Kalyanasundaresar Temple, Nallur

Kalyanasundaresar Temple, also called Thirunallur, is a Shiva temple at Nallur, 10 km from Kumbakonam. Shiva is worshipped here as Kalyanasundaresar, with Parvati as Girisundari, and the lingam is believed to change colour five times a day. Sambandar and Appar praised the temple in the Tevaram, which makes it a Paadal Petra Sthalam. Legend says Shiva sent the sage Agastya here to balance the weight of the gods gathered for his wedding, and that Agastya watched the marriage from this spot and set a second lingam behind the main one.

The masonry dates from the Chola period in the 9th century, with later Vijayanagara additions, and the Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam has run the temple since the early 13th century. It is a madakkoil, its main shrines raised on an artificial mound, entered through a five-tiered rajagopuram. Inside are an eight-armed bronze Nataraja and a Somaskanda image, while a Kali shrine sits on the lower level of the third precinct. The Saptasagaram tank lies outside the entrance.