10 Must Visit Shaivite & Vaishnavite Temples in Mylapore

Mylapore symbolises predominance of emotions and feelings but foremost among them are it's revered places of worship in the form of Temples. Most chattels connected to Mylapore have evolved over a period of time but it's the temples that have stood the test of time and right royally gives Mylapore the epithet as the evergreen temple town of Madras.

Having lived around this neck of the woods for over 3 decades, I was ruminating about certain temples that have a vast history running into centuries or in some cases even beyond 1000s of years that truly distinguishes Mylapore on the map in account of it's rustic remnants undergoing changes and still being extant since times immemorial

There have been a number of temples cropping up in recent times but still "Old is Always Gold" and hence the thought of recommending 10 traditional hardcore temples that everyone should visit when they come across this side of the woods. It does contain the tried and tested ones but the list also contains some historic landmarks unknown to even people who have lived around this side largely due to lack of awareness and the fact that some of these are virtually in oblivion.

Without further ado, sharing the roster of temples which every temple loving aficionado should ensure to experience. Categorising this list of 10 by bifurcating it further as 7 Shaivite & 3 Vaishnavite temples.

Shaivite Temples:
1) Kabaleeshwarar Temple
2) Velleeswarar Temple
3) Theerthapaleeswarar Temple
4) Karaneeshwarar Temple
5) Malleeswarar Temple
6) Virupaksheeshwarar Temple
7) Vaaleeswarar Temple

Vaishnavite Temples:
8) Srinivasa Perumal Temple
9) Adi Kesava Perumal Temple
10) Madhava Perumal Temple

The 7 Shiva temples have off late got pretty popular in recent times having earned the tag as the Saptha Sthana Shiva Temples of Mylapore. They are not entirely in Mylapore though and few of them sprawl & spread across Triplicane too but they all came under the ambit of erstwhile Mylapore from eons ago. There is even an order of visiting these 7 temples starting with Karaneeshwarar Temple, then Theerthapaleeswarar followed by Velleeswarar with next up being Virupaksheeshwarar, after that Vaaleeswarar with Malleeswarar closely on the heels and then ending finally with Kabaleeshwarar. Truth be told however, cutting to present day, the only temple of this 7 which is extremely well known and frequently thronged happens to be Kabaleeshwarar Temple. It truly represents the signature of Mylapore and also Chennai as a towering iconic cultural landmark. One's journey to Chennai and Mylapore especially would feel like a void when not visiting Kabaleeshwarar. Gulping across those jocular sweet & sour delicacies spawning on all directions across it's precincts is definitely an added plus. Have also observed that when foreigners come on work visits to Chennai, one of the first spots listed out to be shown to them happens to be Kabaleeshwarar Temple with the other being taking them around the side of Mahabalipuram and showing it's rich cultural heritage.

Sharing a brief capsule on these 10 revered temples along with information on its presiding deities and certain rare and unique features

Kabaleeshwarar Temple:
Kabaleeshwarar Kovil can be considered the defacto and default choice when it comes to temples in Mylapore or even probably the whole of the city of Chennai. Easily the standout and Ozymandias of all temples. Seeped in magnificence and breathtaking splendour, it is a sight to behold with its tall 120 feet Gopuram (gateway tower) overseeing the historic Mylapore tank. You would see the wordings inscribed "Kylai is Mylai and Mylai is Kylai" meaning a visit to Kabaleeshwarar is equivalent to visiting Kailash. It possesses separate Sannidhis for a number of deities. It is mentioned that Lord Rama visited this temple and prayed at the Singara Velan shrine before taking the direction towards Lanka. A unique feature is that it has a separate worship space for saint poet Sri Arunagiri Nathar who is believed to have composed devotional songs in veneration of Lord Murugan at this very place. There is also a shrine for Angam Poompavai, a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva who is famous for being resurrected from Ashes by Saint Thirugnana Sambandar. Sage Kashyapa is said to have worshipped at this temple. The energy and vibration exuded from this temple is simply surreal and has to be experienced to be believed. Parvathy Devi is said to have worshipped Shiva in the form of a peacock here. Kabaleeshwarar means "Lord of the Head" with Kabala translating to Head. There is an interesting legend of Lord Shiva plucking off one of the heads of Lord Brahma on account of the latter failing to show the desired respect. Subsequently Lord Brahma is believed to have come here and installed the Shiva Linga to please Shiva and gain back the respect. Inside the Kabali sanctorum, one can view idols of all the 63 Nayanmars with their birth information. It is considered one among 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams which have been spoken of in the holy Tevaram hymns rendered by Tamil Shaivite saints. It is one of the most frequented and also one of the largest Shiva Temples. It is the 7th and last to be visited when following the order necessitated while visiting the Saptha Sthana Shiva Temples of Mylapore.
Shiva Name - Kabaleeshwarar
Parvathi Name - Karpagambal
Saptharishi Worship - Kashyap

Velleeshwarar Temple:
Just by the side of Kabaleeshwarar Kovil in close proximity lies the iconic Velleeshwarar Temple. This temple is especially connected to solving eye related issues and there is a decorated history associated with Lord Shukracharya gaining back his eye sight. Legend goes that Lord Vishnu in the form of Vamana requesting King Mahabali for three feet of Land. Lord Shukra suspecting foul play tried to stop this from happening and in the process got pricked on one of his eyes losing his eyesight. Lord Shukra subsequently meditated with intense devotion and got restored his eyesight. Thus the name of the Shiva in this temple is known as Sri Velleeshwarar, the Lord of Shukracharya. "Velli" also translates as Friday which is the day ruled by Navagraha Shukra. There is also a separate enclosure for Lord Sarabeshwarar, the powerful and fierce incarnation of Lord Shiva depicted with a Lion's face coupled with bird wings having 8 legs who is said to have manifested to tame Lord Narasimha's anger. Nearby the sanctum of Velleeshwara Shiva Linga is the shrine for Shiva's consort Kamakshi Ambal. Sage Angirasa is said to have worshipped at this temple. This temple is the 3rd to be visited in order of the 7 famous Shiva temples.
Shiva Name - Velleeshwarar
Parvathi Name - Kamakshi
Saptharishi Worship - Angirasa

Theerthapaleeshwarar Temple:
Theerthapaleeswarar Kovil happens to be the 2nd of the 7 age old historic Saptha Sthana Shiva temples of Mylapore. In todays times it gets classified as located in the vicinity of Triplicane. The Shiva Linga here is said to be consecrated by Sage Agasthya. Legend has it that Sage Agasthya witnessed the wedding of Shiva & Parvathi from Podhigai Malai. On the way home, the Sage fell sick and sat near a Vanni tree to recover from his ailment. Shiva came in his dream and asked to consecrate a Shivaling with sea water at this place and perform Abhishek. Sage performed the same and being happy with his devotion, Lord Shiva cured him from his ailment. The main deities of this temple are Sri Theertha Paleeswarar and Sri Tripurasundari Ambal. It is known to cure from any kind of ailment. The Ganapathi in this temple is known as Pass Granting Ganapathi and hence students are known to worship him for securing good results and passing examinations. Apart from the connection with Sage Agasthya, revered Sage Atri is also said to have worshipped at this temple.
Shiva Name - Theerthapaleeshwarar
Parvathi Name - Tirupurasundari
Saptharishi Worship - Atri

Karaneeshwarar Temple:
The age old ancient Karaneeshwarar Temple is believed to be well over 2000 years old and remnants point out to it being in existence since the 12th century. Karaneeshwara translates to "The Lord who is the cause". Since Shiva is said to be the reason for everything in the universe, he is known to be called so. It's also considered to be the 1st of the 7 predominant Shaivite temples to be visited in Mylai. Sage Vasishta is said to have worshipped at this temple. The Shiva name is Sri Karaneeswara and Ambal name is Porkodi or Swarnalalithambikai. One unique feature about the Shiva Linga here is that it is unlike the usual shape and is in a square form.
Shiva Name - Karaneeshwarar
Parvathi Name - Porkodi or Swarnalalithambikai
Saptharishi Worship - Vasishta

Maleeshwarar Temple:
This happens to be the 6th of the 7 age old Saptha Sthana Shiva Temples of Mylapore. This has a flowery story associated to it as "Malli" means flower and more specifically Jasmine. The Lord got it's name as Malleeswarar as the space was surrounded by Jasmine flowers. The main presiding deities of this temple are Sri Malleeswarar and Sri Maragadhambal. Like the way a flower blossoms, this temple is known to grant Shiva's fragrance towards the utmost devoted and warding off evil thoughts. Offering jasmine garlands is said to help remove marriage hurdles. Legend goes as Prarthan, the king of Ayodhya in deep tapas conducting a yagna for Shiva. Indira tried to disturb the proceedings but was unable to. Shiva impressed by the intensity of the Tapas appeared before him and that bore the formation of this temple. Sage Bhrigu is said to have personally worshipped here. It hosts a number of deities and there is also a Sannidhi here for Anjaneya and Aiyappa. There are also the 4 revered Tamil Saivite Saints known as Nalvar placed together and also a Navagraha Sthala with a separate Saturn shrine.
Shiva Name - Maleeshwarar
Parvathi Name - Maragadhambal
Saptharishi Worship - Bhrigu

Virupaksheeshwarar Temple
This is the 4th out of the 7 decorated Saptha Sthana Shiva temples in Mylapore. It is also one of the oldest temples in living memory having seen its construction as early as the 7th century. The Shiva Linga here is of a giant size and it is believed that Rishi Kutsa worshipped at this temple. Sundaramurthy Nayanar is said to have seen the Rudra Thandavam dance of Lord Nataraja here. Virupaksheeshwarar means one with three eyes. Lord Shiva is said to possess a divine third eye and is said to fulfil devotees wishes just through his vision. There is a tank surrounding the temple and those with ailments are said to be cured by the holy water from this tank called Sivagangai. The Lord's Name is Virupaksheeshwarar and Goddess name is Visalakshi. You have Bhairava and Surya Bhagwan side by side inside the main temple enclosure. Surya's son Shani also has a separate enclosure.
Shiva Name - Virupaksheeshwarar
Parvathi Name - Visalakshi
Saptharishi Worship - Kutsa

Vaaleeshwarar Temple
This is the 5th of the 7 Saptha Sthana Shiva Temples in Mylapore. Vaali, the king of monkeys and brother of Sugriva is said to have worshipped Shiva at this temple to gain strength and hence the name came about as Vaaleeswarar (Vaali praying to Ishwar). It's expanded as Varam Tharum Valeeswarar meaning "Blessings Fulfilling Ishwar". This temple is believed to have been visited by Sage Gowthama. The Shiva name is Vaaleeswarar and Ambal's name is Periyanayagi. This temple though supposedly over 1000s of years old is well renovated and possesses shrines for a number of deities. A separate Sannidhi is provided for Sage Agasthya. Another rare insight was the presence of separate chambers for Moon (Chandra) at the left and Sun (Surya) at the right guarding the temple enclosure. Apart from Sun & Moon, there is a solo Sannidhi for Navagraha Saturn (Shani) as well.
Shiva Name - Vaaleeshwarar
Parvathi Name - Periyanayaki
Saptharishi Worship - Gautama

Srinivasa Perumal Temple
This was originally and even now referred to as the Vedantha Desikar Temple. Initially it was believed to have only housed the idols of Acharya and Lakshmi Hayagriva. The main deities namely Srinivasa Perumal and Alarmel Mangai Thayar got inducted only about a century back. It has become very popular since then with year round Utsavams being conducted. There is a very beautiful Sannidhi for Poetess Andal and you would also see shrines of various other deities. Wall paintings depict the life history of Acharya Vedantha Desikar.
Vishnu Name - Srinivasa Perumal
Lakshmi Name - Alarmel Mangai Thayar

Adi Kesava Perumal Temple
This would rank as probably the most well known and oldest Vaishnava temple in this vicinity. Both Srinivasa Perumal Temple and Adi Kesava Perumal Temple are located besides each other. The main Adi Kesava Temple at Thiruvattaru near Kanyakumari happens to be one of the Divya Desams, This temple of Adi Kesava however has a vast & rich history associated with it and considered as one among 108 Abhimana Kshetras. This temple is considered to be the birth place of Peya Alwar, one of the 12 renowned Alwar Saints paying glory and homage to the Vaishnava tradition. He is also believed to have taken the incarnation of Lord Vishnu's divine sword Nandaka. You would see wall paintings depicting his birth story in the temple precincts. The temple also depicts carvings of 12 different Vaishnava forms of the Lord namely Vishnu,  Madhusudhana, Trivikrama, Vamana, Sridhara, Rishikesa, Padmanabha, Damodara, Kesava, Narayana, Madhava and Govinda. The main deities as mentioned happens to be Adi Kesava Perumal and his consort Mayuravalli Thayar. There are shrines for a number of other deities including Andal, Anjaneyar, Garuda, Chakra Thalwar, Narasimha etc. There is also a shrine for one other Alwar viz Thondai Alwar. One unique and rare feature worth noting is that Lord Rama inside is not only with Seetha, Lakshmana & Anjaneya but also alongside his 2 other brothers Bharatha and Shatrugana. The goddess Mayuravalli Thayar is worshipped with Bilva leaves and it is believed that apart from the Goddess, both Shiva & Parvathi also worshipping Adi Kesava Perumal to get relieved of curses. The hallowed tank beside the temple known as 'Chitra Kulam' belongs to the Adi Kesava management and one would be privileged to witness the Theppotsavam festival where the Lord and his highness decorated in delectable demeanour are driven on a boat like structure (float) called Teppam across the water bank which happens to be a truly golden spectacle to witness this celestial ride.
Vishnu Name - Adi Kesava Perumal
Lakshmi Name - Mayura Valli Thayar

Madhava Perumal Temple
This is another really beautiful Vaishnava temple spanning many centuries. This temple happens to be located very close to the house where Peya Alwar lived notably in the South East street from this sacred abode and there also happens to be a beautiful deity of this revered Alwar in the temple premises. The presiding deity Madhava Perumal is married to Amrita Valli Thayar who happens to be the daughter of Sage Bhrigu. As Bhrigu is associated with Shukra (Venus) denoting the significations of love & marriage, the Lord is also honoured with the designation of Kalyana Perumal (Wedding Deity). Hence it is a temple which is favourable and auspicious especially when praying for marriage to culminate. There are a number of shrines hosting a number of Gods & Goddesses and you will find a really beautiful space dedicated to Bhoo Varaha Perumal who is specifically prayed to during examination times. Andal makes her solitary presence in this temple akin to what you would see in Srinivasa Perumal and Adi Kesava Perumal temple. The Anjaneya here is in a rare child like avatar very different from usual. This temple also possesses a small river bank called 'Santhana Pushkarini' and during the month of Maasi (approx mid February to mid March), the presiding deity of Madhava Perumal is driven here on a float.
Vishnu Name - Madhava Perumal
Lakshmi Name - Amrita Valli Thayar

Margazhi Musings - Mystical and Magical!

There is something serene about 'Margazhi' which makes it both mystical and magical. It almost feels like everything comes to life during this window of approximately about 30 days.

Lord Krishna mentions in the Bhagawad Gita "māsānāṁ mārga-śhīrṣhoham" - translating as "Of all the months I'm Margazhi". This Dhanur month is venerated towards Lord Vishnu and believed to be of steadfast spiritual significance. It is a time in which devotion reigns foremost with traditions in full force uniting and representing culture in an embellished elan. This is especially true if you're from the South of India and more so from Tamil Nadu belonging to the city of Chennai and for more pin pointed precision live in the by lanes or in and around the neck of the woods of the evergreen area of 'Mylapore'.

Margazhi month ignites with the ingress of the Sun into the sign of Sagittarius or more specifically Moola Nakshatra thus ushering the awakening of Dhanur Masa or the month of the morning dawn. Incidentally this month is not known for auspicious events such as purchasing of material acquisitions, starting new ventures, conducting marriage / engagement functions etc. This is because this month is dedicated exclusively for worship towards the divine with the focus solely being on religious activities. It makes great sense from an astrological perspective also as Sagittarius or Dhanur is the 9th sign of the Kalapurusha and denotes significations such as Religion, Faith, Blessings, Dharma, Temples, Gurus etc. It also indicates 'Father' and interestingly the other month where ceremonies like marriage are avoided happens to be Aadi Maasam equating to Sun's entry into Cancer zodiac which is the 4th sign of the Kalapurusha portraying 'Mother'. Thus both in the sign of Mother (Cancer/Aadi) and Father (Sagittarius/Dhanur), events like marriage are not considered auspicious perhaps indirectly hinting that these months are for respecting the elders and getting more closer to the divine perfectly symbolising with the statement of "Mata Pita Guru Deivam". Also another pointer one could think of is that the beginning Nakshatra of Dhanur that Sun enters into viz Moola is anything but materialistic. It is ruled by "Nirriti", the goddess of destruction embodying dissolution needed for renewal and is associated with a deep spiritual impulse. Shri Anjaneya is believed to be born in the constellation of Moola Nakshatra and everyone is aware of the Bhakti and deep devotion that he had towards Lord Rama. Also Moola aligns with the Galactic Milky way center and is said to be linked with a super massive black hole in line with its symbol of roots, creation and transformation. All these factors can perhaps be interpreted to give a solid reasoning as to why this month is anything but connected to material pursuits.

Many associate the 'Margashira' month as directly akin to 'Margazhi' which is not always correct. In Tamil Nadu and Kerala especially, the solar months are considered prominent based on the Sun's entry in to a zodiac sign whereas in other parts of India, its the Lunar calendar based on the Tithi which holds sacrosanct. In Tamil Nadu, the solar month of Sagittarius is termed as 'Margazhi' and in Kerala it is referred as 'Dhanu'. For those following the Lunar calendar, there are two traditions viz Amanta and Pournimanta with the former indicating the start of a new month at the end of Ammavasya Tithi and the latter calls the start of a new month at the end of Poornima Tithi. Thus it can be inferred that a portion of the lunar month of Margashira may be intermingled as part of Margazhi but not exclusively. 

The period which roughly runs from mid December till mid January is a phase in which the divine reigns supreme, music & dance takes centerstage, delectable delicacies get devoured, symmetrical eye gazing art in the form of Kolams get depicted invoking and inviting God. There is a a chillness in the air that is felt from underneath. Even offices provide a leeway to their employees by making this their festive time with holidays granted in the form of Xmas & New Year and additionally many companies even have the policy of Golden Week allowing their work force to enjoy that one week time of December last week all for themselves. Some events taking place may just be a minor coincidence but that festival atmosphere buzzing during the Margazhi interval is simply unmatchable. Incidentally even the NRI folks largely uses this zone of time to book their holidays to head over to Bharat Mata to soak in the brilliance that's Margazhi. It almost appears like everything congregates and comes together to make this spell of time truly special.

It's also the month uniting Vaishnavite & Shaivite traditions with Arudra Darshan following closely on the heels of Vaikunta Ekadashi. In fact it also blends with the Western World of Spirituality as Christmas - the day commemorating with the birth of Jesus Christ also occurring only during Margazhi. Also in present day time, January 1st is universally acknowledged to be the start of the calendar year in almost every part of the world which also inevitable falls always during Margazhi.  

Known as the Dawn of the Devas, this month is specially revered for Goddess Andal. Sri Andal - the only female saint among the 12 Alwars whose selfless devotion and love is eulogised to be unparalleled composed the 'Thiruppavai' - a set of 30 verses which are recited as hymns by devotees on each day of the month. The 18 day Kurukshetra War in Mahabharata supposedly also took place in Margazhi. Temples are said to open an hour in advance ensuring to bring the spiritual fervour vibrating all through the month.

Music Kutcheris predominantly in the form of Carnatic Music will be in full swing all through the first half of Margazhi leading upto December 31st. From January onwards its the dance season primarily in the mode of Bharatanatyam carrying the baton for the rest part. Margazhi is a month where the confluence of Music and Dance blends together in its most splendid aura. And to give it company are the canteens doling out all kinds of lip smacking foodie delicacies full of vibrancy and variety with the aroma smearing across from all directions. Speaking about Music, the grand Thyagaraja Aradhanai in honour of one of the greatest classical composers Saint Thyagaraja also at times tends to get scheduled during the Margazhi Month.

Music, Dance, Art, Food, Temples, Religion, Festivals all unite and merge together to make this month of Margazhi as truly one of a kind. When the reverberating sounds of music converges with the tingling of dance steps and geometry of morning rangolis amidst the whiff of divine air circulating and aroma of freshly cooked food, spirituality awakens and Margazhi truly comes to life. Margazhi also acts as the bridge between the end of the calendar year and beginning of the next one. Wishing everyone a blessed Margazhi month. May the divine forces help in being deeply connected and tiding us through in all our endeavours. Sharing some important dates & events to keep note for the benefit of everyone during this holy spiritual time span known as 'Margazhi'

- *Margazhi Masa Aarambam - Dec 16th 2025*
Ingress of the Sun into the sign of Dhanur and Moola Nakshatra signalling the ushering of Margazhi Month 

- *Kanchi Sri Mahaperiyava Aaradhanai - Dec 16th 2025*
In commemoration of attaining samadhi of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham - Jagadguru Shri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Mahaswamigal that took place on the day after Ekadashi Tithi in Krishna Dwadashi Tithi when Anusham (Anuradha) Nakshatra was in operation.

- *Kuchela Dinam - Dec 17th 2025*
Celebrated on the first Wednesday of Dhanur month as per Malayalam calendar. It is as an annual festival celebrated by Hindus in Kerala mainly in honour of Lord Guruvayurappan.

- *Hanuman Jayanthi - Dec 19th 2025*
This is recognised differently based on state culture. However for Tamil Nadu & Kerala, Hanuman Jayanthi occurs on Amma Vasya Tithi during Margazhi month. It also closely aligns with Anjaneyar's birth Nakshatra of Moola which is in operation from late night of 19th Dec and will be present when Amma Vasya Tithi finishes on the 20th morning

- *Shortest Day of the Year - Dec 21st 2025*
For those places belonging to the Northern Hemisphere which includes India, Dec 21st will mark as being the shortest day of the year. It also links well with the Margazhi tradition of day light occurring earlier and days being shorter in magnitude compared to nights.

- *Christmas - Dec 25th 2025*
Christian festival celebrated worldwide commemorating the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ. Coincidence or otherwise, Christmas always gets bracketed in the Margazhi month

- *Vaikunta Ekadashi - Dec 30th 2025*
Ekadashi's occur two times in every solar month but the Shukla Paksha Ekadashi occurring in Margazhi month happens to be the most auspicious Vaikunta Ekadashi opening the gates to Lord Maha Vishnu's celestial abode.

- *New Year - Jan 1st 2026*
Ushering of New Year signalling the start of new calendar year 2026 worldwide

- *Arudra Darisanam - Jan 3rd 2026*
This occurs on the day Tiruvadirai (Arudra) Nakshatra transits in Margazhi month. Arudra Darisanam is celebrated in veneration of Lord Shiva's cosmic dance as Nataraja.

- *Ramana Maharishi Jayanthi - Jan 4th 2026*
This takes place when Punarpoosam (Punarvasu) Nakshatra is in operation during Margazhi month in reverence to the birth anniversary of Ramana Maharishi

- *Pushpa Abhishek - Jan 5th 2026*
Flower Bathing ceremony of Lord Krishna especially followed in traditions like Iskcon which takes place on Poosam (Pushya) Nakshatra that symbolises 'flower' when Pushya Lunar month is in operation which coincides with Margazhi month in this year

- *Agastya Jayanthi (aka) Siddha Day - Jan 6th 2026*
Agastya Jayanthi also reckoned as 'Siddha Day' is in honour of the great Sage Agasthya Maharishi who is said to be born in the month of Margazhi when Ayilyam (Ashlesha) Nakshatra was visible in the skies. Agasthya is known to have drunk the entire ocean in order to help the Devas and he is also credited with being the father of Siddha Medicine.

- *Sri Thyagara Aaradhanai - Jan 7th 2026*
5 day Annual Carnatic music festival in respect of Saint Thyagaraja, one of the Trinities of Carnatic music along with Muthuswamy Dikshitar and Shyama Shastri. It is held on Krishna Paksha Panchami Tithi in Pushya Lunar month during which the musical Saint attained Samadhi. This time it coincides as part of the Margazhi month

- *Koodaravalli - Jan 11th 2026*
This takes place on the 27th day of the month of Margazhi in rejoice of Andal's devotion as that was the day when Lord Vishnu granted her the boon of marriage. Devotees offer a special sweet called 'Akkara Vadisal' - a form of ghee rice pudding in celebration of Kodhai. 

- *Vivekananda Jayanthi aka India's National Youth Day - Jan 12th 2026*
This is calendar date specific and takes place every year on the 12th of January which is the birth anniversary of spiritual leader Sri Vivekanand.

Note: Some of the dates may fall across 2 days but importance is given based on whether sunrise was prevalent during the event occurrence. For instance, Agastya Jayanti which is based on Nakshatra Ayilyam or Ashlesha starts around noon on 5th Jan and ends after noon on 6th Jan. Since only on 6th Jan, sunrise was prevalent, thus the latter date is given higher priority. Additionally not date specific, this holy month of 'Margazhi' is also known for 'Pavai Nonbu' and 'Thiruvempavai'. The former is a religious observation primarily undertaken by unmarried girls involving waking up early, performing rituals and singing hymns in praise to the Lord. The latter dedicated to Lord Shiva is a set of 20 hymns written by Manikavasagar and is sung daily with fast undertaken for 9 days and culminating on the 10th day of Thiruvadhirai during Arudra Darisanam.