Suryanar Kovil, Hindu temple in Thanjavur district, India
Suryanar Kovil is a Hindu temple in Thanjavur district in southern India. The structure follows Dravidian design with a main shrine for the sun god and nine smaller shrines for planetary deities arranged around the courtyard.
The complex was built during the reign of Kulottunga Choladeva in the 11th century and stands among the few shrines from that period dedicated to the sun god. Later dynasties added the smaller shrines and enclosure walls without altering the original layout.
The name comes from Surya, the Hindu sun god, whose image stands in the main shrine where devotees offer milk and flowers. Priests wear traditional robes during ceremonies and chant verses from ancient texts while visitors walk around the shrines and join in the prayers.
Visitors reach the site by road from Kumbakonam, about 15 kilometers (9 miles) away and connected by bus services. The shrines are open during daytime hours, and the layout is compact enough to walk around the entire area.
The nine planetary gods appear here without the animal mounts usually seen in other southern Indian shrines, showing only the human figures. Each shrine carries its own color and specific symbols to mark the associated deity.
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