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Nageswaraswamy Temple

Famous temples · Tamil Nadu

Nageswaraswamy Temple

A Shiva temple in Kumbakonam, counted among the earliest Chola temples

Checked 19 Oct 2026 with 2 sources2 min read

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Getting there

  • By air

    Tiruchirappalli International Airport is the nearest commercial airport, about 91 km away.

  • By train

    Kumbakonam railway station gives rail connections across South India.

  • By road

    Kumbakonam is about 40 km from Thanjavur and 282 km from Chennai. Regular buses run from the town to Chennai, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore, Salem and Puducherry.

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Why devotees come here

Nageswaraswamy Temple is a Shiva temple in Kumbakonam, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu. It is counted as the earliest of all Chola temples and is classified as a Paadal Petra Sthalam.

Nageswaraswamy Temple is a Shiva temple in Kumbakonam. It is classified as a Paadal Petra Sthalam, and the Tevaram hymns revere it. Legend says Parvathy appeared here and blessed Adisesha, giving him strength. The sanctum is of the padabandha-padmaka type and stands on a padmopana.

Aditya Chola built the temple in the 9th century, and it is counted as the earliest of all Chola temples. Later expansions, including the gopuram gatehouses, date up to the Thanjavur Nayaks in the 16th century. The second precinct, built in the Vijayanagar period, has many sculptures.

The temple has three gateway towers, called gopurams, many halls, and three precincts. Tamil Nadu Tourism singles out Kumbakonam among the state's temple towns. Today the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu maintains and administers the temple.

Festivals

  • February or MarchMahashivaratri

    One of the major festivals celebrated at the temple.

  • Panguni monthBrahmotsavam

    The main festival of the temple, held when the Sun's rays fall directly on the image in the sanctum.

  • Once in 12 yearsMahamaham

    A festival held in Kumbakonam. This temple is one of 12 Shiva temples linked with it.

Tips for your visit

  • In the first three days of the Tamil month Chittirai, April to May, the Sun's rays fall on the base of the deity in the sanctum.
  • The second precinct, built in the Vijayanagar period, has many sculptures.

Darshan at home

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Nageswaraswamy Temple is not in the Divya Darshan 360 app yet. These Famous temples temples are, with darshan videos you can watch at home:

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Questions people ask

Who built Nageswaraswamy Temple?

Aditya Chola built it in the 9th century. Later expansions, including the gopurams, were added up to the Thanjavur Nayaks in the 16th century.

Why is this temple important among the Chola temples?

It is counted as the earliest of all Chola temples. Legend also says Parvathy blessed Adisesha here to give him strength.

Which hymns revere this temple?

The Tevaram hymns revere the presiding deity. The temple is classified as a Paadal Petra Sthalam.

What is the main festival of the temple?

Brahmotsavam, held in the Tamil month of Panguni. It is the month when the Sun's rays fall directly on the image in the sanctum.

Who looks after the temple?

The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu maintains and administers it.

How we checked this page

On 19 Oct 2026 we checked every fact on this page against these sources, official ones first. Anything we could not confirm is left out.

  1. Nageswaraswamy Temple, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  2. Kumbakonam, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org

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