Kailasanathar Temple, Thingaloor, in Thingaloor in Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to Shiva, worshipped here as Kailasanathar, with consort Periyanayaki (Parvati). The temple's presiding Navagraha deity is Chandra (Soma), the Moon, whose black granite image, usually draped in white cloth, represents the Moon in the Navagraha circuit. It is also known as Chandiranaar Temple, Thingalur Chandran Temple.
As the Chandra Sthalam of the Navagraha circuit, this temple represents the Moon among the nine celestial bodies pilgrims visit in sequence around Kumbakonam. It is also known for the tradition of performing an infant's first rice-feeding ceremony (annaprasanam) here. According to legend, Chandra married the twenty-seven daughters of Daksha but favored Rohini above the others, prompting the neglected wives to complain to their father.
Tamil Nadu carries a distinct temple identity of its own: Land of towering gopurams and living Dravidian temple traditions, from the Chola masterpieces to the great Pancha Bhoota Sthalas.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 6:00 AM - 1:00 PM |
| Evening | 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM |
Wikipedia describes four daily ritual periods spread between roughly 6:00 AM and 8:30 PM; exact open/close times vary slightly by source, so confirming locally is advisable.
Poojas and daily rituals
Daily rituals plus weekly (somavaram, sukravaram), fortnightly (pradosham) and monthly (amavasai, kiruthigai, pournami, sathurthi) observances, per temple tradition documented on Wikipedia.
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Mahasivarathri | February/March | Major annual Shiva festival observed at the temple. |
| Margazhi Thiruvadirai | December/January | Festival especially significant here given the temple's Chandra (Moon) association; Thiruvadirai is linked to the lunar asterism Ardra. |
| Panguni Uthiram | March/April | One of the temple's four major annual festivals. |
| Thirukarthigai | November/December | One of the temple's four major annual festivals, marked with lamp lighting. |
History and architecture
Architecture
Dravidian style temple with a (recently rebuilt) three-tiered raja gopuram and a single prakaram (enclosure wall). The gopuram and main shrine face east, while the main entrance faces south. The temple tank is named Chandrapushkarani.
History
According to legend, Chandra married the twenty-seven daughters of Daksha but favored Rohini above the others, prompting the neglected wives to complain to their father. Daksha cursed Chandra, causing him to wane, and Chandra worshipped Shiva as Kailasanathar at this site to be freed of the curse. Shiva granted a boon that Chandra would wane for only half the month and regain his full brilliance in the other half. Thingaloor is also the birthplace of Appothi Adigal, one of the 63 Nayanmars and a devotee of the saint Thirunavukkarasar.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Distances to the nearest railway stations vary by source: Thanjavur Junction is cited at roughly 13-33 km and Kumbakonam Railway Station at roughly 18-34 km, so figures should be confirmed locally. Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) is the nearest airport, about 58-60 km away. The temple lies on the Kumbakonam-Thiruvaiyaru road and is reachable by bus, taxi or auto-rickshaw from Thanjavur or Kumbakonam.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. Core deity, legend and festival details are corroborated across Wikipedia and travel sources, but the exact built era (Chola-origin vs. later Nayak-era structure) and precise distances to the nearest railway station vary noticeably between sources.