Pusalar (also transliterated as Pūcalār, Pusala or Poosalar) is an eighth-century Nayanar saint, venerated in the Hindu sect of Shaivism. He is generally counted as the fifty-eighth in the list of 63 Nayanars. His hagiography speaks how he created a grand temple for Shiva in his mind and how his patron god Shiva preferred attending the consecration of his mind temple, instead of a grand temple created by a Pallava king. Life The primary account of Pusalar's life comes from the Tamil Periya Puranam by Sekkizhar (12th century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars. Pusalar was a Brahmin, priest. He lived in Thiruninravur (Tiru Ninravur/ Ninravur), presently a neighbourhood in the city of Chennai. In Pusalar's times, Thiruninravur was part of Tondai Nadu (Thondai Mandalam), which is part of the Pallava kingdom. He was a poor temple priest. Pusalar was a Shaiva, a devotee of the god Shiva. He wanted to create a grand temple for Shiva, but did not have the money to do so. Thus, Pusalar decided to build a temple to Shiva in his mind with his imagination. He followed the rituals of temple-building, sanctified the ground and lay the first stone of his mind temple on an auspicious day. Over course of time, he completed his mind temple and selected a holy day for the Kumbhabhishekam ceremony, when the temple is consecrated and the image of God installed in the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum). The Pallava king Kadavarkon had just completed a grand Shiva temple in the capital Kanchipuram and selected the same day for consecration of his temple. Shiva appeared in the king's dream and instructed him to postpone the date of consecration as He would be journeying to Thiruninravur for the consecration of His devotee Pusalar's temple on the same day. The king postponed the date as per the divine decree and hastened to see the magnificent temple of Pusalar, which Shiva favoured over his own. However, on reaching Thiruninravur, the king could not find any stone temple visible in the town and was perplexed. He reached Pusalar's house and informed Pusalar about his dream. The saint revealed that the temple existed in his heart. The king was astonished by Pusalar's devotion and bowed down to him and worshipped him. Pusalar consecrated the temple on the ordained day and continued his worship until his death, when he is said to have attained Kailash,