Bhagavadh Vinayagar Temple is located on Madaththu Street in the temple town of Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. It is situated close to the banks of the sacred Cauvery River, one of the holiest rivers in South India.
The main deity of this temple is Lord Vinayagar (Ganesha), worshipped here as Bhagavadh Vinayagar. He is also popularly called Kubera Vinayagar and Vetri Vinayagar, meaning “Victory Ganesha.”
The special feature of this idol is that it uniquely represents the Navagrahas (nine planets) within Lord Vinayagar’s body. Each part of his body symbolizes one planet:
*Sun – forehead
*Moon – navel
*Mars – right thigh
*Mercury – left lower arm
*Jupiter – top of the head
*Venus – left lower arm
*Saturn – right upper arm
*Rahu – left upper arm
*Ketu – left thigh
The temple may appear small in size, but it has deep spiritual energy. It is built in traditional South Indian style with a simple vimana (tower) above the sanctum. The idol of Bhagavad Vinayagar is majestic and beautifully decorated, especially during festivals. The temple has a calm and sacred atmosphere, and the presence of the Cauvery River nearby adds to the serenity. There is also a banyan tree near the temple, which is considered holy because of the legend associated with this temple.
The temple dates back several centuries. An inscription from the Maratha period (1692 CE) mentions renovation work, showing the temple’s historical importance during the rule of the Tanjore Marathas. It was further renovated and re-consecrated during Kumbhabhishekham ceremonies held in 2006 and again in 2015. Despite its small size, the temple continues to attract many worshippers because of its unique history and spiritual significance.
A long time ago, a sage named Bhagavant Maharishi lived in Vedaranyam. When he became old and felt his end was near, his mother made a special request. She told him that after her death, he should collect her ashes in a clay pot and carry it with him. She said he should not immerse it in any river immediately, but only at the place where the ashes turned into flowers. That, she said, would be the most sacred place to perform her final rites.
After her death, the sage followed her instructions. With his disciples, he carried the pot containing the ashes and began visiting holy places and sacred rivers. During their journey, they reached Kumbakonam and stopped near the banks of the Cauvery River. Bhagavant Maharishi kept the pot under a banyan tree and went to take a bath in the river.
While the sage was away, one of his disciples, who was feeling hungry
