Nageswaraswamy Temple, Kumbakonam

Nageswaraswamy Temple in Kumbakonam is dedicated to Shiva in the form of Nagaraja, king of serpents, and is praised in the 7th-century Tevaram. Built by Aditya Chola in the 9th century, it is one of the earliest Chola temples, with later work up to the Thanjavur Nayaks in the 16th century, including its three gopurams. Legend says the serpent Adisesha, weary of bearing the earth, did penance here and was given strength by Parvati, and the temple tank is called Naga Theertham. The temple is known for its shrine of Rahu.

The sanctum is built in the shape of a chariot, and the temple is aligned so that on the first three days of the Tamil month of Chithirai (April–May) the sun falls on the base of the deity. Its sculpture shows early Chola art at its finest: Ardhanari, Brahma and Dakshinamurthy fill the outer niches, and almost life-size figures of donors or royalty line the walls.