Thirunavukkarasu Nayanar Guru Puja 2027: April 30, Mount Vernon

Born Marulneekkiyar at Thiruvamur in a Vellala family, he became a Jain monk named Dharmasena. Through the prayers of his sister Thilakavathiyar, Shiva cured him of a severe colic at Thiruvathigai and named him Thirunavukkarasu, "King of Speech".

He survived a lime kiln, poison, a mad elephant and being cast into the sea tied to a stone, which floated. He cleaned temple courtyards with a small hoe and sang the Thevaram, and attained Shiva's feet at Thirupugalur.