Kumbakonam The Holy city

KUMBAKONAM – THE HOLY CITY

History of temples around Kumbakonam:

Kumbakonam, situated in the heart of Thanjavur Delta area, is one of the holiest towns in India. The first occupants of this place are believed to have come here between 3^rd century BC and 3^rd century AD. The town has more than 188 temples within its limits. As Cauvery branches into various rivers and enters the Bay of Bengal at various points the villages in 50 kilometers radius are all thickly populated. The old saying says that people should not live in a village where there is no temple.  Accordingly each village boasts of either a Shiva temple or a Vishnu temple or of both.

One day will not be sufficient to visit the temples of this town alone. An attempt is being made to create separate blogs about the temples of this town and again segmenting various temples based on a route. An ardent devotee can spend even 10 days to go around these temples. These temples can be classified as Shiva temples, temples for Vishnu, navagraha temples, temples for each natchatra, temples for rasi, temples for Pillayar and Murugan etc.  Many of the 18 siddar peedams are also located in this area.

Formation of Kumbakonam:

As per legend when Mahapralaya (when deluge ) covered the whole of south India, Brahma kept Amruth, Vedas and the necessary ingredients for regeneration of life in a kumba ( pot) and kept it atop Meru hills. The kumba started floating due to the deluge and when it reached Kumbakonam, Lord Shiva tore it open with an arrow (Baanam). The amruth fell on the Mahamaham tank situated in the holy city and also in the Potramarai (Golden Lotus) tank.  The town derives the name from this story. Lord Kumbeswarar is the presiding deity. Mahamaham, the  famous festival celebrated on the date on which Maham star falls in Feb- March, is celebrated once in 12 years and the next mahamam is due in 2016

              

      A view of   Mahamaham tank                               

Greatness of Kumbakonam:

            There is an old Sanskrit verse reading as under:

Anya shetre krutham pavam , punya shetre vinasthithi

Punya shetre krutham pavam , varanasyam  vinasthithi

Varansyam krutham pavam , Kumbakone vinasthithi

Kumbakone krutham pavam , Kumbakone vinasthithi.

    It means that a person who commits a wrong or sin in any place can get rid of it by Praying at any Punya Shetra (Holy place). In case the wrong or sin is done at Punya shetra, one has to visit Varanasi and offer prayers to get rid of the sin. In case of doing a wrong thing at Varanasi, one has to visit Kumbakonam and if a person does anything wrong at Kumbakonam, the parikaram lies at Kumbakonam only. There is one shiva temple at Kottaiyur on Swamimalai road, just on the outskirts of Kumbakonam. The priest at this temple said that Lord Shiva gave dharshan as Kotilingam( One crore lingams) and a visit to Kumbakonam will be complete only by visiting Kottaiyur.

Greatness of Kumbakonam as described in Bhavath Vinayaga Temple:

This temple for Vinayagar  is  situated in Mutt street . As per inscriptions found in the temple the temple was built in 1590s. Saint Baghavat padhar’s mother, at the time of her death asked her son to do the final rites at the place where her ashes would bloom into flowers. Accordingly, Bhaghavatpathar decided to carry the ashes across various sacred rivers. His disciple, who was travelling found that the  ashes became flowers at the banks of Cauvery river at Kumbakonam but did not tell about this to Bhavatpadar. When the ashes did not turn into flower even at Varanasi, Bhagavatpadar came back to Caruvery river where the ashes once again bloomed. A temple of Bhagawat Vinayagar has been built at this place.  It is proudly proclaimed, in view of this event, that  Kumbakonam is better than Varanasi by 1/16^th. ( Kasikku Veesam Perisu).

 

                                                                                                                                          Perumal Temples at Kumbakonam:

       This town is also the abode for the 2^nd Divya desam of 108 vaishnava temples namely Sarangapani temple. This town also has other Vaishnava temples such as Ramaswamy Temple, Varadaraja perumal temple, Chakrapani temple and Adhi varagha temple. As per the priest the Aadhi Varagha temple situated  close to solaiappan street near Kumbeswarar temple is older than Adhi Kumbeswarar temple.

Shiva temples at Kumbakonam:

       Besides Sri Adhi Kumbeswarar temple, the town has Sri Nageswarar temple, Sri Someswarar temple, Sri Kasi viswanathar temple, Sri Gowthameswarar temple, Sri Abhimukeswarar temple,  Sri Aadhikambatta Viswanathar temple,   Sri Bhanapureeswarar temple, Sri Kambatta Viswanathar temple, Sri Koteeswarar temple, Sri Kalahastheeswarar temple and Sri Ekambareswarar temple.

Other important places:

        In soliappan street, there is an adhistanam for Swamy Vijayendirar, Guru of Swamy Raghavendrar. There are also  Vedapadasalas functioning at Kumbakonam. Kumbakonam is also famous for panchaloka and other idols. The famous silk sarees are manufactured at Kumbakonam and Thirubhuvanam . It is said that the Chola King Kotchengannan (7th century AD) constructed around 70 Shiva temples in this area. One of the six padai veedu of Lord Muruga, Swamimalai, is situated just 6 kilometers from Kumbakonam. There is also a separate temple for Brahma located about 600 meters off the Mahamaham tank.

The map of 108 famous Shiva temples situated within 50 kilometer radious of Kumbakonam is given below. (coutesy Deepika constructions, Kumbakonam).

   Navagraha temples shown in the map above:

1.       Suriyan : Suriyanar koil

2.       Moon:    Thingalur

3.       Guru :    Alangudi.

4.       Raghu:  Thirunageswaram

5.       Budhan : Tiruvengadu

6.       Sukran:  Kanchanur

7.       Kethu : Keezha perumpallam.

8.       Saniswarar: Tirunallaar

9.       Angaraha : Vaitheeswarankoil.

All said and done, a trip to Kumbakonam will not be complete without drinking a cup of “Kumbakonam degree coffee/ filter coffee” in the   traditional copper tumbler and davara.