- Deity
- Mangalanathar (Shiva) and Mangalanayaki
- Timings
- 6 am to 11 am, 4 pm to 8 pm
- Main festival
- Arudra Darshan, Margazhi (December to January)
- Distance from Ramanathapuram
- About 17 km
- Nearest airport
- Madurai, about 110 km
The emerald Nataraja
The Nataraja here, about six feet tall, is carved from a single piece of emerald. Because the stone is sensitive to light, water and vibration, it is kept coated in sandal paste through the year. On Arudra Darshan, the Thiruvathirai star day in the Tamil month of Margazhi (December to January), the old paste is removed and devotees can see the bare emerald form before a fresh coating is applied. Crowds are very large on this day, so plan early.
What else to see
Unusually, Mangalanathar accepts thazhampoo (screw pine flowers) in worship, a flower not offered to Shiva in most other temples.
- Shrines to Mangalanathar and to the goddess Mangalanayaki
- A carved yali at the entrance with a stone ball that rolls inside its mouth but cannot be removed
- The Sahasra Lingam, a single shrine with 1,008 small lingams
- The ilandai (ber) trees and temple tanks in the grounds
Timings and dress
Morning worship runs from 6 am until 11 am, and the doors reopen in the evening between 4 pm and 8 pm. Hours are extended on Shivaratri, Pradosham and festival days. Modest traditional clothing is expected, with shoulders and knees covered: men usually wear a dhoti or trousers and cover the upper body, while women wear a sari, churidar or salwar kameez and dupatta.
How to reach
Ramanathapuram railway station is the nearest railhead, with buses and taxis for the short onward drive. Madurai Airport is roughly 110 km away, about two hours by road. The temple pairs well with a visit to Rameswaram, and we can arrange the drive from Madurai or Trichy.
Also nearby
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