Must visit once to see the grand temples of Kumbakonam, the beautiful city of Tamil Nadu

Kashi Vishwanath Temple – Kasi Viswanathar Temple in Kumbakonam

Kashi Vishwanath Temple is in the heart of the city and very close to the famous Mahamaham Tank. As one of the top religious places, it is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This 72 feet high temple was established in the 16th century. The deity here is called Kashi Vishwanathar and his wife Vishalakshi. It is said that Lord Rama and Lakshmana prayed to Lord Shiva to kill Rao here. The temple represents Chola architecture. You can visit this temple from 6 am to 12 noon, 4 pm to 8 pm.

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Adi Kumbeswarar Swami Temple in Kumbakonam

Built during the Chola dynasty in the 9th century, this temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, the lingam here is wide at the bottom and narrow at the top in the shape of a needle. It is believed that this lingam was made by Shiva himself. The Kumbheshwar Temple is an architectural marvel that reflects the distinctive Dravidian style. It is a big temple with 9 storeys and a height of 128 feet. The unique feature of this temple is the 27-star sign and 12 zodiac signs carved out of a large block of stone. Other temples of Ganapati, Muruga and Kiratamurthy are also present in this temple. One can visit this temple between 6 am to 12:30 pm, 4 pm to 9:30 pm.

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Nageswaran Temple – Nageswaran Temple in Kumbakonam

Built by Aditya Chola in the 9th century, the Nageshwaran Temple is known for its great architecture, construction techniques and astronomy. This temple present in Kumbakonam town is built in such a way that the sun shines on the idol only for three days during the months of April or May, hence it is known as Surya Kottam Temple. During these 3 days, devotees from all over the world throng the temple to seek the blessings of the Lord. This temple is one of the religious places dedicated to the serpent king Lord Shiva. It is believed that the temple got its name Nageswaran because a serpent was found worshiping the lingam. You can visit this temple from 6 am to 12 noon, 4 pm to 8:30 pm.

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Airavatesvara Temple – Airavatesvara Temple in Kumbakonam

The temple is one of the religious sites that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was built by Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century. The temple of the deity’s wife, Periya Nayaki Amman, is located near this temple. It is known as a storehouse of art and architecture, with 85 feet high vimana and huge chariot front mandapam and some exquisite stone carvings. According to legend, Airavata, Indra’s white elephant and Yamraj worshiped Lord Shiva in this temple. One can visit this temple between 8 am to 12 noon, 4 pm to 8 pm.

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Sarangapani Temple in Kumbakonam

Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, its name is derived from the Sanskrit words Sarangam meaning ‘bow of Vishnu’ and ‘Pani’ meaning hand. Being the tallest temple tower in Asia with a 12-storey gopura of 150 feet, it is one of the top religious sites built by the Nayak kings in the 16th century. The central shrine of the temple is in the form of a chariot drawn by horses and elephants in heaven. The deity is shown in a posture as if rising from a lying position. It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi came here from Potramarai pond with thousand lotuses. The chariot festival held in the spring is an important festival of this temple. Sarangapani Temple is the largest Vishnu temple in Kumbakonam and is the third of the 108 Divya Desams. One can visit this temple between 7 am to 12 noon, 5 pm to 9 pm.

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Mahalingeswara Temple – Mahalingeswara Temple in Kumbakonam

The Shiva Linga here is a swayambhu (self-manifested) and hence one can see huge crowd of devotees throughout the year. Shiva appeared in the form of a flame to please Agastya and other sages doing penance, hence the deity is named Jyotirmaya Mahalingam. Ambal Tirtha is one of the Shaktipeeths and is situated to the right of the main temple. There are 5 tanks and 27 other water bodies attached to the temple, making it one of the most interesting religious sites. One can visit this temple between 6 am to 12 noon and 4 pm to 9 pm.

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Ramaswamy Temple – Ramaswamy Temple in Kumbakonam

Known as Dakshin Ayodhya, this temple dedicated to Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, was constructed during the 16th century CE. The temple has some famous stone carvings and 219 wall paintings, which narrate the chain of events from the great epic Ramayana. This is the only temple where you can see the idols of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana along with Bharata and Shatrughna and Hanuman. Let us tell you, Ram Navami is celebrated with pomp here. It is also one of the five Vishnu temples that are associated with the Mahamaham festival. You can visit this temple between 9 am to 9 pm.

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