Swaminatha Swamy Temple

Swaminatha Swamy Temple
Swaminatha Swamy Temple
	View of the entrance
Religion
Affiliation	Hinduism
District	Thanjavur
Deity	Swaminatha(Kartikeya)
Location
Location	Swamimalai
State	Tamil Nadu
Country	India
	Location in Tamil Nadu, India
Geographic coordinates	10°57′25″N 79°19′33″E / 10.956844°N 79.325776°E
Architecture
Type	Tamil
Creator	Parantaka Chola I

The Swaminatha Swamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to god Murugan. It is located in Swamimalai, 5 km from Kumbakonam, on the banks of a tributary of river Kaveri in Thanjavur District, 290 km from Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is fourth abode of Murugan among six (Arupadaiveedugal). The shrine of the presiding deity, Swaminathaswamy is located atop a 60 ft (18 m) hillock and the shrine of his mother Meenakshi (Parvati) and father Shiva (Sundareswarar) is located downhill. The temple has three gopuram (gateway towers), three precincts and sixty steps and each one is named after the sixty Tamil years. The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and three yearly festivals on its calendar. The annual Vaikasi Visagam festival is attended by thousands of devotees from far and near.

As per Hindu legend, Murugan, the son of Shiva, extolled the meaning of the Pranava Mantra (AUM) to his father at this place and hence attained the name Swaminathaswamy. The temple is believed to be in existence from the Sangam period from 2nd century BC and was believed to have been modified and rebuilt by Parantaka Chola I. The temple was greatly damaged during the Anglo-French war between Hyder Ali and British in 1740. The temple, in modern times, is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu.The Kandhanathaswamy thirukovil in eraharam is connected to the history of this temple