Kayarohanaswami Temple

Getting there

• By air

  The nearest airport is Tiruchirapalli Airport, about 145 km from the town.

• By train

  Nagapattinam Junction is the town's railway station.

• By road

  Roadways is the major way to reach the town. NH 45A runs to Villupuram and NH 67 to Coimbatore and Gundlupete.

Why devotees come here

Kayarohanaswami Temple stands in Nagapattinam, the administrative headquarters of Nagapattinam district in Tamil Nadu. It is the 82nd Shivasthalam, on the south bank of the Cauvery, and one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams. Along with Soundararaja Perumal Temple, it is one of the major Hindu pilgrimage sites in the town.

Shiva is worshipped here as Kayarohana, with his consort Nilayathakshi. Legend says seven images of Thyagaraja were made, and six were installed in Thirukkuvalai, Nagapattinam, Tirukarayil, Thirunallar, Thiruvaimur and Tirumaraikadu. Tradition says Shiva performed the wedding of Sage Agastya here.

The temple has existed since the 6th century CE, and the Nayanmars Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar praised it. Inscriptions say construction began under the Pallava king Narasimha Pallava II, who reigned from 691 to 729 CE. The Pallavas, Cholas and Vijayanagara kings all rebuilt it. The idol of Thyagaraja inside is made of lapis lazuli. The temple is one of the Saptavidangar thalams and one of the five ruling idols.

The name Karona is a corruption of kaya, meaning body, and arohana, meaning raising. The temple is said to be the twin of a Kayarohana temple in Gujarat. The district tourism department lists it among Nagapattinam's notable temples. The temple is praised as one of the three glories of the district: its deity, its sacred place and its sacred tank.

Tips for your visit

• The bus stand is the nearest place to the temple, a useful landmark once you reach town.
• The Nagabharana Ganapathi, installed by the Serpent King, is worshipped here.

Questions people ask