page_title: Metraleeswar temple
section_title: Etymology and legend
hierarchical_section_title: Metraleeswar temple / Etymology and legend
caption_attribution_description: English: Metraleeswar Temple
context_page_description: Metraleeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, located in Pillaiyar Palayam area in Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram district in Tamil Nadu, India. Metraleeswarar is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam, the 275 temples revered in the canon. The temple is believed to have expanded during the 13th century by Later Cholas as indicated in the inscriptions.
  The temple has four daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and three yearly festivals on its calendar, of which the Thirugnana Sambanda Gurupuja and Panguni Uthiram during March - April being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
context_section_description: According to legend, saint Thirugnana Sambandar was singing verses praising Shiva at the nearby site and Shiva was mesmerized by the devotion. The temple deity thus came to be known as Urugeswarar (urugu means mesmerize in Tamil and the image of the Sambandar is located in Urugeswarar temple axially outside the temple facing the Metraleeswar temple with folded hands. As Shiva turned to the West to listen to the songs of Sambandar, the place came to be known as Thirumetrali and the presiding deity came to be known as Metralinathar. An old term  is 'Thali', தளி, which means temple.
  There is another legend that Vishnu was doing penance to attain the form of Shiva. Shiva appeared to him and informed that he had to continue his penance till Sambandar visits the place and sings praise of him. The deity at the Urugeswarar temple was thus originally Vishnu, who was mesmerized by the devotion of Sambandar and changed to Shiva. It is believed that the 108 Rudras performed penance at this place and hence it is called "Ananda Rudresam" and "Maha Rudresam".
  Appar and Sambandar, the 7th-century Tamil Saivite poet, venerated Metralinathar in one verse each in Tevaram, compiled as the First Tirumurai. As the temple is revered in Tevaram, it is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam, one of the 275 temples that find mention in the Saiva canon. Sundarar mentions that Shiva prefers to reside at this most happening place. There are no historical evidence to assess the exact time the temple was built. There is an inscription in the temple indicating benevolent contributions from during the 13th century by Later Cholas to expand the temple.
caption: Legend of the temple in stucco image
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