Temples of Tamilnadu - 17 - Pancha kosha Kshethram

Pancha Krosha Kshethram

A krosham was considered as a distance of about 1.3 miles (about 2.08 km) in current day’s measurements.  Pancha Krosham refers to a distance equivalent of 5 kroshams, or 6.5 miles (approximately 10.4607 km). During the old times, some temples were identified as being within that range (Just to show proximity and evince interest to visit more places of worship). Even today it is considered a practice to visit all those temples of any Pancha Krosham group on the same day meaning within a day.  

In many cases there have been various numerical references to temples like saptha vidanga sthalam or Ashta veeratta sthalam. They all refer to the number of temples within that specific group. There are many groups of temples referred in a similar manner. However, in this case the reference is more to the distance within which the temples are situated and hence a unit of distance. Moreover, there need not be a restriction on the number of temples falling with each Krosha group. So, the number of temples in each Krosha group can vary and need not be the same for all groups

Over a period of time, there has been a number of temples that have been built. Hence in current scenario, there are likely to be more number of temples within a shorter distance, or there may be other temples within the distance of five kroshams of a given central point.  We have to realise that these temples specifically identified as pancha krosha sthalam temples, suggests that these were perhaps really old temples that existed at the time of classification and before other modern temples came over a period of time.

Hence the nomenclature of Pancha Krosham is restricted to those temples that have been referred over centuries and have retained their glory over time. It is considered highly auspicious if we are able to have darshan at all temples in a Pancha Krosham within a day.

There Pancha krosha temple groups are all over india and many different groups are being put forward. For our immediate reference, I am going to touch upon four groups which are in tamilnadu:

Kumbakonam Pancha Krosham - Tirunageswaram, Swamimalai, Thiruvidaimarudur, Darasuram and Koranattu Karuppur. 

Pazhayarai Pancha Krosham - Keezha Pazhayarai, Patteeswaram, Avoor, Sathimutram and Thiruvalanchuzhi

Thirumanacheri Pancha Krosha  - Thirumanancheri, Edhirkolpadi, Thiruvelvikudi, villanallur  and Kuttalam

Papanasam Pancha Krosham – Tirunelveli District - Papanasam, Azhwarkurichi, Sivasailam, Kadayam and Thirupudaimarudurn