https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Chakrapani_TempleChakrapani Temple - Revision history2026-10-25T01:58:09ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chakrapani_Temple&diff=493172&oldid=prevDavidwez: added new place.2026-01-24T03:31:01Z<p>added new place.</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{for|Temple in Kerala|Sree Chakrapani Temple, Thrikaripur}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}<br />
{{Infobox Mandir<br />
| name = Chakrapani Temple<br />
| image =Chakrapani Temple, Kumbakonam.JPG<br />
| alt = A Vishnu temple located in Kumbakonam town<br />
| caption = Chakrapani Temple, Kumbakonam<br />
| country = [[India]]<br />
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]<br />
| district = [[Thanjavur]]<br />
| location = [[Kumbakonam]]<br />
| elevation_m = <br />
| deity = Chakrapani([[Vishnu]] )<br />[[Ashtalakshmi|Vijayalakshmi Thayar]]<br />
| festivals= <br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Chakrapani Temple''' is a [[Hindu temple]] dedicated to [[God Vishnu]] located in [[Kumbakonam]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. This temple is located 2&nbsp;km, away towards North West from the Kumbakonam Railway Station. Vishnu appears in the form of a discus or ''[[Sudarshana Chakra|Chakra]]'' to put down the pride of ''[[Surya]]'' (the Sun), who subsequently became his devotee.<ref>[[#Ayyar|Ayyar 1991]], p. 325</ref> Like Shiva, Lord Chakrapani has a third eye on His forehead.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} The temple is one of the prominent Vishnu temples in [[Kumbakonam]].<ref name="Diwakar">{{cite book |last=Diwakar |first=Macherla |title=Temples of South India |publisher=Techno Book House |year=2011 |isbn=978-93-83440-34-4 |edition=1st |location=Chennai |page=138}}</ref><ref name="Ram">{{cite book |last=Harshananda |first=Swami |title=Hindu Pilgrim centres |publisher=Ramakrishna Math |year=2012 |isbn=978-81-7907-053-6 |edition=2nd |location=Bangalore, India |pages=76}}</ref><br />
<br />
==Legend==<br />
[[File:Chakra ayudhapurusha.jpg|Chakrayuda Purusha, the image of the deity|thumb|200px|left]]<br />
As per Hindu legend, ''[[Chakra]]'' (also called Sudarshana), the discus, is the most powerful weapon of god [[Vishnu]]. He once sent his weapon to nether world to kill king Jalandasura. The weapon is believed to have come out of the nether world through river [[Kaveri]]. God [[Brahma]], who was taking bath in the river, got impressed and installed the image of Sudarshana in the place where the temple is now located. [[Surya]], the Sun god, who was glowing in brilliance, had his brightness diminished by the effulgent Sudarshana. Surya worshipped Sudarshana and pleased by his devotion, Sudarshana restored all the powers of Surya.<ref name=M1>[[#Madhavan|Madhavan 2007]], pp. 98-100</ref> Vishnu attained the name Chakrapani from then on.<ref>{{cite book|title=India through the ages|url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada|last=Gopal|first=Madan|year= 1990| page= [https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/81 81]|editor=K.S. Gautam|publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India}}</ref> Surya wanted the town to be named after him and pleased by his devotion, Chakrapani named the city as Bhaskara Kshetra.<ref name=M1/> It is believed that Surya worshiped Chakrathazhwar during Masi Magam and every year Masi Magam festival is celebrated during the day, commemorating the event. The temple car is drawn around the streets of the temple during the day.<ref>{{cite news|title=The 12-year wait for a dip|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/the-legend-behind-the-mahamagham-festival/article8253049.ece|work=The Hindu|date=18 February 2016|access-date=2 October 2016|last=S.|first=Prabhu}}</ref><br />
<br />
As per another legend, during the great deluge, the pot of nectar came down swirling. The pot of nectar fell down into different pieces as Shiva shot his arrow at the pot. The nectar is believed to have relieved lives in the planet. As per Sarma Sastrigal, the various places where the nectar spilled are [[Kumbeswara Temple]], [[Sarangapani Temple]], Chakrapani Temple, [[Nageswaran Temple, Kumbakonam|Nageswaran Temple]], [[Someswaran Temple]], [[Abhimukeswarar Temple]], [[Kasi Viswanathar Temple, Kumbakonam]], [[Kambatta Viswanathar Temple, Kumbakonam|Kambatta Viswanathar]], [[Gauthameswarar Temple, Kumbakonam|Gauthameswarar Temple]], [[Banapuriswarar Temple]], [[Varahaperumal Temple, Kumbakonam|Varaha Perumal temple]], Lakshminarayana and Varadaraja.<ref>{{cite news|title=Celestial congregation|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/the-spiritual-aspects-of-the-mahamagham-festival/article8253034.ece|work=The Hindu|date=18 February 2016|access-date=2 October 2016}}</ref><br />
<br />
==History==<br />
The origins of the Chakrapani temple are obscure due to the lack of sufficient inscriptional evidence. However, based on the temple's architecture and motifs, scholars believe it to have been built in the 15th century under [[Nayaka dynasties|Nayaka]] rule. The temple was one of the three significant Vaishnava temples in Kumbakonam that received patronage during the Nayaka era, the others being the [[Ramaswamy Temple]] and the [[Sarangapani Temple]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Champakalakshmi |first=R. |date=1978 |title=Growth of Urban Centres in South India: Kudamukkupalaiyarai, the Twin City of the Colas |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44139350 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=39 |pages=172 |jstor=44139350 |issn=2249-1937}}</ref> A religious head began to handle the temple's administrative affairs in the 16th century.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Nanda |first=Vivek |date=2012-12-08 |title=Kumbakonam: the ritual topography of a sacred and royal city of South India |url=https://journals.uclpress.co.uk/ai/article/id/313/ |journal=Archaeology International |language= |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=45–46 |doi=10.5334/ai.0314 |doi-access=free |issn=2048-4194}}</ref> In 1620, when [[Govinda Dikshitar]], divan-administrator for the [[Nayak dynasty|Nayaks]], constructed the Ramaswamy Temple, he added a commercial corridor between the new temple and the older Chakrapani temple.<ref>''Diaspora of the gods: modern Hindu temples in an urban middle-class world ''.P.246. Joanne Punzo Waghorne</ref><br />
<br />
==Architecture==<br />
The temple has granite walls enclosing all the shrines and pierced by a five-tiered ''raja[[gopuram]]'', the gateway tower. The temple is noted for its exquisite pillars. The presiding deity, Chakrapani is sported with eight arms, each having a weapon and is housed in the central shrine in an elevated structure. Chakrapani is sported with a third eye on his forehead. The Eastern and Western entrances of this temple are known as "Thatchinaya Vayil" and "Utharavana Vayil" respectively and outer Prakara of this temple is made in the form of balcony. There is a bronze image of king [[Serfoji II]] worshipping the lord as he is said to have been cured an illness by the grace of this God. A ''panchamukha'' (five-faced) [[Hanuman]] is erected in the ''[[prakaram]]'' (outer precincts of the temple).<ref>''Tourist Guide to Tamil Nadu''. P.70</ref> Agampara Vinayakar, Panchamuga Aancheneyar and Vijayavalli are the important idols located in this temple.<br />
<br />
==Festivals and religious practices==<br />
The temple is counted as one of the temples built on the banks of [[River Kaveri]].<ref name=Ka>{{cite book|title=River cauvery the most battl(r)ed|last=Ka. Vi.|first=Kannan|page=34|publisher=Notion Press|year=2019|isbn=9781684666041|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4CGFDwAAQBAJ&q=thiruvavaduthurai}}</ref> ''Chakra Padithurai'' is a famous ghat in [[Kumbakonam]] parallel to the shrine of the temple situated across the river [[Cauvery]]. ''Neivethanam'' (sacred offering) performed every day for the deity is dependent on the smoke emanating from the burning of corpses from the ghat. It is pertinent to an ideology that God performs the ''chakra'' (cycle) of life and death. The important and peculiar point about this temple is that Vilva (Bilwa) archana which is normally performed in Shiva temples is also performed here for the Perumal.<br />
<br />
Five Vishnu temples are connected with [[Mahamaham]] festival which happens once in 12 years in Kumbakonam.<ref name="hrace">Mahamaham Festival 2004 (in [[Tamil language|Tamil]]), Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Administration Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, 2004</ref> They are:<br />
*[[Sarangapani Temple]], <br />
*Chakrapani Temple, <br />
*[[Ramaswamy Temple, Kumbakonam|Ramaswamy Temple]], <br />
*[[Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Kumbakonam|Rajagopalaswamy Temple]], and <br />
*[[Varahaperumal Temple, Kumbakonam|Varahaperumal Temple]]. <br />
This temple, one among them, is situated in the north of Big Street.<br />
<br />
The Mahasamprokshanam also known as Kumbabishegam of the temple was held on 8 November 2015.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kumbabhishekam performed|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/kumbabhishekam-performed/article7859889.ece|work=The Hindu|date=9 November 2015|access-date=10 November 2015}}</ref><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Mahamaham tank, Kumbakonam]]<br />
* [[Hindu temples of Kumbakonam]]<br />
<br />
==Notes==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{refbegin|2}}<br />
* {{cite book|title=Vishnu Temples of South India Volume 1 (Tamil Nadu)|first=Chithra|publisher=Chithra Madhavan|last=Madhavan|isbn=978-81-908445-0-5|year=2007}}<br />
* {{cite book | title=Illustrated Guide to the South Indian Railway (Incorporated in England): Including the Tanjore District Board, Pondicherry, Peralam-Karaikkal, Travancore State, Cochin State, Coimbatore District Board, Tinnevelly-Tiruchendur, and the Nilgiri Railways| year=1926| publisher=South Indian Railway Company| location=Madras|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SzWvq8EYBwUC&q=sarangapani+temple&pg=PP19| isbn=9788120618893}}<br />
*{{cite book |last=Ayyar |first=P. V. Jagadisa |title=South Indian shrines: illustrated |year=1991 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-206-0151-3|ref=Ayyar}}<br />
{{refend}}<br />
<br />
== Photogallery ==<br />
<gallery><br />
File:Chakrapani3.jpg |<br />
File:Chakrapani5.jpg |<br />
File:Chakrapani6.jpg |<br />
File:Chakrapani8.jpg |<br />
File:Chakrapani9.jpg |<br />
File:Chakrapani14.jpg |<br />
File:Chakrapani13.jpg |<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
{{Famous Vishnu temples}}<br />
{{Hindu temples in Thanjavur District}}<br />
<br />
{{coord|10.963351| 79.373170|display=title}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Hindu temples in Kumbakonam]]<br />
[[Category:Abhimana temples of Vishnu]]</div>Davidwez