Kailasanathar Temple, Thingalur

Kailasanathar Temple at Thingalur is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Thingalur village near Thiruvaiyaru in Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu. It is renowned as the Chandran Sthalam, one of the nine Navagraha temples of Tamil Nadu representing the Moon. The temple exhibits Dravidian architecture and is associated with Chola period construction and legends of Chandran worshipping Shiva here.

Visitors can expect a traditional South Indian temple complex with Dravidian architecture, gopuram, pillared halls and shrines. The main sanctum houses a Shiva Lingam as Kailasanathar with Goddess Periyanayaki, and a separate shrine for Chandran (Moon God) facing the main deity. The temple courtyard is compact and peaceful, with stone sculptures, Nandi mandapa and space for circumambulation, darshan and photography in outer areas.

The temple is traditionally attributed to the Chola period and is revered as a Paadal Petra Sthalam associated with Tamil Saivite saints. Legend states that Chandran (Moon God) worshipped Lord Shiva here to be relieved of a curse, giving the temple its Navagraha association. The architecture reflects classic Chola Dravidian style with later renovations.

As the Chandran Sthalam among the Navagraha temples, the temple holds religious importance for devotees seeking relief from Chandra dosha and for mental peace and well-being. It is an active place of worship where rituals for the Moon deity are performed, especially on Mondays and during full moon days, and is part of the Navagraha pilgrimage circuit in the Cauvery Delta region.