Kasi Viswanathar temple, Sivakasi, Hindu temple in Sivakasi, India.
Kasi Viswanathar temple is a Hindu temple in Sivakasi, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with a three-tiered tower and granite walls enclosing several sacred spaces. The layout follows the Dravidian style, with carved stone pillars and detailed panels covering the interior walls.
The temple was built in the 16th century under the Pandya ruler Harikesari Parakkirama Pandian and later expanded by the Madurai Nayak dynasty. Both construction phases are still visible in the structure that stands today.
The temple is dedicated to Shiva, worshipped here under the name Kasi Viswanathar, with his consort Parvathi honored as Visalakshi. Visitors can watch the daily rituals that shape the spiritual life of the local community.
The temple is open every day in both the morning and the afternoon, with a break around midday. On new moon days it stays open all day, and during major festivals the schedule may shift.
In 1899, disputes over who had the right to enter the temple triggered the Sivakasi riots. The incident became a turning point in how communities across the region debated access to religious spaces.
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