The temple of Lord Sarangapani is given the third place of importance among the shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu, she first being the temple of Lord Ranganatha at Srirangam and the second that Lord Venkatachalapathy of Tirupati. The temple of Sarangapani was built by the Nayak kings. Its main gopuram is 146 feet high, measuring 90 feet by 51 feet at the base - an imposing structure of 12 storeys with numerous ornamented figures.

Just like the town Srirangam, on the two sides of Kumbakonam flow the Kaveri and Arasalar rivers which the poets and Vaishnavaite saints have described as the garlands decorating this place and the sacred shrine of Lord Sarangapani.

There are two entrances to the shrine of the Lord-one on the southern and the other on the northern side. As the devotees are required to enter the shrine through the entrance on the southern side during the period of Dakshinayana, it is known as the "Entrance of Dakshinayana" and for similar reasons the entrance on the northern side is called "Entrance of Uttarayana."

The Dakshinayana entrance is also known as the "Entrance of Marriage", as Lord Sarangapani came out first through this gate and soon after married Kamalavalli. The legend connected with the two entrances provided to the shrine of the Lord is that once the two Devatas now in charge of the Uttarayana andDakshinayana entrances prayed to the Lord to attain divine powers and eternal bliss.