Chakrapani Temple, Hindu temple near Cauvery River in Kumbakonam, India
Chakrapani Temple is a Hindu shrine near the Cauvery River in Kumbakonam with a central sanctuary dedicated to Vishnu. The deity figure within features eight arms and displays distinctive religious symbols that reflect core beliefs of the faith.
The temple's origins are obscure for lack of inscriptions; its architecture and motifs point to construction in the 15th century under Nayaka rule. It was one of three Vaishnava temples in Kumbakonam patronised in the Nayaka era, with a religious head handling its administration from the 16th century. In 1620 Govinda Dikshitar, divan-administrator for the Nayaks, built the Ramaswamy Temple and added a commercial corridor linking it to the older Chakrapani temple.
The temple is also called Bhaskara Kshetra, after Surya, who is said to have worshipped here and regained his light. Every year the Masi Magam festival re-enacts that event, with the temple car drawn through the surrounding streets during the day. Vilva archana, normally offered in Shiva temples, is performed here for the Perumal.
The temple is accessible during visiting hours in the morning and evening, welcoming both worshippers and guests. Visitors should wear modest clothing and remove their shoes before entering the main sanctuary areas.
A bronze image of Serfoji II, king of Thanjavur from 1798 to 1832, stands in the mandapa, about six feet tall and shown standing with a flower in his right hand, wearing a Maratha turban and long royal robes. A smaller bronze female figure beside him, roughly three feet high, may be his daughter. He is said to have been cured of an illness by the god's grace.
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