A Pallava era Siva temple with rare images

INAR, originally called Thirukannar and Nethrapuram, is a small village near Madhurantakam which has an ancient temple for Siva worshipped as Nethrapurishwarar.

- CHITHRA MADHAVAN

The Sthala Puranam (traditional story connected with this temple) mentions that Indra, who was cursed to have a thousand eyes on his body, worshipped God Siva here and the curse was removed by His grace.

Therefore, this place came to be called Thirukannar (In Tamil, 'thiru' is 'sacred' and 'kannu' is 'eye').

It is said that the deity is also known as Viravaranathar and the temple as Viravarmeshwaram, either because it is named after a king called Viravarman or because Indra was referred to as Viran.

The temple has a modern entrance on the south.

The large prakaram (enclosure) has a mandapa through which devotees enter to reach the main sanctum enshrining the Siva Lingam named Nethrapurishwarar facing east.

On the wall behind the Lingam is a large Somaskanda panel.