Kailasanathar Temple (Chandran Temple)
திங்களூர் கைலாசநாதர் கோவில்
Lord Shiva · Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
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About the temple
Reconsidered as the primary Navagraha Sthalam dedicated to the Moon God (Chandran) Relieves Chandra Dosha, brings mental peace, clarity, and cures skin or psychological ailments
Temple information
- Darshan timings
- 06:00 – 21:00
- Best time to visit
- Early morning hours on mid-week non-festival days to experience a peaceful darshan atmosphere
Deity
Lord Shiva · ଶିବ (Shiva)ChandraLord MuruganLord Vinayaka (Ganesha)
- Deity form
- Shiva Lingam (Primary), Black Granite Standing Idol (Chandra)
- Religious tradition
- Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta & Vedic Astrology
- Sanskrit name
- श्री कैलाशनाथर मंदिर (तिंगलूर)
- Also known as
- Chandiranaar Temple, Thingalur Navagraha Sthalam
Darshan hours
- Monday
- 06:00 AM to 01:00 PM and 04:00 PM to 09:00 PM
- Tuesday
- 07:00 AM to 01:00 PM and 04:00 PM to 08:00 PM
- Wednesday
- 07:00 AM to 01:00 PM and 04:00 PM to 08:00 PM
- Thursday
- 07:00 AM to 01:00 PM and 04:00 PM to 08:00 PM
- Friday
- 07:00 AM to 01:00 PM and 04:00 PM to 08:30 PM
- Saturday
- 07:00 AM to 01:00 PM and 04:00 PM to 08:30 PM
- Sunday
- 07:00 AM to 01:00 PM and 04:00 PM to 08:30 PM
- Break timings
- 12:30PM -04:00PM
- Special days
- Open extended near continuous operating patterns on Maha Shivarathri, Thiruvadhirai, and Pradoshams
- Festival timings
- Temple remains open continuously from morning to night during Shivarathri
Aarti & rituals
- Morning aarti
- 07:30 AM
- Midday aarti
- 12:00 PM
- Evening aarti
- 5:30 PM
- Night aarti
- 8:15 PM
- Special aarti days
- Mondays and Pournami (Full Moon night) feature special decoration aartis
- Ritual schedule
- Four periodic daily ritual sessions conducted by local priests
- Pooja timings
- Standard public darshan and archana occur throughout operating hours
- Abhishek timings
- Special Chandran Abhishekam on Mondays at 06:00 AM and 09:00 AM
- Special poojas
- Chandra Parihara Pooja, Anna Prasanam (infant first feeding ritual)
- Online pooja booking
- Via portal
History & heritage
- Historical period
- Ancient
- Built by
- Built initially by Pallavas (Rajasimha Pallavan) and renovated by Cholas/Nayaks
- Architect / builder
- King Rajasimha Pallavan / Local Nayak Rulers
- Construction materials
- Traditional granite blocks, stone masonry, and lime mortar plastering
- Historical events
- Visited by Saivite Saint Tirunavukkarasar who revived Appoodi Adigal's son here
- Renovations
- Major structural renovations completed during the Chola era and 16th Century Nayak rule
- Archaeological importance
- Noted Vaipu Sthalam tracked by the state cultural archives
- Legends
- Lord Chandra prayed to Shiva here to escape Daksha's waning curse
- Inscriptions
- Mentions found in Peria Puranam and early medieval Tevaram texts
Architecture
- Architectural style
- Dravidian
- Architectural period
- Medieval South Indian
- Structure
- Traditional enclosed Prakaram temple complex with walled precincts
- Floors
- 1
- Gopuram
- Features a prominent three-tiered painted Rajagopuram at the east entrance
- Mandapa
- Small open-pillared gathering hall leading directly to the main sanctum
- Sculptural features
- Fine stone reliefs depicting Shiva, Parvati, and the Navagrahas
- Artistic elements
- Beautifully painted icons and shrines representing celestial alignments
- Construction technique
- Interlocking stone block framework traditional to Tamil Nadu temples
- Unique features
- Moonlight falls directly on the Shiva Lingam during specific days in Sep-Oct and Mar-Apr
Festivals & events
- Festival calendar
- Follows the traditional Tamil solar-lunar calendar system
- Special celebration days
- Every Monday (Somavaram) and monthly Full Moon (Pournami) nights
- Cultural events
- Devotional classical music and thematic spiritual discourses during Shivarathri
- Annual events
- Annual transit festivals of the Navagrahas and local saint guru poojas
- Peak crowd season
- Highly crowded during the winter wedding season and Navagraha transit periods
Visitor information
- ✓ Parking
- ✓ Restrooms
- ✓ Drinking water
- ✓ Shoe keeping
- ✓ Prasadam counter
- ✓ Annadanam
- Dress code
- Traditional
- Best time to visit
- Early morning hours on mid-week non-festival days to experience a peaceful darshan atmosphere
- Parking capacity
- 30-40 vehicles
- Parking fees
- Approx. 20-50 INR
- Donation counters
- Yes
- Donation methods
- Cash, UPI, Bank Transfer
- Prasadam
- Raw rice cooked with jaggery (Sarkkarai Pongal) is the primary offering to Moon God