Kandeeswarar Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Tiruchirappalli has the nearest airport, about 56 km from Tiruvaiyaru.

• By train

  Thanjavur station is 13 km from Tiruvaiyaru, and the temple is about 2 km from Tiruvaiyaru town.

• By road

  A direct bus service runs from Thanjavur, 11 km from Tiruvaiyaru. The temple is on the Kumbakonam to Tiruvaiyaru to Thanjavur road, 21 km from Kumbakonam.

Why devotees come here

Kandeeswarar Temple in Kandiyur, near Tiruvaiyaru, is a Shiva temple praised in the 7th-century Tevaram. It is one of the Ashta Veeratanam temples, which commemorate Shiva's eight acts of valour.

Kandeeswarar Temple stands in Thirukandiyur, in the heart of the village near Tiruvaiyaru. Shiva is worshipped here as Kandeeswarar, in the form of the lingam, and his consort Parvati is shown as Mangalanayagi. The Tevaram, a 7th-century Tamil Saiva collection of hymns by the nayanar poet saints, praises the presiding deity, and the temple is classified as a Paadal Petra Sthalam.

Legend says Shiva grew angry with Brahma and cut off one of his five heads. The cut head stuck to Shiva's hand because of Brahma's curse. The temple is one of the Ashta Veeratanam shrines that commemorate Shiva's eight acts of valour and fury. It also has a separate shrine for Brahma, which few temples have.

Inscriptions show gifts from the Cholas, the Thanjavur Nayaks and the Thanjavur Maratha kingdom. The temple has a five-tiered rajagopuram, and its sanctum faces west. Inside are shrines to Vinayagar, Murugan with Valli and Deivanai, Mahalakshmi and Vishnu Durga. Sapthasthanam is the temple's major festival, when a palanquin procession passes through Thirukandiyur and nearby villages.

Festivals

• February or MarchShivratri

  Celebrated in the Tamil month of Masi.

• December or JanuaryThiruvadhirai

  Celebrated in the Tamil month of Margazhi.

Tips for your visit

• Sapthasthanam is the major festival, so ask about its dates before you plan a trip around it.
• Look for the five-tiered rajagopuram, the main gateway tower, when you arrive.
• The temple is counted among the temples built on the banks of the River Kaveri.

Questions people ask