Mahamaham Tank

The Nageswaraswamy Temple in Kumbakonam is one of the earliest Chola temples, dedicated to Shiva worshipped as Nagaraja, the serpent king. Founded in the 9th century, it is celebrated for its refined early Chola sculpture and for an astronomical design in which sunlight reaches the sanctum during the Tamil month of Chithirai.

One of the largest Vishnu temples in the Cauvery delta and a Divya Desam, its towering gopuram dominates central Kumbakonam; the sanctum is shaped like a temple chariot drawn by horses and elephants.

A 16th-century Nayak-era Rama temple in Kumbakonam, famous for its sculpted pillars and painted mandapa panels illustrating scenes from the Ramayana.

The principal Shiva temple of Kumbakonam and the town’s namesake, at the heart of the old bazaar; the focus of the 12-yearly Mahamaham festival at the nearby tank.

The Chakrapani Temple in Kumbakonam is a Vishnu temple on the bank of the Cauvery, where Vishnu is worshipped as Chakrapani, the Sudarshana or discus form. By legend the discus emerged from the river and, having humbled Surya the sun god, gave Vishnu the name Chakrapani; the present temple is generally dated to the Nayaka period.

A UNESCO-listed Great Living Chola Temple at Darasuram near Kumbakonam, built by Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century and famous for its stone chariot-form mandapa and “musical” steps. It is a day trip east of Thanjavur.

The Dhenupureeswarar (Shiva) temple at Patteeswaram near Kumbakonam is best known for its graceful, benevolent Durga (Durgai) shrine, where the goddess is shown in a calm, gentle form rather than a fierce one. By tradition the Cholas revered this Durga and are said to have sought her blessing before going into battle.

The Naganathaswamy Shiva temple at Thirunageswaram near Kumbakonam is one of the nine Navagraha (planet) temples of the Cauvery delta and is dedicated to Rahu. It is especially known for the Rahu abhishekam, during which the milk poured over the deity is seen by devotees to take on a bluish tinge before running clear.

Swamimalai near Kumbakonam is the world's foremost centre for traditional lost-wax (cire perdue) bronze icon casting, practised by sthapathi families for over a thousand years since Chola times. The panchaloha idols follow strict Shilpa Shastra proportions and are exported to temples worldwide. The craft holds a Geographical Indication tag as Swamimalai bronze icons.

The Oppiliappan (Uppiliappan) Perumal temple at Thirunageswaram near Kumbakonam is one of the 108 Divya Desams, dedicated to Vishnu with his consort Bhumi Devi. By tradition it is the one Divya Desam where the offering (prasadam) is prepared entirely without salt, giving the deity the name Oppiliappan (uppu-illa, without salt), and the site is linked in lore to the sage Markandeya.

The Swaminathaswamy (Murugan) temple at Swamimalai, one of the six sacred “Padai Veedu” abodes of Murugan, reached by a flight of steps; the surrounding town is the living centre of Chola-style lost-wax bronze icon-making. About 7 km west of Kumbakonam.

The last of the great Chola temples, raised by Kulothunga Chola III around 1176 CE to mark a northern campaign. Its vimana stands taller than its own gateway tower — the Chola signature shared with Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Darasuram, though unlike those three it carries no UNESCO listing. It is the only temple in the country with a shrine to Sarabha, the winged lion-man form Shiva is said to have taken to calm Narasimha, and the name means "the Lord who stilled the trembling".