Tirtha Atlas

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

1126 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
Early medieval · Hindu · India

Nathan Kovil (Thirunandhipura Vinnagaram)

Nathan Kovil, Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu · 10.9219°, 79.3722°

Jagannathan (Vishnu)CholaDravidianDivya Desam
Sacred since
700 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
8th c. origins; Chola & Nayak additions
Chola

History & significance

The Divya Desam of Thirunandhipura Vinnagaram near Kumbakonam, where Shiva's bull Nandi stands within the Vishnu sanctum - a rare joining of Shaiva and Vaishnava devotion. The Pallava king Nandivarman II is remembered as an ardent devotee.

Sthala katha — the legend

Nandi, cursed by Vishnu's gatekeepers for disrespect, is said to have won release through penance at this shrine.

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Related sites

Brihadisvara Temple
Thanjavur · India
1003–1010 CE
Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Gangaikonda Cholapuram · India
c. 1035 CE
Airavatesvara Temple
Darasuram, Kumbakonam · India
mid-12th c. CE
Ranganathaswamy Temple
Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli · India
built up 10th–17th c.; Rajagopuram 1987
Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
Chidambaram · India
core 10th c.; expanded to 13th c.
Arunachaleswarar Temple
Tiruvannamalai · India
9th-c. Chola core; 16th-c. gopurams

Sources

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