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Temple tanks, traditionally known as '''“Theerthams,” “Pushkarnis,” or “Kulams”''', are sacred water bodies associated with Hindu temples across India. These tanks not only serve as sources of water for ritual purification and ceremonies but also reflect the architectural grandeur and spiritual ethos of temple culture, especially in South India. Tamil Nadu is home to some of the largest and oldest temple tanks in the country, often serving as venues for important temple festivals like [[Theppotsavam|Theppam (Float Festival)]]. These tanks are constructed with precise geometry and aligned with temple architecture, symbolizing the cosmic ocean in which divinity resides.

Among these, the Haridra Nadhi at [[Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi|Sri Vidhya Rajagopalaswamy Temple]], [[Mannargudi]], is considered the largest temple tank in India, spanning 23 acres, and is often referred to as the “Daughter of the Kaveri River.” Other notable tanks include [[Madurai]] Teppakulam, Kamalalayam in [[Thiruvarur|Tiruvarur]], and Mahamaham Tank in Kumbakonam, each with its unique historical, architectural, and ritualistic significance.

The following is a list of the largest temple tanks in India, organized by area:

==List of large Temple tanks==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! scope="col" | Rank
! scope="col" | Name
! scope="col" | Image
! scope="col" | Area<br />acres
! scope="col" | Area<br />hectare
! scope="col" | Location
! scope="col" | Notes
|-
|1
|[[Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi|Haridra Nadhi]]
|[[File:Mannarkudi Theerthavari & Dwadasa Aradhanam 040.jpg|178px|center]]
|{{convert|23|acre|ha|disp=tablecen}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.magzter.com/articles/4560/203376/587fcee71d839|title=Magnificence That Is Spellbinding|website=www.magzter.com}}</ref>
|[[Mannargudi]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
|The [[Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi|Rajagopalaswamy temple]] is a [[Vaishnavite]] shrine located in the town of [[Mannargudi]], [[India]].The temple is classified first among the 108 [[Abhimana Kshethram]]s of the [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavate tradition]] The Haridra Nadhi tank at the entrance of the shrine where rain water is collected. The temple complex, comprising 16 ''[[gopuram]]s'', 7 ''[[prakarams]]''(outer courtyard), 24 shrines, seven ''[[mandap]]ams'' and nine sacred ''[[theertham]]s'' was the work was constructed by [[Kulothunga Chola I]] and later, renovated by the [[Later Cholas]] and the [[Thanjavur Nayaks]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Tourist Guide to Tamil Nadu|date=2010 |publisher=Sura Books|pages=64|isbn=978-81-7478-177-2}}</ref> and This is the First Largest Temple Tank in Tamil Nadu as well as [[India]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.magzter.com/articles/4560/203376/587fcee71d839|title=Magnificence That Is Spellbinding|website=www.magzter.com}}</ref> The area of the temple tank is 23 acres (93,000 m<sup>2</sup>). It is also called Daughter of Kaveri river.
|-
|2
|[[Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam|Madurai Teppakulam]]
|[[File:0 Madurai Teppakulam illuminated.jpg|150px|center]]
|{{convert|16.2|acre|ha|disp=tablecen}}
|[[Madurai]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
|This is the location where the king Thirumalai Naicker excavated the soil to fabricate the bricks required for constructing his palace, Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal. The pit that was thus formed is seen as tank now.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.madurai.tn.nic.in/tourism.html |title=Important Tourist Places in Madurai |access-date=2014-07-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422144749/http://www.madurai.tn.nic.in/tourism.html |archive-date=2012-04-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|3
||[[Kamalalayam Temple Tank]]
|[[File:Tiruvarur temple, tank, car.jpg|150px|center]]
|{{convert|16|acre|ha|disp=tablecen}}
|[[Tiruvarur]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
|The ancient Sri Thyagaraja temple at [[Tiruvarur]] is dedicated to the [[Somaskanda]] aspect of [[Shiva]]. The Kamalalayam temple tank covers around 16 acres is one of the largest in the country. The [[Temple car|temple chariot]] is the largest of its kind in Tamil Nadu.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tamilnadutourism.org/places/citiestowns/Thiruvarur.aspx?CatId=C1&SubCat1Id=C1S1&SubCat2Id=C1S1S19 |title=Thiruvarur at Tamil Nadu tourism website|accessdate=2006-11-11}}</ref>
|-
|4
|[[Veeraraghava Swamy Temple, Tiruvallur|Hritayathabhanasini Pushkarini]]
|[[File:Tiruvallur HD Image.jpg|150px|centre]]
|{{convert|7.35|acre|ha|disp=tablecen}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/150531/nation-current-affairs/article/consecration-tiruvallur-temple-after-17-years | title=Consecration of Tiruvallur temple after 17 years | date=31 May 2015 }}</ref>
|[[Tiruvallur]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
|The presiding deity Veeraraghava Perumal is believed to cure diseases of his devotees after taking bath in this ''Pushkarini'' and hence he is called "Vaithiya Veeraraghavan". Legend is that Lord [[Shiva]] got rid of his ''Brahmahathi Dosha'' (for killing [[Daksha]]) after worshipping [[Vishnu|Maha Vishnu Paramathma]] in this place. There is a small shrine for [[Shiva]] next to the temple tank.<ref>{{cite book|title=Spiritual India Handbook|last=Knapp|first=Stephen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=djI5mL2qeocC&q=tiruvallur+temple&pg=PT300|isbn=9788184950243|page=300|year=2000|publisher=Jaico Publishing House}}</ref> Lord Shiva took Bath in this temple tank called as Hritayathabhanasini which is located to the West of the temple and is believed to have medicinal effects.<ref name=Ramesh>{{cite book|title=108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams volume one Divyadesams in Tondai Nadu|first=M.S.|last=Ramesh|location=Tirpuati|year=1993|publisher=Tirupati Tirumala Devastanams|pages=131–5}}</ref> There is an ornate four pillared black stone hall called ''Vellikilamai mandapam'' where the festival image of the presiding deities are displayed every Friday.<ref name=A>{{cite book|title=Temples of South India|first=Ambujam |last=Anantharaman|pages=17–9|publisher=East West Books (Madras)|year=2006|isbn=978-81-88661-42-8}}</ref>
|-
|5
|[[Kapaleeshwarar Temple|Kapaleswarar Temple Tank]]
|[[File:Kapaleeswarar1.jpg|150px|center]]
|{{convert|6|acre|ha|disp=tablecen}}
|[[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
| |Kapaleeshwarar Temple ({{Langx|ta|கபாலீஸ்வரர் கோவில்}}) is temple of [[Shiva]] ({{Langx|ta|சிவா|links=no}}), located in [[Mylapore]], which is in the [[India]]n state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. The temple is of typical [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian architectural]] style, with the ''[[gopuram]]'' overpowering the street on which the temple sits. This temple is also a testimonial for the ''[[vishwakarmas]] sthapathis''. There are two entrances to the temple marked by the ''gopuram'' on either side. The east ''gopuram'' is about 40 m high, while the smaller western gopuram faces the sacred [[tank]].<ref name="Festival" />
|-
|6
|[[Mahamaham tank, Kumbakonam]]
|[[File:Masimagam1.jpg|150px|center]]
|{{convert|6.2|acre|ha|disp=tablecen}}
|[[Kumbakonam]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
|The Tank is located in the heart of [[Kumbakonam]] town. This tank covers an area of 6.2 acres and is not a perfect rectangle. The tank is Surrounded by 16 small [[Mandapam]]s and a "Nava Kannika Temple"(Nine rivers) in the Eastern Side. All the rivers of India are said to meet at the tank on [[Mahamaham]] festival day that happens once in 12 years. A purificatory bath at this tank on the day is considered equal to the combined dips in all the holy rivers of [[India]].<ref name="Festival">History, Religion and Culture of India, S. Gajrani</ref>
|-
|7
|[[Teppakulam|Trichy Teppakulam]]
|[[File:Trichy01.JPG|150px|center]]
|{{convert|5|acre|ha|disp=tablecen}}
|[[Trichy]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
|Teppakulam ({{langx|ta|தெப்பக்குளம்}}) is a locality situated almost at the centre of the Indian city of [[Tiruchirappalli]]. The historic [[Tiruchirapalli Rock Fort|Rockfort]] is situated nearby. The Rock Fort temple stands 83m tall perched atop the rock. The smooth rock was first cut by the Pallavas but it was the [[Nayaks of Madurai]] who completed both the temples under the [[Vijayanagara empire]].<ref name="India">India By Sarina Singh, Joe Bindloss, Paul Clammer, Janine Eberle</ref>
|-
|8
|[[Neelamegha Perumal temple|Tirukkanapuram Temple Tank]]
|[[File:Tirukannapuram10.JPG|150px|centre]]
|{{convert|4.5|acre|ha|disp=tablecen}}
|Tirukannapuram, [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]<nowiki>|</nowiki>
|The temple tank is right in front of Neela Megha Perumal Temple or Sowriraja Perumal Temple, a [[Hindu]] temple dedicated to [[Lord Vishnu]] located Tirukannapuram, [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]] on the [[Kumbakonam]]-[[Tiruvarur]] highway. It is one of the "[[Divya Desams]]", the 108 temples of [[Vishnu]] revered by the 12 poet saints, or [[Alwars]].<ref>''108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams: Divya desams in Pandya Nadu''
''. M. S. Ramesh, Tirumalai-Tirupati Devasthanam.''</ref>
|}

==See also==
* [[List of large Hindu temples]]
* [[List of tallest Gopurams]]
* [[List of human stampedes in Hindu temples]]
* [[Lists of Hindu temples]]

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Hinduism (compact)}}

{{Worship in Hinduism}}
{{Hindu holy cities}}
{{Hindudharma}}
{{Religion-related lists of superlative buildings}}
{{Structural extremes}}

[[Category:Hindu pilgrimage sites| ]]
[[Category:Hinduism-related lists]]
[[Category:Lists of Hindu temples in India|*]]
[[Category:Temple tanks in India|*]]
[[Category:Lists of Hindu buildings and structures]]
[[Category:Lists of religious buildings and structures in India]]

List of largest temple tanks - Revision history

AnkuMalik: Made first place more to come