Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Sivakozhundeeswarar	Ambal / Thayar:	Periyanayaki
Deity:	Siva	Historical name:	TirusatthimuTTram
Vriksham:	Vilvam	Teertham:	Kula Teertham, Surya Teertham
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	6 to 12 & 4 to 8	Parikaram:	Marriage
Temple group:	Paadal Petra Sthalam (Kaveri Then Karai)	–
Sung by:	, Appar	Temple set: Pazhaiyarai Pancha Krosha Sthalam
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Tirusakthi Muttram	District:	Thanjavur
Maps from (click):	Current location	Kumbakonam (7 km)	Thanjavur (34 km)
	Tiruvarur (43 km)	Mayiladuthurai (45 km)

Location

Sakthi Muttram is located adjacent to Patteeswaram, 7km southeast of Kumbakonam.

Sthala puranam and temple information

To prove that bakthi is the only way to obtain mukti, Lord Siva and Parvati enacted the following act. Parvati undertook penance at Sakthi Mutram near the Kaveri river bank, by standing on one leg. Even after many days and years the Lord did not appear as he wanted to test her. Ultimately the Lord appeared as a powerful jyoti. Realizing that it was the Lord himself, Parvati embraced the jyoti. Lord Siva was pleased. This was to demonstrate that whatever the problems among wedded couples, they can be resolved by mutual love and understanding. In front of the main shrine is a separate shrine for Parvati depicted doing penance standing on one leg and embracing the Lingam. Due to this, the place is called Sakthi Muttram.

When Sambandar came to worship at this temple, he was a very young boy. The Lord, through a vision granted to the priests of the temple, arranged for a pearl palanquin to be brought for Sambandar’s use. When Appar came to worship at this temple, he sought deeksha from the Lord, who asked him to go to nearby Nallur to receive deeksha. Arunagirinathar has sung about Murugan in his Tiruppugazh, at this temple.

The lord is Swambhu murti. The Natarajar and Sarabeswarar shrines here are considered important and powerful, and are hence worshipped with special fervour.

At the entrance to the temple, there is usually a shrine each for Vinayakar on the left and Murugan on the right. In those shrines, both of them are depicted as single. However at this temple, not only is the Vinayakar with his other half, it is Uchishta Ganapati (watch video about Uchishta Ganapati).

It is believed that praying to the lord here enables timely marriage and removes the misunderstanding between couples.

Its proximity to Pazhayarai may explain why this place was also called Rajarajapuram during the Chola times.

This temple is part of the Pazhayarai Pancha Krosha Sthalams, which is one out of four sets of Pancha Krosha Sthalams in Tamil Nadu. It is believed that visiting these six temples (Pazhayarai, Nallur, Tiruvalanchuzhi, Sakti Muttram, Patteeswaram and Avoor) along with this temple in a single day is be beneficial to devotees.

Other information for your visit

Kumbakonam is a temple town, and there are a number of temples in and around Kumbakonam. Please visit the pages on Kumbakonam, Near: Kumbakonam, and Near 25: Kumbakonam, for more information on these.

Kumbakonam and its outskirts have several accommodation options for all budgets, including some resorts.

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