Thingalur Chandran Temple

Getting there

• By road

  The temple is about 16 km from Thanjavur and 33 km from Kumbakonam, on the Kumbakonam to Thiruvaiyaru road.

• By train

  Thanjavur Junction railway station is in Thanjavur city. The temple is about 16 km by road from Thanjavur city.

Why devotees come here

Thingalur Chandran Temple is one of the nine Navagraha temples of Tamil Nadu. It stands in Thingalur village. Its presiding deity is Chandra, the moon, and the main idol is Kailasanathar, a form of Shiva.

Thingalur is one of the nine Navagraha temples of Tamil Nadu, and it is part of the popular Navagraha pilgrimage in the state. The presiding deity is Soma, the moon, but the main idol is Kailasanathar, a form of Shiva.

Legend says Chandra worshipped Kailasanathar at this place and got back all his powers. Another legend tells of a merchant who sent his son to pick plantain leaves for a visiting saint. The boy was bitten by a venomous snake and died while the saint was being hosted.

The original complex is believed to have been built by the Cholas. The present masonry structure dates to the 16th century, during the Nayak period. The Periya Puranam places Appoothiadigal, one of the 63 Saiva saints, at this village. A recently built three-tiered rajagopuram stands in front of a single prakaram, the enclosed courtyard. The image of Chandra is in the first precinct, made of black granite and usually clad in white cloth. The temple tank is named Chandrapushkarani. The major festivals are Mahasivarathri, Margazhi Thiruvadirai, Panguni Uthiram and Thirukartigai.

Tips for your visit

• Moonlight falls directly on the image of the presiding deity in the Tamil months of Purattasi (September to October) and Panguni (March to April).
• The temple is known for the first feeding of rice to infant children.

Questions people ask