Sri Kasi Viswanathar Temple, Orathanadu / Orathanad, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu

15^th May 2019.

Utilizing the opportunity to attend a marriage near Orathanadu, Visited this Shiva Temple. Local people will easily guide us if we ask for the Sri Visalakshi temple rather than the Shiva Temple.

Moolavar  : Sri Kasi Viswanathar

Consort    : Sri Visalakshi

Some of the important features of this temple are….

The temple faces east with a 5-tier Rajagopuram on the east and south. There is a second-level 3-tier Rajagopuram for the Shiva Temple. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Rishabam are in front of the 2nd-level Rajagopuram. In Koshtam Ganapathy, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Durgai.

In the outer praharam sannadhi for Mahaganapathy, Ayyanar as Iyappan, Shanmuganatha Swamy, Lingas, Gajalakshmi, Chokkanathar & Meenakshi, Saraswathi, Navagrahas, Suryan, Saneeswaran, Natarajar, Kala Bhairava, Naalvar, and Sekkizhar.

Ambal Sri Visalakshi is in a separate temple with Dwajasthambam, balipeedam, and Rishabam. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum antarala, artha mandapam, and an open mukha mandapa. Amman is in a standing posture with abhaya varada hastam.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of a sanctum, antarala, and artha mandapam. All the mandapams are of Vavval nethi mandapam style. Sanctum is a little on an elevated level. 

The sanctum sanctorum is on a kapota bandha upanam, and adhistanam, with jagathy, vrudha kumudam, and pattikai. The koshtas are with padma bandha adhistanam, with padma jagathy, vrudha kumudam, and pattikai. The bhitti starts with vedikai. The plasters are with square bases: vrudha style with kalasam, kudam, lotus petals mandi, palakai, veera kandam, and poomottu pothyal. Prastaram consists of valapi, kapotam with nasi kudus and vyyalavari. The vimanam above the bhumi desam is one tala, greevam, and vesara sigaram. Shiva Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are in the tala and greeva koshtams.  

The pillars and mandapam are built with brick and lime mortar. The mandapam roof is of Vavval nethi type (similar to a bat's head)

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple was built by the Maratha King Saraboji-II (24th Sep 1777 to 7th March 1832), in memory of the king who went to Kashi.  

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open from 08.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs, and from 16.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

HOW TO REACH:

This temple is about a km from the Orathanadu Bus stop (Anna Statue).

Orathanadu is about 20 km from Thanjavur.

All the buses from Thanjavur to Pattukottai that pass through Orathanadu will stop at the Bus stop.

The nearest Railway Station is Thanjavur. 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---