Aiyarappar Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Tiruchirappalli is the nearest airport for the temple.

• By train

  Thanjavur (13 km) and Ariyalur (30 km) are the nearest railway stations, on the Trichy-Chennai line.

• By road

  Direct buses run from Thanjavur, which is 11 km from the temple.

Why devotees come here

Aiyarappar Temple in Tiruvaiyaru, Thanjavur district, is known as Dakshina Kailasam, the Kailasa of the South. It is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalams, the shrines praised in the Tevaram hymns. It has five water bodies and four gopurams, and is one of the largest temple complexes in Tamil Nadu.

The Tevaram hymns praise the temple, which places it among the 275 temples named in the Saiva canon. Shiva is worshipped here as Aiyarappar in lingam form, and the name is linked to the five rivers of the place. Legend says the saint Appar had a vision of Kailasa here, and that Nandi, Shiva's bull, was born at this place to sage Salandha.

The oldest parts of the stone structure were built in the Chola period, in the 9th century. Later expansions, including the tall gopuram gatehouses, are attributed to periods up to the Thanjavur Nayaks in the 16th century. Uttarakailasam was built by a queen of Rajaraja Chola in the late 10th century. Appar sang one of his Thevaram hymns on this shrine.

The complex covers about 60,000 square metres, with five enclosures and many halls. Five water bodies lie inside it, and the temple is one of the largest in Tamil Nadu.

Festivals

• February or MarchMahashivaratri

  The temple's major festival of the year.

• April every yearSapthasthanam festival

  The decorated idol of Aiyarappar leaves the temple, with Nandikeswarar and Suyasayambikai, each carried in a palanquin.

Tips for your visit

• Look for the five water bodies inside the complex, including Surya Pushkarani and Ganga Theertham.
• Visit in April if you want to see the palanquin procession of the Sapthasthanam festival.

Questions people ask