ABOUT

Pataleeswarar Temple is a Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva in the town of Cuddalore. It was constructed during the Pallava and Medieval Chola periods. The Saivite saint Appar is believed to have adopted Saivism at this temple. There is a belief/myth that by worshiping single time this God is equal to 16 times worshipping the Shiva in Kasi, 8 times in Thiruvannamalai and 3 times in Chidambaram.Once, Lord Shiva and Parvathi were playing the game of dice. Though Parvathi won every time, the LORD could not accept it. The Lordess said that she will cover the eyes of Shiva and to check if he really can win. . Thus saying she covered the eyes of the Shiva. The whole world plunged into darkness. A few seconds in this situation, seemed infinite time for Gods. Gods felt this darkness as a long duration of inactiveness. Parvathi on realising that she has committed a mistake, prayed for forgiveness. Lord Shiva advised the Lordess to go to earth and pray in all the 1008 shiva sthalas and in whichever sthala the left eye & shoulder vibrates, there the penance should be performed by her. Accordingly, in the course of sthala yatra of Parvathi, when she came to pray in this sthala (Thirupadhiripuliyur Padaleeswarar temple) the diving occasion of vibration of left eye and left shoulder happened. Lordess also penanced in the Aruba(formless) form (Arunthava nayagi) and married Lord Shiva.