Kasi Viswanathar Temple

Kasi Viswanathar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, who is worshipped here as Kasi Viswanathar, with his consort Parvati as Visalakshi. It stands close to the Mahamaham tank. The presiding deity is praised in the Tevaram, the 7th-century Tamil Shaiva hymns, which makes it a Paadal Petra Sthalam.

Tradition

According to tradition, the nine sacred rivers of India prayed to Shiva at Varanasi to be cleansed of the sins that bathers had washed into them. They were told to bathe in the Mahamaham tank, and Viswanathar of Kashi is believed to have appeared here in Kumbakonam. Another tradition links the temple to the Ramayana: Rama and Lakshmana are said to have worshipped Shiva here while searching for Sita.

History

The temple is praised in hymns by the 7th-century saint poets Thirugnana Sambandar and Thirunavukkarasar. The present masonry structure dates from the Nayak period in the 16th century. Today the temple is administered by the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department.

Architecture

The temple has two courtyards (prakarams) and a seven-storey western gateway tower. It is often called the Nava Kanniyar temple, after its images of nine river goddesses worshipping Shiva: the Ganges, Yamuna, Narmada, Saraswati, Kaveri, Godavari, Krishna, Tungabhadra and Sarayu. A lingam said to have been worshipped by Rama stands in the north-eastern courtyard.

Mahamaham

It is one of the 12 Shiva temples connected with the Mahamaham festival, held at the Mahamaham tank about once every 12 years. Masi Magam, in the Tamil month of Masi (February–March), is the temple's most important yearly festival.