- Special Features
Foundation Year500 - 1000 years oldSthala TreeShenbagamTheerthamKasi THeerthamRathamArchitectureOther SpecialityLord Shiva graces in the temple as a swayambu murthi.
- Sthala Puran
About 700 years ago, King Parakrama Pandiya was taking up a pilgrimage to Kasi when he desired to worship Lord Viswanathar. The Lord appeared in his dream that he could build a temple here itself to avoid a long journey to north.
He advised the King to follow the movement of the ants’ row and build the temple where it ended. The ant-line ended on the banks Chitraru River dense with Shenbaga trees.
He found a swayambulinga near an anthill and built the temple as directed by the Lord.
Sages Narada, Agastya, Mrugandu, Indira, Vali, and Nandhi had worshipped the Lord in this temple.
The temple Address : Sri Kasi Viswanathar Temple, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli District – 627811, Tamil Nadu.
Tenkasi is about 53 km from Tirunelveli and can be reached by road.
- Architecture
The beauty of the sculptures of the temple is widely known the world over. The twin sculptures – the Veerabadras, Thandavamurthis, two Tamil Mothers, Rathi and Manmatha (the cupid and his beautiful wife Rathi), single sculptures as Lord Vishnu and Kali Devi are noted for their exquisite beauty.
The 180-feet tall temple tower is very artistically built and the it gives a majestic look to the temple!
The temple has a seven-tiered gopuram (temple tower) and has concentric granite walls that enshrines all the shrines in the temple. The temple has a pillared hall from the entrance leading to the flagstaff hall.
An interesting feature of the temple is the location of the Gopuram and the engineering skill on the exact location of the Gopuram! The Gopuram faces west and as you walk from Western side of the Gopuram to Eastern side towards the temple, you get excellent breeze from the East on your face.
As you just come out of the eastern side of the Gopuram, there is stillness in the ambience and there is no breeze. Then, as you take a few more steps towards the temple (East), you get breeze from the West on your back!
The reason for this natural phenomenon is due to the surrounding hills! However, one realizes and appreciates the engineering skill of those who constructed the Gopuram .
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