Tamilnadu Tourism: Naganathaswamy Temple (Rahu Stalam), Tirunageswaram, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur

Friday, March 18, 2016

Naganathaswamy Temple (Rahu Stalam), Tirunageswaram, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur

Naganathaswamy Temple (Rahu Sthalam), Tirunageswaram, Thanjavur

Naganathaswamy Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Tirunageswaram Village in the outskirts of Kumbakonam Town in Thanjavur District of Tamil Nadu. The Temple is also known as Rahu Stalam. It is significant to the Hindu sect of Saivism as one of the temples associated with the nine planet elements, the Navagraha Sthalams, and specifically Rahu. Presiding Deity is called as Naganatha Swamy / Nageswarar / Shenbakaranyeswarar. There are two goddesses in the Temple namely Kundramamulai Amman / Piraiyanivanudalumai and Giri Gujambika. The Temple is considered as one of the Pancha Krosha Sthalams around Kumbakonam.

The Temple is revered in the 7^th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Thevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the Nayanmars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. This is the 146^th Paadal Petra Shivasthalam and 29^th sthalam on the south side of river Cauvery. This is one of the 44 Paadal Petra Sthalams where the “Moovar” (the three saints - Saint Thirugnanasambanthar, Saint Tirunavukkarasar (Appar) and Saint Sundaramurthy (Sundarar) had rendered their Pathigams. Saint Arunagirinathar had praised Lord Murugan of this temple in his revered Thirupugazh Hymns.

The Thirunagechurappuranam which was written by Singaravelu Pillai contains sufficient information about the temple. The temple is another masterpiece which exhibits the Chola style of architecture. The Chola King Kanadarathitya (950 AD-957 AD) changed it into a granite edifice. The temple is situated on the southern bank of the river Cauvery. This Temple is a very famous Parihara Sthalam for Raahu dosham. This temple is under the administrative control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of Government of Tamil Nadu (HR&CE).