Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

Coordinates: 10°57′30″N 79°22′16″E / 10.95833°N 79.37111°E / 10.95833; 79.37111
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Adi Kumbeswarar Temple
Cholas

Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam is a

Nayanmars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam
.

The temple complex covers an area of 30,181 sq ft (2,803.9 m2) and houses four gateway towers known as

gopurams. The tallest is the eastern tower, with 11 stories and a height of 128 feet (39 m) The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Kumbeswarar and Mangalambigai Amman being the most prominent. The temple complex houses many halls; the most notable is the sixteen-pillared hall built during the Vijayanagara period
that has all the 27 stars and 12 zodiacs sculpted in a single stone.

The temple has six daily rituals at various times from

5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and twelve yearly festivals on its calendar, with the Masi Magam festival celebrated during the Tamil month
of Masi (February - March) being the most prominent.

The present masonry structure was built during the

Thanjavur Nayaks of the 16th century. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu
.

Legend

The name of the town Kumbakonam is derived from the legend associated with Kumbeswarar Temple. The pot (

Mahamaham tank and the Potramarai tank.[2] This event is now commemorated in the Mahamaham festival held every 12 years. Kumbakonam was also formerly known by the Tamil name of Kudamukku.[3] Kumbakonam is also identified with the Sangam age settlement of Kudavayil.[4]

History

The temple is in existence from

Nayaks during the 15-17th century.[6] In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu.[7]

Architecture

Sculpture inside the temple

Kumbeswarar temple complex covers an area of 30,181 sq ft (2,803.9 m2) and houses four gateway towers known as

gopurams.[8][9]
The tallest is the eastern tower, with 11 stories and a height of 128 feet (39 m) The temple is approached by a corridor 330 ft (100 m) long and 15 ft (4.6 m) wide. There are five silver-plated chariots in the temple used to carry the temple deities during festive occasions.[10][11] The temple is the largest Shiva temple of Kumbakonam and has a 9-storeyed rajagopuram (gateway tower) 125 ft tall [12][13] It is spread over 4 acres in the centre of the town. The temple has 3 concentric compounds, elongated along an east–west axis has triple set of gopurams.[14]

Adi Kumbeswarar is the presiding deity of the temple and the shrine is located in the centre. Kumbeswarar is in the form a

Subramanya having six hands instead of 12, stone nadasvarams (pipe instrument) and Kiratamurti are main attractions of the temple.[2]

The central shrine of the temple houses the image of Adi Kumbheswarar in the form of

Vinayaka, Bala Dandayutapani, Nandhi, Vanni Vinayakar, Kumbha Munisiddhar, Kumarappar, Adilinga and Sattananthar. Chamber of repose, decoration hall, Sacrificial hall, grand kitchen, marriage hall, elephant shed, Vasantamandapam, cattle shed, garden and four-pillared hall are other notable parts in the temple. The flag mast is located in the second precinct, directly on the axis of the presiding deity.[17][18]

The

Sarangapani temple.[5]

Panoramic image of the temple tank

Festivals

Festival procession of Kumbeswarar

The Mahamaham festival takes place once every twelve years during the Tamil Month of Masi (February–March), when

Krishnadeva Raya (1509–1529 CE) is believed to have witnessed the Mahamaham festival during this time. He made donations to the temple on this occasion is found in another inscription.[19]

Specialty

12 Shiva temples are connected with Mahamaham festival which happens once in 12 years in Kumbakonam. They are :

This temple is one among them.[20]

Worship practices

The five chariots of the temple

The temple priests perform the

pournami (full moon day) and sathurthi.[21]

Literary Mention and religious importance

River Kaveri.[23] The temple was visited by Purandara Dasa, who is known as pithamaha (doyen) of Carnatic music, and composed a song glorifying the main deity Sri Kumbeshwara in his song, "Chandrachuda Shivashnkara Parvathi Ramana" and mentions as "kumbapura vasanu neene".[citation needed
]

Kumbakonam Sapta Stana Temple

This is one of the Saptha Stana Temples of Kumbakonam. During the Mahahaman of 2016 the palanquin festival was held on 7 February 2016.[24] Following the tirttavari held at Mahamaham tank on 21 April 2016, the palanquin festival of the Sapta Stana Temples were held on 23 April 2016.[25] The festival which started from Kumbesvara Temple at the 7.30 p.m. of 23 April 2016 completed on the morning of 25 April 2016 after going to the following temples.

Notes

  1. ^ Bhandari 2009, p. 26
  2. ^ a b Knapp 2011, p. 336
  3. ^ Ayyar 1920, p. 320
  4. ^ Pillai, p. 88
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-93-83440-34-4
    .
  6. ^ Sajnani 2001, p. 307
  7. ^ "Thirukoil - Temple list of Tamil Nadu" (PDF). Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department, Government of Tamil Nadu. p. 216. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  8. ^ "The Templenet Encyclopedia - Aadi Kumbeswarar Temple at Kumbakonam".
  9. ^ "District govt page". Archived from the original on 16 November 2006.
  10. ISBN 978-81-7907-053-6
    .
  11. ^ South Indian Railway Company 1926, p. 57
  12. ^ a b Brodnack 2009, p. 839
  13. ^ a b Singh 2009. p 432
  14. ^ Michell 1995, p. 95
  15. ^ Middle East and Africa 2009, p. 503
  16. ^ V., Meena (1974). Temples in South India (1st ed.). Kanniyakumari: Harikumar Arts. p. 25.
  17. ^ a b "Plan of the temple". Adi Kumbeswarar Temple administration. Archived from the original on 23 March 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
  18. ^ a b R. 2001, pp. 219-220
  19. ^ a b Ayyar 1991, p. 323
  20. ^ Mahamaham Festival 2004 (in Tamil), Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Administration Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, 2004
  21. ^ a b "Thirukoyil". 1. 15. Hindu Religious And Endowment Board Tamil Nadu. January 2013: 42–43. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)[permanent dead link]
  22. ^ a b Swamigal, Tirunavukkarasu. "Tevaram Of Tirunavukkaracu Cuvamikal Tirumurai 5 part - 2 Poems (510-516)" (PDF). projectmadurai.org. pp. 33–34. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  23. ISBN 9781684666041
    .
  24. ^ கும்பகோணம் ஆதிகும்பேஸ்வரசுவாமி கோயிலில் சப்தஸ்தான பல்லக்கு வெள்ளோட்டம், தினமணி, 8 பிப்ரவரி 2016
  25. ^ ஆதி கும்பேஸ்வரர் கோயிலில் ஏழூர் பல்லக்கு பெருவிழா, மகாமகக்குளத்தில் தீர்த்தவாரி, தினமணி, 22 ஏப்ரல் 2016

References

External links

Photogallery

  • East (Main) entrance
    East (Main) entrance
  • South entrance
    South entrance
  • North entrance
    North entrance
  • West entrance
    West entrance
  • Inner mandapa
    Inner mandapa
  • Mandapa
    Mandapa
  • Temple tank
    Temple tank
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