Temples of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry #116: Kampaheswarar or Sarabeswarar Temple, Thirubuvanam
- Sudharshan
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
கம்பகேசுவரர் அல்லது சரபேசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருபுவனம்
Situated just outside of the sacred town of Kumbakonam and to the east of it, is this magnificent and massive Sivan temple. Built in the twilight years of Chola imperial power, it stands tall as a testament to the the skills of the great Chola temple builders. Taking its rightful place abreast the great temples at Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram, it is a true marvel and is a living Chola edifice. It is an active temple and such is not grouped with the UNESCO designated Great Living Chola Temples, but many believe that it should be the fourth temple in that group. The temple is situated very close to another great temple, the Mahalingeswarar at Thiruvidaimarudur.
The story goes that an ancient king, Varaguna Pandian by some accounts, escaped the Brahmahathi or ghost of a Brahmin priest he had killed inadvertently, by worshipping at Thiruvidaimarudur and leaving by a back entrance. Although he escaped the wrath of the Brahmahathi, he developed a tremor in his body due to the stress and anxiety. He was cured of this by worshipping here. Kampa means shivering in Sanskrit. That is why Lord Sivan here is known as the Kampaheswarar or Kampahareswarar or Nadukkam Theertha Nayagan (நடுக்கம் தீர்த்த நாயகன்) in Tamil. The temple is also known for its Sarabeshwarar shrine, Often the temple itself is referred to as the Sarabeswarar temple. Sarabeswarar is a fierce form of Lord Sivan. It is believed that when Lord Vishnu assumed the Narasimha Avatharam to annihilate Hiranyakashipu, he was so worked up that he could not return to his usual placid state. It is said that the blood of Hiranya got into Lord Narasimhar. Lord Sivan took the Sarabeswarar form to battle Lord Narasimhar and pacify him. Sarabeswarar cuts a strange figure with a Yazhi face, human body, eight legs, four hands and two wings. It is a fusion of man, lion and eagle. The Devas who were trembling with fear of Lord Narasimhar, stopped shivering when Lord Sarabeswarar pacified Lord Narasimhar. It is another reason why the Lord here is known as Kampaheswarar.
The temple has an imposing and beautiful 7 tier rajagopuram facing east. Wider than usual gopurams, it has a plethora of fine figurines adorning it. There is a secondary, 3-tier gopuram at the entrance of the inner prakaram. The sanctum is on a platform or raised plinth like a Maada Koyil. The vimanam is taller than the rajagopuram and is a 7-tier 126 foot structure. It reminds one of earlier Chola temples like the Big Temple at Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram and the Airavateswarar at Darasuram. At around 5-6 acres it is a fair sized temple with spacious prakarams. The seven foot tall metal idol of Lord Sarabeswarar is housed in its own dedicated shrine which is unique. This is the only temple where there is a shrine for Sarabeswarar. The Amman is called Aram Valartha Nayaki or Dharmasamvardhani and is housed in a separate east facing shrine.
A later construction than the 3 Great Living Chola Temples, it differs from them due the vividly painted vimanam and gopuram. The other three have a more subtle tone. Although the gopuram is likely the handiwork of the Nayakkan kings the vimanam was built by the Cholas and appears to be intended to be colourful from the onset. This signals a transition in temple building from a staid appearance to a more colourful and vibrant one that evolved further in Vijayanagara and Nayakkan times. There are numerous fine carvings and paintings depicting scenes from the great epics, the Ramayanam and the Mahabharatham, as well as poses of Bharatanatyam. Large stone carvings of the mythical creature, the Yazhi, are cardinal features of later Nayakkan temples. But the Yazhi, with its various variations, has been present from Sangam times. Pallava and Chola architecture do have Yazhis but not to the same extent and not as elaborate as in the Nayakkan temple architecture. The Yazhi Varisai or Yazhi frieze is a signature feature of Chola temples. However, the large Yazhis make an appearance in a Chola temple here at Thirubuvanam for the first time. Thus it is a transitional or bridge temple in temple architecture.
The temple was constructed by the great Chola emperor Kulothunga Chola III (1178-1218) to commemorate the victories of his northern campaign. There are many inscriptions in Tamil and Grantha describing the building efforts. There is one set of inscriptions that describes the functioning of an institution for religion and philosophy at this temple. After the subjugation of his southern rivals, the Pandiyans, the Cherans and the Sinhalas, Kulothungan III assumed the title Thiribuvana Chakravarthy, the emperor of the three realms. The temple and the village was named after him and the title. Today it has evolved as Thirubuvanam. There are two inscriptions in Tamil from the reign of Jatavarman Thirubuvanachakravarthy Parakramapandiyan. The exact dating is unclear, but it is likely from one of the Pandiyan kings belonging to the later Pandiyan empire that briefly ruled after the fall of the Cholas. The inscription describes a contract between the local village watchmen (Oorkaaval) and the temple for its security and protection.
Some sources claim that this is a Thevara Vaippu Sthalam. If that is true, there had to have been an older, ancient temple at this site that Kulothungan III rebuilt in the late 12th or early 13th century. This is unlikely. Moreover, the claim is based on a Thevaram quote from Appar where he invokes Lord Sivan as Buvana. It is too generic to attribute to this temple. As such the claim that this is a Thevara Vaippu Sthalam is not very strong.
The temple has as many as nine theerthams. The most important one is the Saraba Theertham. The sthala virutcham is the sacred Vilvam tree. There are many festivals throughout the year. The most important one is the 18 day Brahmotsavam in Panguni (March/April). A large congregation of devotees gather twice a month on pradosham days. The temple is administered by the Dharmapuram Adheenam.
The temple is located 100 km or 2 hours east of Thiruchirapalli and 140 km or 3 hours south of Pondicherry. It is just outside Kumbakonam on its eastern outskirts. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Kumbakonam.
Dinamalar Temples - கம்பகேசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருபுவனம் (Tamil)
N. Chockalingam 1971, Census of India 1961. Volume IX. Part XI -D. Temples of Tamil Nadu: Thanjavur Pages 165-68
R.K.K Rajarajan Stucco Images in the Thirubhuvanam Temple, History Today. Vol 22. Pages 36-43
Courtesy Google Maps
Comments