- Overview
- Legend
- History and layout
- What the official listings say
- About this page
- Festivals
- Photos
- Timings
- Questions
- Sources
Overview
Karchapeswarar Temple, also written Kachabeswarar or Kacchapeswarar, is a Hindu temple of Shiva in the town of Kanchipuram. Wikipedia lists it among the Vaippu Sthalams, temples that the Nayanar saint Appar mentions in passing in his Kaccippalathali verses. It is listed there with the Kailayam, Kayokaranam and other Kanchipuram temples.[2]
The temple is described as adjacent to the Kanthakottam (Kumarakottam) temple, so a visit can be combined with the Murugan temple on the same stretch of the city.[2]
Legend
By popular folklore, Vishnu is believed to have worshipped Shiva here in the form of a kurma, a tortoise,, and the name Kachabeswarar is linked to this story. Wikipedia adds that some inscriptions call the place Kachipedu. A web article adds that the site is said to be where Vishnu prayed to Shiva in tortoise form.[2][3]
History and layout
Wikipedia says the temple was constructed by the Pallavas and renovated by the Vijayanagar kings. A 2021 article in the Yocee magazine gives a different account, saying the main structure is believed to be from the Chola period and the present masonry from the Nayaks in the 16th century. The two accounts are listed side by side.being verified[2][3]
The same article says the complex covers two acres and that the temple tank sits diagonally outside the main gateway. The temple is also described as a quiet place where young people from across Kanchipuram district come to study for exams, usually from around 4 PM until sunset.[3]
What the official listings say
The temple's HR&CE page says Kachabeshwarar Temple, known as Kacha Pesam, stands on the main road in Kanchipuram, and that the seven-storied rajagopuram to the north has two Shivalayas inside the same wall. It says the temple is sung of in the grammar of Dandiyalangaram, composed in Tamil in the seventh century, and calls it a place of sun worship.[1]
It adds that a festival called Kaadanairu is held on every Sunday of the Tamil month of Karthikai, and records a belief that lighting a "skull lamp" (the wording on the page) at the temple and walking around it cures headaches and ear ailments. This is a belief stated by the page, not an established fact.[1]
About this page
The sources found for this temple are still short: an official HR&CE listing, a Wikipedia stub and one magazine article. VZEAL does not add details it cannot trace to a source, so this page is shorter than the others. If you have a reliable source, such as a Tevaram reference, an inscription report or the temple's own information, please send it with the correction link below.[1][2][3]
Festivals
Photos
Timings
- Morning 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM, evening 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM (official HR&CE listing) — HR&CE, Government of Tamil Nadu [1]
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called Kachabeswarar?
Folklore says Vishnu worshipped Shiva here in the form of a tortoise (kurma).[2][3]
Is it a Tevaram temple?
It is listed as a Vaippu Sthalam, a temple mentioned by Appar in passing, rather than a Paadal Petra Sthalam.[2]
Who built it?
Sources differ: the Pallavas with later Vijayanagar renovation, or the Cholas with present masonry from the 16th-century Nayaks. This is being verified.[2][3]
Where is the temple?
In Kanchipuram, next to the Kumarakottam (Kanthakottam) temple.[2]
What are the Kachabeswarar Temple timings?
The official HR&CE listing gives 6:00 AM to 12:00 noon and 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM.[1]
Sources
- Arulmigu Katchabeswarar Temple, Annai Indra Gandhi Salai, Kancheepuram [TM001660] — HR&CE, Government of Tamil NaduOfficial (HR&CE) · accessed 2026-11-01
- Karchapeswarar Temple — WikipediaEncyclopedia (secondary) · accessed 2026-11-01
- Kacchapeswarar temple Kanchipuram — YOCeeNews/feature article (secondary) · accessed 2026-11-01
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