Several images are unusual: Dakshinamurthy appears in Ardhanarishvara form, and Muruga, in an octagonal shrine, sits with one leg folded and has neither spear nor peacock. Instead of the Navagrahas there is a shrine of nine Vinayakas. Festivals include Maha Sivaratri, Margazhi Tiruvathirai, Karthikai, Panguni Uthiram, a ten-day Vaikasi Visakam and Thaipusam.