Matangari

Standing on the head of the elephant with the right leg, with the hands ripping open the skin (of the elephant) and covering Himself with it, holding dreadful trident and sharungam, axe, and deer, boon giving posture in hands, with a frightening face, lit by the crescent, with the scared faced (Parvati) to the left, with a pointing hand, to that hara (salutations).

Matanga ari : enemy of the elephant

There was a demon gajAsura in the form of an elephant. He did severe penance and got lots of powerful boons. His wicked mind did not try to use all those powers for constructive things but rather started to disturb, kill and loot others. The power he had got out of the penance made even the divines afraid of him. His crooked mind also brought him to the death trap, when he started to attack the devotees who were completely focused on the worship of God at the holy abode Kashi. His ego and mad rage made him not realize whom he is attacking. The Supreme Powerful God, the Protector of the devotees destroyed the demon ripping its body. The daemon screamed loud and lost the life.

Considered to be a very furious form of Lord Shiva, with the shakti Herself frightened by the act of the Lord. (However, the Lord is in all smiles !)

paluvur is the temple associated with this valorous deed of Lord Shiva