Spiritual

Navagraha temples around Kumbakonam

கும்பகோணத்தைச் சுற்றியுள்ள நவக்கிரகக் கோவில்கள்

The nine planet temples of the Kaveri delta in three unhurried days from a Kumbakonam base.

Duration: 3 days · 2 nights
Start → end: Kumbakonam → Kumbakonam
Pace: Active pace
Best season: October to March; temples close for a few hours around midday

Nine temples in the Kaveri delta, each linked to one of the nine celestial bodies (Navagraha) of Hindu astrology, lie within about 60 km of Kumbakonam, and visiting all nine is a long-standing pilgrimage. Most are Shiva temples with a revered shrine for their planet; Suryanar Kovil is dedicated to the Sun himself. Payanam does not yet have pages for these nine temples, so they appear here as plain stops with their positions; the Kumbakonam temple-town walk, the coffee class, the Adi Kumbeswarar temple and the ancient port of Poompuhar along the way are Payanam listings. Thirunallar is in Karaikal, a district of Puducherry.

நாள்வாரியாக

Day by day

About 305 km of travel in all

Day 1
Rahu, Surya and Sukra
- Experience · 06:30
  Kumbakonam Temple Town & Mahamaham Tank Walk
  Kumbakonam
  ₹1,400 per person
- Kumbakonam → Thirunageswaram · ~6 km · ~15 min by road
- Stop · 11:00
  Thirunageswaram
  Naganathar temple, revered for Rahu.
  Not on Payanam yet
- Thirunageswaram → Suryanar Kovil · ~12 km · ~25 min by road
- Stop · 16:00
  Suryanar Kovil
  The temple of the Sun (Surya), with shrines for all nine planets.
  Not on Payanam yet
- Suryanar Kovil → Kanjanur · ~5 km · ~10 min by road
- Stop · 17:00
  Kanjanur
  Agniswarar temple, revered for Sukra (Venus).
  Not on Payanam yet
- Kanjanur → Kumbakonam · ~20 km · ~35 min by road
- Visit · 19:00
  Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam
  Kumbakonam
☾ Overnight: Kumbakonam
Day 2
Guru and Chandra
- Experience · 07:30
  Kumbakonam Degree Coffee & Podi Masterclass
  Kumbakonam
  ₹1,400 per person
- Kumbakonam → Alangudi · ~18 km · ~35 min by road
- Stop · 11:30
  Alangudi
  Apatsahayesvarar temple, revered for Guru (Jupiter); Thursdays are busiest.
  Not on Payanam yet
- Alangudi → Thingalur · ~40 km · ~1 h by road
- Stop · 16:30
  Thingalur
  Kailasanathar temple near Thiruvaiyaru, revered for Chandra (the Moon).
  Not on Payanam yet
- Thingalur → Kumbakonam · ~36 km · ~50 min by road
☾ Overnight: Kumbakonam
Day 3
Angaraka, Budha, Ketu and Sani
- Kumbakonam → Vaitheeswaran Koil · ~52 km · ~1 h 15 min by road
- Stop · 07:30
  Vaitheeswaran Koil
  Vaidyanatha Swamy temple, revered for Angaraka (Mars).
  Not on Payanam yet
- Vaitheeswaran Koil → Thiruvenkadu · ~15 km · ~25 min by road
- Stop · 09:00
  Thiruvenkadu
  Swetharanyeswarar temple, revered for Budha (Mercury).
  Not on Payanam yet
- Thiruvenkadu → Keezhaperumpallam · ~7 km · ~15 min by road
- Stop · 10:15
  Keezhaperumpallam
  Naganathaswamy temple, revered for Ketu.
  Not on Payanam yet
- Keezhaperumpallam → Poompuhar · ~4 km · ~10 min by road
- Visit · 11:00
  Poompuhar Archaeological Site
  Poompuhar
  The ancient Chola port of Kaveripoompattinam, a few minutes away.
  entry ₹10
- Poompuhar → Thirunallar · ~35 km · ~50 min by road
- Stop · 16:30
  Thirunallar
  Dharbaranyeswarar temple in Karaikal (Puducherry), revered for Sani (Saturn); Saturdays are very crowded.
  Not on Payanam yet
- Thirunallar → Kumbakonam · ~55 km · ~1 h 15 min by road