Agniswarar Temple, Kanjanur (Sukra Navagraha Temple)
Shiva (as Agniswarar), with a shrine for Sukra (Venus) temple · Kanjanur, Thanjavur (Thiruvidaimarudur taluk), Tamil Nadu, India
The Agniswarar Temple at Kanjanur, a village on the Kumbakonam–Mayiladuthurai road in Thanjavur district, is the temple of Sukra (Venus) in the Navagraha circuit of the Kaveri delta. The presiding deity is Shiva as Agniswarar, worshipped as a lingam, and the goddess is Karpagambal.
As with most of the Navagraha temples, Shiva is the main deity and the planet is honoured within his temple. The Dinamalar temple guide says Sukra has a separate shrine here, and Kanjanur is described as one of the places where Sukra himself is believed to have worshipped Shiva.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Agniswarar Temple, Kanjanur (Sukra Navagraha Temple)
According to Dinamalar, Kanjanur is a Tevaram shrine, the 36th on the northern bank of the Kaveri, and the guide quotes a verse of Thirunavukkarasar (Appar) that names 'the lord who rules Kanjanur'. The village also bears several puranic names recorded by Dinamalar and the Thanjavur District Collectorate, among them Palasavanam (forest of palasa trees), Brahmapuri and Agnipuram or Agnisthalam, the last linked to the fire god Agni, whom the temple's traditions connect with this shrine.
Several legends are attached to the temple. Dinamalar and the Collectorate record the belief that Shiva showed Brahma the form of his wedding with Parvati here; Dinamalar adds that this is why the goddess appears on Shiva's right. Wikipedia and Dinamalar also tell of Shiva performing his dance for the sage Parasara, which is why the Nataraja here is called Mukti Tandava Murthy. Devotees come to worship Sukra and, Dinamalar says, to pray for prosperity; the Collectorate notes that men come to pray for the well-being of their wives. These are matters of tradition and belief.
Kanjanur is also known as the birthplace of the Shaiva teacher Haradatta Sivacharya. Dinamalar relates the traditional story that, as a child, he declared Shiva supreme while seated on a heated iron tripod, and notes depictions of this scene in the Nataraja shrine and a separate small shrine to Haradatta in the village.
Heritage
History of Agniswarar Temple, Kanjanur (Sukra Navagraha Temple)
Wikipedia states that the temple was built by the Medieval Cholas and later renovated under the Vijayanagara kings. Dinamalar estimates its age at between 1,000 and 2,000 years.
On administration, the Thanjavur District Collectorate's tourism page (as archived in 2013) says the temple is maintained by the Madurai Adheenam, one of the Shaiva monasteries of Tamil Nadu. The temple also appears in the Tamil Nadu HR&CE Department's 2020 temple list, under the jurisdiction of the department's Joint Commissioner at Mayiladuthurai.
Architecture and sacred features
The temple has a five-tiered rajagopuram and two prakarams, according to Wikipedia and Dinamalar. Dinamalar describes entering by the southern entrance into an inner mandapam, with Vinayaka and a Viswanathar shrine on either side, followed by the goddess's shrine. On the way to the main sanctum are shrines of Vinayaka, Subramanya on a peacock and Mahalakshmi. The sthala vriksha, a palasa tree, has an Agniswarar lingam beneath it, and nearby are images of the Nayanars Manakkanjarar and Kalikamar.
Dinamalar notes that the Nataraja here is a stone image with Sivakami, which it singles out as a special feature of the temple. The maha mandapam holds Bhairava, Surya, Shani and Chandra, a Navagraha shrine and the four Shaiva saints (Nalvar). The temple tanks are the Agni Theertham and Parasara Theertham.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
The temple is open in the morning and evening with a midday closure. Confirm current timings, dress expectations and any puja or archana arrangements with the temple office before travelling, as published hours vary between sources.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Madurai Adheenam (per Thanjavur District Collectorate, 2013); listed by the Tamil Nadu HR&CE Department (TM018039) before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Agniswarar Temple, Kanjanur (Sukra Navagraha Temple)
Masi Magam
Festival on the Magam star day, listed by Dinamalar.
Haradattar Katchi
A festival connected with the local saint Haradatta, listed by Dinamalar.
Aadi Pooram
Festival of the goddess.
Thiruvathirai
Festival of Nataraja on the Thiruvathirai star day.
Navaratri and Shivaratri
Both are celebrated at the temple, according to Dinamalar.
Location
How to Reach Agniswarar Temple, Kanjanur (Sukra Navagraha Temple)
Kanjanur lies about 18 km from Kumbakonam on the Kumbakonam–Mayiladuthurai road, according to Dinamalar and Wikipedia, with frequent buses from Kumbakonam. Wikipedia gives about 57 km from Thanjavur. The Hindu's account of a Navagraha pilgrimage on foot puts Kanjanur about three kilometres from Suryanar Kovil, so the two temples are often visited together.
Dinamalar names Kumbakonam as the nearest railway station and Tiruchirappalli as the nearest airport.
Location: Kanjanur, Thanjavur (Thiruvidaimarudur taluk), Tamil Nadu, India
Nearest airport: Tiruchirappalli
Nearest railway station: Kumbakonam
More in Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu · Shiva (as Agniswarar), with a shrine for Sukra (Venus) temples · Temples in Kanjanur · Temples in Thiruvidaimarudur Taluk · Temples in Thanjavur District
Questions
Agniswarar Temple, Kanjanur (Sukra Navagraha Temple): Frequently Asked Questions
Which Navagraha is associated with Kanjanur?
Sukra (Venus). The presiding deity is Shiva as Agniswarar, and Sukra has his own shrine in the temple.
Is Kanjanur a Tevaram temple?
Yes. Dinamalar counts it as the 36th Tevaram shrine on the northern bank of the Kaveri and quotes a hymn by Appar that names Kanjanur.
Why is the goddess on Shiva's right at Kanjanur?
According to tradition recorded by Dinamalar, Shiva showed Brahma his wedding form here, and the goddess's position reflects that form.
Who was Haradatta Sivacharya?
A Shaiva teacher born at Kanjanur. Tradition says that as a child he declared Shiva supreme while seated on a heated iron tripod. A festival in Thai and a small village shrine honour him.
How far is Kanjanur from Suryanar Kovil?
About three kilometres, according to The Hindu, so the two Navagraha temples are easy to visit together.
How do I reach Kanjanur?
Kanjanur is about 18 km from Kumbakonam on the Kumbakonam–Mayiladuthurai road, with frequent buses. The nearest railway station is Kumbakonam and the nearest airport is Tiruchirappalli.
Sources and attribution
- Dinamalar — அருள்மிகு அக்னீஸ்வரர் திருக்கோயில், கஞ்சனூர் (Agneeswarar temple, Kanjanur – temple details, Tamil)
- Wikipedia — Agniswarar Temple, Kanjanur
- District Collectorate, Thanjavur (NIC), archived 2013 — Navagrahas – Kanchanur
- The Hindu — An exploration on foot (5 May 2006)
- Tamil Nadu HR&CE Department, archived 2020 — Thirukoil – Temple List for Tamil Nadu (TM018039)
- OpenStreetMap — Sukkiran Temple, Kanchanur (way 987162167)
Further reading: Agniswarar Temple, Kanjanur (Sukra Navagraha Temple) on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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