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Vanchinadha Swamy Temple

Famous temples · Tamil Nadu

Vanchinadha Swamy Temple

A Paadal Petra shrine of Shiva in Srivanchiyam, Tiruvarur district

Checked 22 Oct 2026 with 4 sources2 min read

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Getting there

  • By air

    The nearest commercial airport to Kumbakonam is Tiruchirappalli International Airport, 91 km away.

  • By train

    Kumbakonam railway station gives rail links across South India. From Kumbakonam, the temple is reached by bus.

  • By road

    Direct buses run from Kumbakonam to Srivanchiyam. Auto rickshaws also reach the village from Achuthamangalam, 2 km away.

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Why devotees come here

Vanchinadha Swamy Temple stands in Srivanchiyam, a village in Tiruvarur district that is best known for this temple. Shiva is worshipped here as Vanchinadha Swamy, in the form of the lingam. The temple is known for its separate shrine to Yama, the deity of death.

The temple is classified as a Paadal Petra Sthalam, a shrine praised in the Tevaram hymns. It is also counted among six temples on the Cauvery river bank that are equivalent to Kasi. Legend says Lakshmi left Vaikunta, the abode of Vishnu, after a quarrel with him, and that Shiva restored her to him. Another legend says Vishnu found a lingam in a sandalwood forest and started worshipping Shiva.

The present masonry structure was built during the Chola dynasty in the 11th century. Its eastern tower is the tallest, with 11 stories and a height of 108 feet. Two Nandi statues sit on the east and west sides, facing the main shrine. The temple is one of the rare ones with a separate shrine for Yama. Its most prominent shrines are for Vanchinadhaswamy, Yama and Mangala Nayagi Amman.

Festivals

  • Tamil month of Maasi, February or MarchMasi Magam

    The most prominent festival at the temple.

  • Tamil month of Kaarththigai, on all SundaysTheerthavari

    A water festival held in the Gupta Ganga tank.

Tips for your visit

  • Visit the Yama shrine first, before entering the main temple, because here Ganesha is not worshipped first as in most temples.
  • Nannilam, 5 km away, is the nearest town, so ask for it by name when you check the way.
  • Direct buses from Kumbakonam stop near the temple, and you can walk from the bus stop to the temple.

Darshan at home

Not in the app yet

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

In the appChamundeshwari Temple, MysuruChamundi Hill, Mysuru, KarnatakaIn the appDakshineswar Kali Temple, KolkataDakshineswar, North 24 Parganas, near Kolkata, West BengalIn the appShirdi Sai Baba Temple, MaharashtraShirdi, Rahata taluka, Ahilyanagar district, Maharashtra
Get the appAndroid

The app is free, Android only. For darshan as if you are standing there, see the VR box (₹899, or ₹949 cash on delivery).

Questions people ask

Why is the Yama shrine visited first here?

At this temple, visitors go to the shrine of Yama, the deity of death, before entering the temple. Most temples worship Ganesha first, so this is the difference to remember.

Is Srivanchiyam a Paadal Petra temple?

Yes. It is classified as a Paadal Petra Sthalam, a shrine praised in the Tevaram hymns.

Is Srivanchiyam linked to Kasi?

It is counted among six temples on the Cauvery river bank that are equivalent to Kasi.

How do I get to Srivanchiyam from Kumbakonam?

Direct buses run from Kumbakonam. Auto rickshaws are also available from Achuthamangalam, 2 km away.

How we checked this page

On 22 Oct 2026 we checked every fact on this page against these sources, official ones first. Anything we could not confirm is left out.

  1. Tiruvarur District, Government of Tamil Nadu tiruvarur.nic.in
  2. Vanchinadha Swamy Temple, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  3. Srivanchiyam, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  4. Kumbakonam, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org

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