Places of Interest around Kumbakonam
Culturally Important – It had many sabhas to promote cultural events before Chennai emerging as a centre for cultural activities. Places like Swamimalai, Darasuram, Thirubhuvanam and Nachiyar Koil in the Vicinity are active craft centre. Not only temples, but also brass vessets, lamps, icons and silk sarees stand withness to its living hritage.
Darasuram – Situated on the outskirts of kumbakonam has the 12 Century architecture of Cholas – Iravatheeswarar temple has many ornate sculptures of historical significance. The horse drive mandapa is a predecessor to the famous wheel at the sun temple in Konarak. This temple is declare asworld heritage mounment by UNESCO.
Swamimalai
Swamimalai – is tghe temple of lord Muruga. It is one among lord Muruga’s six abodes (Arupadaiveedu) (6 Km)
Thirubhuvanam
Thirubhuvanam – Sarabeswarar Temple and Thirubhuvanam silk sarees are very popular (5 Km)
Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Gangaikonda Cholapuram – wasd built by Rajendra cholan (son of Rajaraja cholan). This temple with is architectural marvel is also a world heritage mounment.
Thanjavur
Thanjavur – Brihadeeswarar Temple, an excellent piece of chola architecture was built by the great Chola king Rajarajan also a world oheritage mounment.
Nagore – Dargah
Nagoor – Durga, irrespective of caste, creed and religion people offer their worship at the Islamic Shrine here. The Kandhuri festival during October and november is very popular. (60 Km).
Velankanni
Velankanni – is one of the most visiteds pilgrim centres in India. It is a tow situated on the shore of Bay of Bengal, fourteen Km from Naapatttinam. This renowned Basillica of our Lady of Heallth draw pilgrims from all over the world. Not only Christians but also the people of other faith come to this church to pray at theshriine of “our Lady of Health”. (60 km).
Thiruvarur
Thiruvarur – Thiyagarajaswamy Temple known for its biggest Temple Car (30 Km).
Chidambaram
Chidambaram – is also known as Thillai,dedicated ti Lord Nataraja. This ancient Temple of the Cholas is unique not only it is devoted solely to the art of Bharatanatyam, but also it is one of the rare temple where shiva is represented by an rather than the costmary ligam. Spread oven an area of 40 acress with a gopuram on each side, the temple distinguished by five by five sabhas or courts. (70 Km).
Sarangapani Temple
Sarangapani Temple – Sarangapani Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, located in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the Divya Desams, the 108 temples of Vishnu revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham by the 12 poet saints, or Alwars. This temple is along Kaveri and is one of the Pancharanga Kshetrams.
Chakrapani Temple
Chakrapani Temple – Chakrapani Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu located in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India. This temple is located 2 km, away towards North West from the Kumbakonam Railway Station. In the temple, Vishnu appears in the form of a discus or Chakra to put down the pride of Surya(the Sun), who subsequently became his devotee.Like Shiva, Lord Chakrapani has a third eye on His forehead. The temple is one of the most prominent temples in Kumbakonam.
Ramaswamy Temple
Ramaswamy Temple – Ramaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu located in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India.The temple has beautiful architecture pieces and has been built by the Nayakkar kings. Govinda Dikshitar, the prime minister of the Nayaks, constructed the temple. He added a commercial corridor between his new temple and the older Chakrapani temple.
Kumbeswarar Temple
Kumbeswarar Temple – Adi Kumbeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located in the town of Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu, India. Shiva is worshiped as Adi Kumbeswarar, and is represented by the lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Mangalambigai Amman. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the Nayanmars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.
Someswaran Temple
Someswaran Temple – Someswaran Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India.Someswar Temple is situated in the southern portion of Sri Sarangapani temple. Legend is that the temple shared a larger space during initial construction, but later Sarangapani Temple adjacent to it occupied more space.
Airavateswarar temple
Airavateswarar_temple – Airavatesvara Temple is a Hindu temple of Dravidian architecture located in the town of Darasuram, near Kumbakonam in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This temple, built by Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century CE is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur, the Gangaikondacholisvaram Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram that are referred to as the Great Living Chola Temples.
Kasiviswanathar Temple
Kasiviswanathar Temple – Kasi Viswanathar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Thevaram and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.
Nachiyar Temple
Nachiyar Temple – Nachiar Kovil or Thirunarayur Nambi Temple in Thirunarayur, a village in the outskirts of Kumbakonam in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th to 9th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Srinivasa Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Nachiyar. The temple is the place where god Vishnu is believed to have initiated Pancha Samskara (religious initiation) to Thirmangai Azhwar. The temple follows Thenkalai mode of worship.
Patteswaram Temple
Patteswaram Temple – Thenupuriswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the holy village of Patteeswaram, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Tirugnana Sambandar and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.
Nageswaraswamy Temple
Nageswaraswamy Temple – Nageswaran Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Thevaram and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. Shiva in the guise of Nagaraja, the serpent king and is located in the centre of Kumbakonam.
Swamimalai Temple
Swamimalai Temple – Swamimalai Murugan Temple is a Hindu temple located in Swamimalai, 5 km from Kumbakonam on the banks of a tributary of river Cauvery, 250 km from Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is one of the six holy shrines of Murugan called Arupadaiveedu. The shrine of the presiding deity, Swaminathaswamy is located atop a 60 ft (18 m) hillock and the shrine of his mother Meenakshi (Parvathi) and father Shiva (Sundareswarar) is located downhill. The temple has three gopuram (gateway towers), three precincts and sixty steps and each one is named after the sixty Tamil years. The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and three yearly festivals on its calendar. The annual Vaikasi Visagam festival is attended by thousands of devotees from far and near.
Uppliyappan Temple
Uppliyappan Temple – Uppiliappan Temple, also known as Thiruvinnagar of Venkatachalapathy Temple is a temple dedicated to Hindu god Vishnu, located near Thirunageswaram, a village in the outskirts of the Kumbakonam in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Constructed in Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is counted as the 60th among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu. Vishnu is worshiped as Uppiliappan and his consort Lakshmi as Bhumi Devi.
