An hour’s drive away from Thanjavur lies the temple town of
Kumbakonam, believed to be where the pot (Kumbham) containing
nectar of life was spilled by Shiva. Kumbakonam is one of the prominent temple towns
in the Cauvery region and also houses the holy tank of Mahamaham where the
nectar pot fell. The town is lined with
colourful gopurams of numerous temples and is also a prominent place for
religious studies. From Cholas to Pandyas to Marathas to British, the town was under various rulers over the years.
Though there are more than 80 temples spread across the town
of Kumbakonam, here is a list of the popular ones which are a must visit.
Adi Kumbeswarar Temple:
Believed to have been built before the 7th
century by the Chola rulers, Adi Kumbeswarar is one of the most important and
popular temples in Kumbakonam. Rebuilt and renovated over centuries, the
temple has beautiful sculptures from mythology adorning its pillars and walls.
The hall that leads to the main sanctum has numerous pillars and its carved
ceilings are coloured with vegetable dyes. The temple is dedicated to Kumbeswarar
(Shiva) and the main shrine houses a lingam. The premise also has a temple
pond, Kandha Kumbha Theertham.
Built in 17th century by the Nayaks, the temple is
dedicated to Vishnu. The hall outside the inner sanctum is lined with numerous
sculpted pillars which has characters from mythology and related designs. The ceilings
too have carved designs and are colourful. The hall also has frescoes of the
ten avatars of Vishnu. The inner walls are adorned with paintings depicting scenes from Ramayana.
Sarangapani Temple:
A prominent Vaishnavite temple in India, Sarangapani temple
dedicated to Vishnu is the biggest one in Kumbakonam and is built in typical Dravidian
style architecture. The colourful and
striking eleven storeyed gopuram is a major attraction of this temple apart
from the chariot shaped main sanctum which has numerous carved pillars. The
main shrine is of Sarngapani, an incarnation of Vishnu. There is also a shrine
dedicated to Komalavalli, the consort of Sarngapani. The temple also houses
quite a few other colourful entrance gates.
Nageswarar Temple:
The 9th
century temple built during the time of Cholas has Nageswarar as its main deity,
a serpentine form of Shiva. While the colourful entrance gate is quite an eye
catcher, the inner entrance gate has gorgeous art work on its ceiling. The
inner sanctum is in the form a chariot and has sculptures of horses pulling it.
Dedicated to Vishnu, the presiding deity is Chakrapani (a
form of Vishnu) who is worshipped as Sudarshana. The deity has a third eye on
his forehead and eight stretched out arms. Apart from a colourfully sculpted
entrance gate, the temple also houses carved pillars and an entrance
foyer with art work on the ceiling.
Mahamaham Tank:
Located to the north of Kasi Vishwanathar temple, Mahamaham
tank is where the Mahamaham festival (similar to Kumbh mela) is held every 12 years. It is believed that the waters of this tank can get rid of all the sins
and is more sacred than river Cauvery. There are many lingams along the banks of the tank and it also houses numerous wells.
Navigator:
Kumbakonam is 40 Kms from Thanjavur and 282 Kms from Chennai.
There are buses and trains that connect Kumbakonam with major cities across
south India. The closest airport is at Tiruchirappalli, 95 Kms away.
Food and Accommodation:
Most of the hotels in Kumbakonam offer vegetarian fare. The town is also known for its ‘Degree Coffee’
which is served in brass tumblers. The coffee is prepared with thick milk, is
boiled to a certain temperature and gets its name due to this. One can either
stay in Thanjavur and make a day trip to Kumbakonam or stay in Kumbakonam to
visit its temples. There are numerous hotels in both Thanjavur and Kumbakonam catering various budgets.
Tamil Nadu has some beautiful, colourful and elegant temples. You brought their beauty here.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Love the colourful temples of Tamil Nadu.
DeleteOh wow! These temples are such works of art, no?
ReplyDeleteThank you for these wonderful sights, Nomad. :)
Glad you liked it, Divya. These temples have gorgeous works all over.
Deleteglad to know about these temples.
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