[dotexe]

Hello,

I will be traveling from Chennai to Thirunageswaram temple (8Km east of Kumbakonam) during this pongal holidays by car. I would like to know the shortest route from Chennai to visit that temple.

Also please let me know the route & distance from Thirunageswaram to Thirunallar temple. Maybe i can cover both the temples on the same day and return back to Chennai by late night.

Thanks in advance

[VIP143]

Hi dotexe,

You can take the Chennai - Tindivanam - Vikravandi - Sethiathope - Anaikarai - Kumbakonam - Tirunageswaram route

Anaikarai bridge is closed for heavy vehicles. This route would be 300kms.

Tirunageswaram - Peralam - Tirunallar (Route from Kumbakonam to Karaikaal, Follow route signs for Karaikaal.) about 50 Kms.

You can return to Chennai taking the Karaikaal - Sirkazhi - Chidambaram - Cuddalore - Pondy - Chennai (aka the East Coast Road) or you can choose to comeback via Kumbakonam (retracing your tracks).

[GSMINC]

I would suggest:
Madras-ECR-Pondy(fill up your car tank/pick up ur favourite poison)-Cuddalore-Chidambaram-Sirkazhi-Mayavaram-Karaikkal-Tirunallar-Peralam-Tirunageswaram.
And come back the same route or come back the way VIP143 suggested, both are equally good if not better.
Hope this helps, PM me if u are looking for hotels/lodges to stay

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by GSMINC

I would suggest:
Madras-ECR-Pondy(fill up your car tank/pick up ur favourite poison)-Cuddalore-Chidambaram-Sirkazhi-Mayavaram-Karaikkal-Tirunallar-Peralam-Tirunageswaram.
And come back the same route or come back the way VIP143 suggested, both are equally good if not better.
Hope this helps, PM me if u are looking for hotels/lodges to stay

Our Temple Expert strikes again. Hey, Siva, why don't you start an exclusive temple circuit thread, we will all share our experiences too there.

[pypkmsrikanth]

I would actually suggest its better to go via Chennai - Sethiathoppu - Kumbakonam the road is decent beyond Vikravandi. You should be able to cover Chennai - Vikravandi in about two and a half hours comfortably and then do the balance about 125 kms to Kumbakonam in about two and a half hours again.

From Thirunageswaram continue onwards towards Karaikal for your journey to Thirunallar on the same state highway from which you take a detour for Thirunageswaram.

If you start early you can comfortably do both in a day and come back via Mayiladuthurai -Sirkazi - Chidambaram - Pondy onto ECR or possibly come back to Vadalur on NH45C from Chidambaram via Bhuvanagiri and then onto NH45 at Vikravandi.

[venki.bala]

I would also suggest the same route that PYPKMSRIKANTH has suggested. it saves a lot of time as chidambaram - cuddalore - pondy stretch is heavy traffic prone.

[GSMINC]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Our Temple Expert strikes again. Hey, Siva, why don't you start an exclusive temple circuit thread, we will all share our experiences too there.

Sure, sometime soon,
Busy with a lot of things, shifting to a new house, work & am starting a new venture soon, Sabarimala makarajyoti trip, my daughter's ear-boring/mottai ceremony in Tirupati, etc, infact I have to do all this along with my monthly temple trips, & another fact, as my wife says, I am quite lazy when it comes to putting my experiences on paper/online.

But still, rest assured, I shall start a thread a temples soon

[xingamazon]

Originally Posted by GSMINC

Sure, sometime soon,
Busy with a lot of things, shifting to a new house, work & am starting a new venture soon, Sabarimala makarajyoti trip, my daughter's ear-boring/mottai ceremony in Tirupati, etc, infact I have to do all this along with my monthly temple trips, & another fact, as my wife says, I am quite lazy when it comes to putting my experiences on paper/online.

But still, rest assured, I shall start a thread a temples soon

Ya please do so, I would like to see the routes for the famous temples around Chennai. A kind of piligrim travellogue my parents already have a big list of temples to be seen for which I have no clue on the route front

[funnyguru]

Guys, any route updates for Chennai - Kumbakonam. Planning an end of the month trip to Kumbakonam to visit the temples nearby like Papanasam, Darasuram, etc.

Also suggest a good hotel for a night stay. (Budget hotels)

[aargee]

Since you're in Kumbakonam, do not miss visiting the 9 temples on Navagraha. Also look at my post here - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/2034242-post.html. If time is a constraint, then with these guys, you'll be able to do it in one day.

Do not miss the food at Mami's mess at Kumbakonam.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by aargee

Since you're in Kumbakonam, do not miss visiting the 9 temples on Navagraha. Also look at my post here - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/2034242-post.html. If time is a constraint, then with these guys, you'll be able to do it in one day.

Do not miss the food at Mami's mess at Kumbakonam.

Wow I know of a mami's mess in Madurai! Very close to Arathy.

[funnyguru]

Do not miss the food at Mami's mess at Kumbakonam.[/quote]

Where exactly do I find it in Kumbakonam?.. I have booked the Hotel Rayas. Any feedback about this hotel for overnight stay?

[MX6]

Try dropping in Thepperumanallur temple near Thirunageswaram. I've mentioned about a miracle there in KRRaj's thread. Atleast if you can ask the Pujari about the miracle and give a blow by blow account, we'd all be happy here.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/2033165-post27.html

[funnyguru]

Originally Posted by MX6

Try dropping in Thepperumanallur temple near Thirunageswaram. I've mentioned about a miracle there in KRRaj's thread. Atleast if you can ask the Pujari about the miracle and give a blow by blow account, we'd all be happy here.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/2033165-post27.html

Sure bro.,
Looks like its just 6 kms from Kumbakonam, will surely get that story onboard.

Can someone help me prioritize the temples to watch in a day being put up in Kumbakonam?

[ravib]

Originally Posted by funnyguru

Sure bro.,
Looks like its just 6 kms from Kumbakonam, will surely get that story onboard.

Can someone help me prioritize the temples to watch in a day being put up in Kumbakonam?

Ooops, somehow i missed this thread! I just returned back from kumbakonam this morning. Its my ancestral town, so i visit there frequently and can help a bit.

About hotel Rayas: I would say its one of the good hotels you can stay in Kumbakonam. Its just right near to the famous Mahamaham tank. The other alternative is Hotel Aditya which is decent enough.

Prioritizing the temples in Kumbakonam to see in 1 day? Wow, thats really a very difficult thing to do, just because of the number of temples in and around and that too huge in size.

If you are planning for 1 day trip, then these are few recommendations from me. I have tried to list them which are closeby in same direction. At the most, you can see these temples in a day if you start very early in the morning that too with little or no breaks.

Ofcourse, you can see most of the temples only from morning 6 am to 12 noon and then from 4/4:30 pm till evening 9 pm.

Temples Towards Mayiladuthurai/Karikal side:
1) Oppiliappan Koil and Raghusthalam in Thirunageswaram.
2) Ayyavadi ( just 2 kms from Oppliappan koil)
3) Nachiar Koil (further 4 or 5 kms from ayyavadi - Don't miss the famous KalGarudar deity)
4) Suryanar Koil (Sun Temple), Kanjanur (Venus temple)
5) Thiruveesanallur sivan temple
6) Thirubuvanam Sarabeswarar temple
7) Thiruvidaimaruthur Mahalingaswamy temple

OR
Temples towards Thanjavur side
1) Darasuram Airavatheeswarar temple
2) Patteswaram Durgai Temple
3) Swamimalai Murugan temple
4) Papanasam sivan temple
5) Thirukarugavur Karparatchagambigai temple
6) Thanjavur Brahadeeswarar temple
7) Thiruvaiyaru sivan temple
8) Thingalur Moon Temple

Most of the temples are in small villages, so i suggest you plan for food/lunch in some bigger towns.

-Ravi