Odhanavaneswarar Temple

Getting there

• By air

  The nearest airport to Thiruvaiyaru, the nearby town, is Tiruchirapalli, about 56 km away. Thiruvaiyaru is 3 km from the temple.

• By train

  Thanjavur station is 13 km from Thiruvaiyaru. Ariyalur station is 30 km from Thiruvaiyaru.

• By road

  A direct bus runs from Thanjavur, 11 km from Thiruvaiyaru. Thiruvaiyaru is 3 km from the temple.

Why devotees come here

Odhanavaneswarar Temple stands on the banks of the Kaveri river at Tiruchotruturai, in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu. Known as Dakshina Kailasham, the Kailash of the South, it is one of the shrines praised in the Tevaram.

In one legend, Sage Gautama performed penance at this place, and Shiva granted him a boon that the place would never run short of food. Another version says Parvati, as Annapoorani, fed the devotees here.

The oldest parts of the stone structure were built under the Chola dynasty in the 9th century. The complex has three prakarams, or closed precincts, many mandapams, or halls, and four gopurams, or gateway towers. It is one of the largest temple complexes in Tamil Nadu, and the lingam sits in a square sanctum.

The Tevaram hymns praise the temple, so it is classed as a Paadal Petra Sthalam, one of 275 temples mentioned in the Saiva canon. Devotees also call it Dakshina Kailasham, the Kailash of the South. The village is in the Thiruvaiyaru taluk of Thanjavur district.

Festivals

• February or MarchMahashivaratri

  The major festival celebrated in the temple.

• AprilSaptha Stanam festival

  The festival includes seven Shiva temples of the region. A glass palanquin carrying the deities passes through Tiruchotruturai village on its way to Thillaisthanam.

Tips for your visit

• Allow extra time to walk through the large complex, which has several enclosures and halls.
• Thiruvaiyaru, the nearby town, is 3 km from the temple and hosts the Saptha Stanam festival every April.

Questions people ask