Tirtha Atlas

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

1805 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
High medieval · Hindu · India

Gauthameswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

Kumbakonam, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu · 10.9549°, 79.3798°

Shiva as Gauthameswarar, with Soundara NayakiUndetermined
Sacred since
1000 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
dating unrecorded
Undetermined

History & significance

A Shiva temple on the eastern bank of the Mahamaham tank at Kumbakonam, one of the twelve Shiva shrines tied to the Mahamaham festival held there every twelve years. Its most recent kumbabhishekam was performed in September 2015.

Sthala katha — the legend

A thread from the primordial kumba is said to have fallen here and taken the form of a linga, and sage Gowthama worshipped it to expiate the killing of a cow.

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Thiruvelliyangudi · India
dating unrecorded
Sthalasayana Perumal Temple, Tirusirupuliyur
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Thirukkavalampadi
Thirunangur · India
dating unrecorded
Thiruarimeya Vinnagaram
Thirunangur · India
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Thiruvanpurushothamam
Thirunangur · India
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Perarulaalan Perumal Temple (Thirusemponsei Koil)
Thirunangur · India
dating unrecorded

Sources

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