Kanjanur Sukran Temple

Getting there

• By air

  The nearest commercial airport to Kumbakonam is Tiruchirappalli International Airport, 91 km away.

• By train

  Kumbakonam station has daily express trains to Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and Tiruchirapalli, and passenger trains to Thanjavur, Chidambaram and Mayiladuthurai.

• By road

  Kanjanur is 18 km north-east of Kumbakonam on the Kumbakonam to Aduthurai road, and 57 km from Thanjavur. Buses run from Kumbakonam to Chennai, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore, Salem and Puducherry.

Why devotees come here

Kanjanur Sukran Temple in Thanjavur district is one of the nine Navagraha temples of Tamil Nadu. It is linked to Sukra, the planet Venus. The main idol is Shiva as Agniswarar.

The temple is dedicated to Sukra, the planet Venus, and is one of nine Navagraha shrines near Kumbakonam, each tied to a celestial body in Hindu astrology. Although Sukra is the presiding deity, the main idol is Agniswarar, a form of Shiva. It is believed that Shiva appeared as Sukra here to remove the dosha of Sukran. Another legend says Shiva blessed the sage Parasara with a cosmic dance at this place.

The temple was built by the Medieval Cholas and later renovated by the kings of the Vijayanagar Empire. It has a 5-tier rajagopuram, the gateway tower, and two prakarams, which are closed precincts around the shrine. The hymns of the Saivite saint Appar praise the temple, which is why it is called a Padal petra stalam. It also counts among the Vaippu Sthalams he sang of.

Kanjanur is a village in the Thiruvidaimarudur taluk, on the northern bank of the Kaveri River. Tamil Nadu Tourism lists it with eight other temples on the famous Navagraha pilgrimage circuit.

Tips for your visit

• Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram near Kumbakonam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is another sight in the area.
• The other Navagraha temples of the circuit include Suriyanar Koil, Thingaloor, Vaidheeswaran Koil and Thirunageswaram.

Questions people ask