Kasi Viswanathar Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Tiruchirappalli International Airport is the nearest commercial airport.

• By train

  Kumbakonam has its own railway station, with direct express trains to Mysuru and Bengaluru.

• By road

  National Highway NH-36 passes through the town. Regular buses run to Chennai, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore, Salem and Puducherry.

Why devotees come here

Kasi Viswanathar Temple is in Kumbakonam, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu. It is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalam shrines, temples praised in the 7th-century Tevaram hymns, and it is said to be more than a thousand years old.

The presiding deity is revered in the Tevaram, a 7th-century Tamil Saiva work, and the temple is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalam shrines. Tirunavukarasar, Tirunanasambandar and Sekizhar sang of it. Legend says Rama and Lakshmana worshipped Shiva here while they searched for Sita.

The present masonry structure was built in the 16th century, in the Nayak period. The temple complex covers two acres and lies close to the Mahamaham tank. The temple has two outer courtyards, and the western tower has seven stories and stands 72 feet (22 m) tall.

The temple has a nava kanniyar, a set of nine river goddesses shown worshipping Shiva. This is why it is also called the Nava Kanniyar temple. The Tevaram hymns were written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanars.

Festivals

• February to MarchMasi Magam

  The most prominent festival at the temple, celebrated on the Magam day of the Masi month.

• Once every 12 yearsMahamaham

  Twelve Shiva temples in Kumbakonam are connected with this festival.

Tips for your visit

• For the main festival, plan the trip for Masi Magam, which falls in February to March.
• Mahamaham comes only once in 12 years, so check the year before you plan a trip for it.

Questions people ask