Tirupperunthurai (also called the Athmanathaswamy temple) is located in Avudaiyarkoil village,[1] near Aranthangi in the Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu.

Manikkavasagar is said to have converted the king to follow Shiva, and built the temple with money that had been intended for war-horses.

[3] As the prime minister, he was given money by King Varaguna Pandya II for the purpose of buying good horses in Chola Nadu, instead he spent it on building the temple.

The temple covers an area of over 10 acres (40,000 m2) with three enclosures and faces south, constructed so that the setting sun strikes the sanctum even though it is cloistered within three circumambulatory paths.

The presiding deity is formless (Atmanatar); there is no Śivalingam but only a pedestal (Āvudayār) located in the sanctum, hence the name Avudayar Koil.

Mother Parvathi in the Thillai Mandap in the second prakara granting the Pasupatha weapon to Arjuna as hunter and his wife is very realistic in workmanship.

[9] The bow wielding Muruga, Kali and Siva's Rudra thandavam (wild dance) are the finest specimen in sculptural art.

The composite columns of Virabhadra holding sword and horn are found be additions of the Vijayanayagara kings during the early 16th century.