Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple

The Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple at Srimushnam in northern Tamil Nadu is dedicated to Vishnu's boar avatar Varaha, seated with Lakshmi as Ambujavalli Thayar. Legend says Varaha slew the asura Hiranyaksha here, and that his sweat formed the temple tank Nithya Pushkarani; the central icon turns its boar face south toward the fallen demon while its human body faces the worshippers.

Chola inscriptions record gifts by Virarajendra Chola in 1068 and a village granted by Kulothunga Chola I around 1100. The Vijayanagara emperors added the seven-storey gateway, and their vassals the Thanjavur Nayaks rebuilt and expanded the temple. Achuthappa Nayak, who ruled from 1560 to 1614, raised the sixteen-pillared Purushasuktha Mandapa.

The temple became a stronghold of Madhva teaching: Madhvacharya repeatedly stayed here and kept his four-month vows on the site, and later saints including Vyasatirtha and Raghavendra Tirtha also resided here.