Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

2271 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
High medieval · Hindu · India

Banapuriswarar Temple

Kumbakonam, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu · 10.9647°, 79.3817°

Shiva as Banapuriswarar, with the goddess SomakamalambalUndetermined
Sacred since
1000 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
dating unrecorded
Undetermined

History & significance

A Shiva temple in Kumbakonam whose name and myth tie it to the story of the town's origin as the place where the pot of amrita came to rest. Shiva is worshipped here as Banapuriswarar alongside the goddess Somakamalambal.

Sthala katha — the legend

The legend holds that this was the spot from which Shiva took aim with his bow and arrow at the floating pot of amrita.

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Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Undetermined