Sri Gajendra Varadha Perumal Temple , Thirukkavithalam (Kabisthalam)
✓
📍 Thirukkavithalam (Kabisthalam), Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
National SignificanceThe 10th Divya Desam at Kabisthalam is the hallowed site of Gajendra Moksham, where Lord Vishnu rushed on Garuda to answer the elephant king's desperate cry of "Aadhimoolame!" and bestowed eternal liberation.
🕒 Practical Information
🕉️ Spiritual Details
Sri Gajendra Varadha Perumal (Bhujanga Sayanam)
Moolavar: Sri Gajendra Varadhan (Kidantha Kolam / Reclining on Adisesha facing East); Utsavar: Gajendra Varadhan mounted on Garuda; Thayar: Ramamani Valli (Potramaraial) Thayar; Vimanam: Gaganakruthi Vimanam; Theertham: Gajendra Pushkarini, Kapila Theertham; Pratyaksham: Gajendra the elephant king, Sage Anjaneya, Sage Parasara.
🕉️ Divine Snapshot
Sri Gajendra Varadha Perumal (Bhujanga Sayanam)
Kumbakonam - Thiruvaiyaru Main Road (SH-22), Mela Post, Papanasam Taluk, Thirukkavithalam (Kabisthalam), Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu 614203, India
Spiritual Highlights
UNVERIFIED
UNVERIFIED
Offering lotus blooms to Ramamani Valli Thayar and attending the Gajendra Moksham enactment.
UNVERIFIED
About Sri Gajendra Varadha Perumal Temple , Thirukkavithalam (Kabisthalam)
Sri Gajendra Varadha Perumal Temple at Thirukkavithalam (Kabisthalam), situated between the Cauvery and Kollidam rivers near Kumbakonam/Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, is the 10th Divya Desam. It was immortalized by Thirumalisai Alvar in his Nanmugan Tiruvandhadhi.
This sacred kshetram is the world-renowned epicenter of the Srimad Bhagavatam episode of Gajendra Moksham. The devout elephant king Gajendra (who in his previous birth was the pious King Indradyumna) was seized by a fierce crocodile named Koohoo in the lotus-filled Pushkarini here. When a thousand-year struggle exhausted all physical strength and his elephant herd abandoned him, Gajendra plucked a lotus flower with his trunk and surrendered unconditionally, crying out: "Aadhimoolame!" (O Supreme Primal Cause!). Hearing this desperate surrender, Lord Vishnu did not even wait for Garuda to take flight properly—He rushed instantly on Garuda, hurled His Sudarshana Chakra, decapitated the crocodile, and lovingly embraced Gajendra, bestowing instantaneous Moksha upon him.
The temple features a touching sculpture of Gajendra bowing at the Lord's lotus feet. Devotees facing insurmountable legal disputes, health crises, or desperate situations visit Kabisthalam to perform archana to Gajendra Varadhan, affirming the timeless promise that the Lord rescues those who surrender completely.
Architecture & Heritage
Dravidian Architecture (Chola era construction with structural inscriptions from the reign of Rajaraja Chola I)
Gaganakriti Vimanam, five-tier southern Rajagopuram, Gajendra Pushkarini tank, stone reliefs depicting the elephant rescue.
Bronze processional icon depicting Vishnu mounted on Garuda deploying the Sudarshana Chakra.
Rituals & Traditions
Four daily worship services; recitation of the Gajendra Stuti on full moon days.
Annual Gajendra Moksham festival conducted on Chitra Pournami along the Kaveri riverfront.
Puliyodarai, Pongal, Panchamritham.
Visitor Guidelines
Traditional attire recommended: Dhoti, Kurta, or trousers for men; Saree or Salwar with Dupatta for women.
Flat stone paved parikrama around the sanctum; easily accessible for elderly devotees and wheelchairs.
Tour Packages in Kumbakonam
Explore popular pilgrimage & tour packages starting from Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam One Day Navagraha Temple Tour Package
2 Days 1 Night Navagraha Temple Tour – Kumbakonam
1 Day Navagraha Temple Tour – Kumbakonam
Frequently Asked Questions
🕉️ Divine Snapshot
Sri Gajendra Varadha Perumal (Bhujanga Sayanam)
Ramamani Valli (Potramaraial) Thayar Sannidhi, Gajendra Azhwan (Devotee Elephant Shrishti Sannidhi), Garudazhwar Sannidhi, Senai Mudaliyar (Vishvaksena) Sannidhi, Sri Ramanuja Sannidhi, Alvars Sannidhi
Kumbakonam - Thiruvaiyaru Main Road (SH-22), Mela Post, Papanasam Taluk, Thirukkavithalam (Kabisthalam), Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu 614203, India
How to Reach
Tiruchirappalli International Airport (TRZ) (approx 75 km)
Papanasam Railway Station (PML) (approx 4 km)
Kabisthalam Bus Stop (approx 0.3 km)
