Thiruvapudaiyar Temple

King Cholandhagan of Madurai was a devout worshiper of Lord Shiva, so much so that he would never have his meals without performing a pooja (ritual worship) to Shiva first. His unwavering devotion and piety ensured that the land under his rule flourished with timely rains and abundant crops, bringing happiness to his people.

One day, while out hunting in the forest, the king spent the entire day searching for deer but could not catch a single one. By evening, exhausted and famished, he was on the verge of fainting. His ministers, concerned for his well-being, suggested that he eat, but the king refused, as he had not performed his pooja yet. They searched the forest for a Shiva Lingam to perform the ritual, but could not find one.

In a moment of desperation, one of the ministers planted a piece of wood in the shape of a wedge (aappu in Tamil) and told the king that it was a Shiva Lingam. The king, trusting his minister, performed his pooja to the wooden wedge and then ate his meal. However, when the king awoke the next morning, he realized that he had worshipped only a wooden piece and not a true Shiva Lingam. Overcome with guilt, he prayed earnestly to Lord Shiva, asking for forgiveness and requesting that, if his devotion was true, the Lord should manifest on the wedge.

Moved by the king's sincere prayer, Lord Shiva appeared on the wooden wedge, thereby granting the king’s wish. From that moment on, the deity worshiped here was known as Aappudaiyar, signifying the divine presence that manifested on the wedge, symbolizing the king's devotion and the Lord's grace.

During the reign of Suguna Pandiyan, Madurai faced a severe famine, and the people struggled to find food. In this difficult time, a priest managed to grow some grains with great effort and was offering them as naivedyam (ritual food offering) to Lord Shiva every day. However, the people, who were suffering from hunger, grew angry and began pelting stones at the priest, as they were unable to understand the reason behind his actions.

Distressed by the people's hostility, the priest cried out to Lord Shiva for help. Moved by his plea, Shiva, along with Parvati, appeared on the sacred bull, Rishabha, and led the priest to a nearby place. It was here that Shiva granted his divine grace. The Lord blessed the priest and, from that moment, he became known as Anna Lingeswarar (meaning the Lord of food or grains, as Annam refers to rice or food).

In a miraculous act of divine intervention, the priest used the sand from the River Vaigai to prepare the naivedyam, and, by the grace of Lord Shiva, the sand transformed into rice. This divine miracle provided sustenance to the people, and they were no longer in need of food. Thus, Anna Lingeswarar is revered as the deity who provided food and alleviated the famine in Madurai.

Punsenam was a devout devotee of Lord Shiva, who undertook intense penance in hopes of becoming as wealthy and powerful as Kubera, the Lord of wealth. Pleased with his unwavering devotion, Lord Shiva blessed him, and Punsenam was granted wealth and power akin to Kubera. However, his newfound prosperity led him to become arrogant and reckless.

In his arrogance, Punsenam became infatuated with Goddess Parvati and desired to marry her. He ogled at her, disregarding the sanctity of her divine presence. As a result of his improper behavior, Lord Shiva, in his divine justice, caused Punsenam to lose his eyesight and, ultimately, he died.

 Moved by his sincere devotion and the mercy that comes with true grace, Lord Shiva revived Punsenam, restoring both his life and his sight. In recognition of his penance and transformation, Shiva made Punsenam the Lord of the North, bestowing upon him the treasures Sanga Nidhi and Padma Nidhi, which are symbols of wealth and prosperity.