01Kapala Theertham
The Brahmanda Purana tells how Shiva took one of Brahma’s five heads, and the skull stuck to his palm. He wandered as Bhikshatana. At Karambanur, Lakshmi filled his bowl with alms; here at Kandiyur he bathed in the Kamala Pushkarani and the skull fell away at last. So the Perumal is Hara Saba Vimochanar, remover of Hara’s curse, and the tank is called Kapala Moksha Pushkarani. Shiva in gratitude raised this temple and his own beside it. The temple katha adds that Maharshi Bhrigu, King Mahabali and Chandra each found release here, and the Mahabali Theertham lies opposite.
02The temple today
Thirumangai Alvar sings of Kandiyur in one pasuram. The temple is one of two in the Chola country where Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are honoured in one campus, the other being Uthamar Kovil; the Brahma and Saraswati shrines here have fallen into ruin over time. The Perumal stands facing east, reached through the Garuda and Maha mandapams. The second prakaram has shrines of Narasimha, Sudarshana, Andal, the Alvars and Vedanta Desika. The temple is also called Pancha Kamala Kshetram. The seer Thirukudanthai Vedanta Ramanuja Mahadesikan renovated it in 1984, and his successor Rangaramanuja Mahadesikan in 2003.
The life of this place
- Alvar periodThirumangai Alvar sings of Kandiyur.
- 1984Renovation under Thirukudanthai Vedanta Ramanuja Mahadesikan.
- 2003The gopuram and the shrines of Perumal and Thayar are renovated again.
On the Thanjavur–Thiruvaiyaru road, about 10 km from Thanjavur. Visit the Brahma Sira Kandeeswarar Shiva temple next door for the other half of the katha.
