| Kasi Viswanathar Temple | |
|---|---|
Kudanthai Karonam | |
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Tanjore |
| Deity | Kasi Viswanathar (Shiva) Visalakshi (Parvathi), Nava Kannigas |
| Features |
|
| Location | |
| Location | Kumbakonam |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| Country | India |
  Location in Tamil Nadu | |
| Geographic coordinates | 10°57′23.86″N 79°22′55.92″E / 10.9566278°N 79.3822000°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Dravidian architecture |
Kasi Viswanathar Temple, Kumbakonam is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India. Here, Lord Shiva is worshipped as Kasi Viswanathar, and His consort Parvati is depicted as Visalakshi. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th-century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.[1]
The temple complex covers two acres and is located close to the Mahamaham tank. It houses two gateway towers known as gopurams. The tallest is the western tower, with seven stories and a height of 72 feet (22 m). The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Kasi Viswanathar, Visalakshi and Navakanniyar being the most prominent.
The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 6:00 a.m. to 9 p.m., and twelve yearly festivals on its calendar. The Masi Magam festival is celebrated during the day of the Magam (February–March) is the most prominent festival.
The present masonry structure was built during the Nayak during the 16th century. In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
- ^ Census of India, 1961, Volume 7. Director of Census publication. 1961.