Kasi Viswanathar Temple, Kumbakonam, Hindu temple in Kumbakonam, India.
Kasi Viswanathar Temple is a Hindu temple in Kumbakonam with two distinctive towers and expansive grounds next to the Mahamaham tank. The sanctuary contains several sections dedicated to different forms of Shiva and other deities.
The temple is cited in the 7th-century Tevaram hymns of the Nayanar saints Sambanthar and Appar, and is counted among the Paadal Petra Sthalams. Its present masonry structure was built under Nayak rule in the 16th century. A 2014 inscription records a kumbhabhishekam on 9 February 2014.
The temple is dedicated to Shiva and draws visitors who come to see the deities housed here. Daily rituals shape the religious rhythm of the space and connect worshippers to long-standing traditions.
The temple opens at set times in the morning and late afternoon with multiple entrances to explore the grounds. Visitors should dress respectfully and can find easy access from the main streets.
In the hall beside the Navakanniyar shrine stand images of nine river goddesses — Ganges, Yamuna, Narmada, Saraswati, Cauvery, Godavari, Krishna, Tungabhadra and Sarayu — each shown with the facial expression of her own region. Tamil tradition holds that Shiva came here from Kashi with them at their request, which gave the deity the name Kasi Viswanathar.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,678 contributors worldwide.