189:(Iron Age). Shiva declared that after the end of previous era, a divine pot would reach a holy spot. As the divine pot reached Kumbakonam, Shiva, in the form of a hunter, broke the pot with an arrow. The pot broke into many parts and scattered around, which became the cause for so many temples in the town – Kumbeswara, Someswara, Kasi Viswanatha, Nageswara, Kamata Viswanatha, Abimukeshwara, Goutameswara, Banapuriswara, Varahar, Lakshminaryana, Sarangapani, Chakrapani and Varadharaja. Brahma prayed to Shiva to allow pilgrims to visit the tank during the sacred occasion. Shiva acceded to the demand and is believed to arrive along with Vishnu and other celestial deities at the centre of the tank. Astronomically, when the planet Jupiter passes over Leo on the day of the festival, it is believed to bring all water bodies together and enrich the tank with minerals. Similarly, a lake in Kotihar in
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called Brahma
Theertham. Commencing from the north of Vayu Theertham, and ending to the little east of it, there are nine wells indicating the holy rivers of India, namely the Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari, Narmada, Saraswathi, Kaveri, Tungabatra, Krishna and Sarayu. At the centre of all these exists the Sixty-six crore theertham, believed to be the most sacred of all.
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current life and subsequent lives. Historians view the continuity of the temple festivals as a test of time to reinforce continuity with the past. The temple cars of major temples in
Kumbakonam come around the city on the festival night. During the Mahamaham of 1992, the number of devotees reached 1 million.
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and bathe there is the nectar full tank created by the directions of the
Parabrahman. Do bathe in the presence of Kumbesvara in Vrishaba lagna on this Mahamagam day, the full-moon day combined with Mahga star with Jupiter in the sign of Leo. Thereby you will get rid of all your accumulated sins and
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There are 21 wells inside the tank in the shape of small spring wells. Beginning the eastern side of the tank, there are 8 wells in the name of celestial deities namely Indra, Yama, Agani, Ninruthi, Vayu, Kubena and Isana respectively. In between the Vayu and Kubera wells, the ninth well is located
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The antiquity of the
Mahamaham is deduced from the architectural and epigraphical patterns. The ceiling of the Gangatirtha mandapam carries the sculptural representation of Tulapurushardava. It is believed that Govinda Dikshitar subjected himself to the event and donated the gold to the building of
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Festival deities from all the temples in
Kumbakonam arrive at the tank and at noon, all the deities bathe along with the devotees – it is called "Theerthavari". The purificatory bath is believed to remove sins and after the dip, pilgrims offer charitable gifts in the hope of being rewarded in the
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festival of South India is celebrated at
Mahamaham tank. Vast crowds gather at Kumbakonam to have a dip in the tank, along with saints and philosophers. All the rivers of India are believed to meet at the tank on this day and a purificatory bath at this tank on this day is considered equal to the
175:. The ceremony is usually performed in sacred places like temples, rivers and tanks. The amount of gold thus weighed is distributed among deserving men. As per Hindu legend, after the end of each era, the whole world immerses in a deluge on account of the wrath of Hindu god
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the sixteen mandapas. The visit of
Krishandevaraya during 1445 is recorded in an inscription in the gopuram of Nagalpuram, a village in Chengalpattu district. That Krishnadevaraya visited the event is also recorded in the inscription found in the Shiva temple in Kuthalam.
193:
gets full supply of water the same day, which otherwise remains empty during the other 11 years. Since Brahma reconstructed the world after the last deluge, there is a temple dedicated to him in
Kumbakonam, though he is cursed not to have any temple for him anywhere else.
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In the northern bank mandapa, there is an inscription of
Tulapurshadana, a practise of weighing oneself against gold. The ceremony is observed during various times like equinoxes, commencement of an era
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Brahmatheerthesar, Mukunthar, Thalesar, Rishakesar, Umaipakesar, Nairuthesar, Brahmeesar, Gangatheerthesar and
Seshtra Paleesar, are the names of deities located in these Mandapams.
152:, India. It is considered to be the foremost and one of the largest temple tanks in Tamil Nadu. The Masimaham festival held in the tank has 100,000 visitors and the once-in-12-year
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674:. Of these ten temples are in Kumbakonam. The processional deities of these temples come to this tank during festival days. The five Vishnu temples are
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The tank is located in the heart of Kumbakonam town. It covers an area of 21 acres (8.5 ha) and is trapezoidal in shape. The tank is surrounded by
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meaning a dip in the holy tank on the Mahamaham day is equivalent to dip in all holy rivers and leads to worldly prosperity.
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Traditionally, twelve Shiva temples and five Vishnu temples are connected with this festival. The twelve Shiva temples are
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968:"Myth, Religion and Ritual and Their Role in Defining the Existence of Tanks in Kumbakonam, A South Indian Temple Town"
694:. All these temples are in Kumbakonam. The processional deities of these temples come to Cauvery during festival days.
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599:, the 7th-century saint poet mentions the subtle presence of holy rivers like the Ganges in the Mahamaham tank in
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mentions the importance of Mahamaham and the importance of the festival as a narrative of
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978:(1). International Association for the Study of Traditional Environments (IASTE): 21–22.
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Hindu Pilgrimage: A Journey Through the Holy Places of Hindus All Over India
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and has 21 wells inside the tank. The names of the wells carry the name of
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Let all of you this very day go to Kumbakonam, a spot dear to me and to
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874:(2nd ed.). Bangalore, India: Ramakrishna Math. p. 78.
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930:(second ed.). Bangalore: Ramakrishna Math. p. 78.
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Balasubramanian, Shanmugapriya (24 September 2023).
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902:International Dictionary of Historical Places 1996
589:"பூமருவும் கங்கை முதல் புனிதமாம் பெருந்தீர்த்தம்
503:Masimaham is an annual event that occurs in the
605:
587:
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1067:History, Religion and culture of India, Vol.3
817:. The Telegraph. 6 March 2004. Archived from
8:
972:Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review
591:மாமகந்தான் ஆடுவதற்கு வந்து வழி படுங்கோவில்"
575:regain power to wipe off the sins of others
243:List of mandapams and wells inside the tank
179:for the sins committed by humans in earth.
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783:Kumbakonam Mahamaham tank on a regular day
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1090:, New Delhi: Asian Educational Services,
1029:. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
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536:combined dips in all the holy rivers of
515:. Once in twelve years, when the planet
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1392:Buildings and structures in Tamil Nadu
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611:சரஸ்வதிபொற் றாமரைபுட் கரணி தெண்ணீர்க்
119:
735:Yearly Masimagam festival at the tank
723:Yearly Masimagam festival at the tank
711:Yearly Masimagam festival at the tank
7:
617:குடந்தைக்கீழ் கோட்டத்தெங் கூத்தனாரே"
613:கோவியோடு குமரிவரு தீர்த்தஞ் சூழ்ந்த
566:to all celestial deities as under:
901:
239:and stone steps around this tank.
18:Historic site in Tamil Nadu, India
14:
1397:Tourist attractions in Tamil Nadu
213:sixteen small Mandapams (shrines)
156:has close to 2 million visitors.
1027:South Indian Shrines Illustrated
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548:Night view of the Mahamaham tank
511:(February–March) in the star of
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1402:Hindu pilgrimage sites in India
607:தாவிமுதற் காவிரிநல் யமுனை கங்கை
171:) and its ending, eclipses and
1361:Central Bus Station Kumbakonam
1:
1025:Ayyar, P.V. Jagadisa (1993).
127:Location in Tamil Nadu, India
1262:Kottaiyur Kodeeswarar temple
1044:Bansal, Sunita Pant (2008),
1006:Mahamaham Festival 2004 (in
1366:2004 Kumbakonam School fire
1282:Kambatta Visvanathar Temple
1084:V., Vriddhagirisan (1995),
926:Harshananda, Swami (2012).
870:Harshananda, Swami (2012).
857:
656:Kambatta Visvanathar Temple
579:Sekkizhar, saint author of
1428:
1387:Temple tanks in Tamil Nadu
1356:Kumbakonam railway station
1267:Amirthakalasanathar Temple
1050:, Delhi: Hindology Books,
842:
815:"Hi-tech rein on pilgrims"
672:Amirthakalasanathar Temple
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235:, constructed the sixteen
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1070:, New Delhi: Isha Books,
585:notes the holy rivers as
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1346:Kumbakonam Degree Coffee
928:Hindu Pilgrimage Centres
1252:Kalahasteeswarar Temple
1232:Kasi Viswanathar Temple
953:
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664:Kalahasteeswarar Temple
628:Kasi Viswanathar Temple
1307:Rajagopalaswamy Temple
1222:Adi Kumbeswarar Temple
771:Kumbeswarar Procession
688:Rajagopalaswamy Temple
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97:Dravidian architecture
93:Architectural style(s)
1412:Temple tanks in India
1287:Ekambareswarar Temple
1272:Banapuriswarar Temple
1257:Gowthameswarar Temple
1064:S., Gajarani (2004),
872:Hindu Pilgrim centres
660:Banapuriswarar Temple
652:Gowthameswarar Temple
644:Ekambareswarar Temple
547:
359:Saraswathi Theertham
1277:Abimukeswarar Temple
1227:Airavatesvara Temple
692:Varahaperumal Temple
648:Abimukeswarar Temple
436:Bayoshini Theertham
759:Elephant procession
327:Godavari Theertham
227:, the chieftain of
77:10.9558°N 79.3817°E
73: /
1292:Sarangapani Temple
1237:Kumbeswarar Temple
993:– via JSTOR.
795:Mahamaham Stampede
676:Sarangapani Temple
668:Koteeswarar Temple
632:Kumbeswarar Temple
622:Associated temples
550:
523:) enters the sign
493:Mahamaham festival
464:(Celestial Deity)
458:Varunai Theertham
425:Niruthi Theertham
409:(Celestial Deity)
392:Cauvery Theertham
376:(Celestial Deity)
348:Narmada Theertham
322:(Celestial Deity)
154:Mahamaham festival
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1297:Chakrapani Temple
1242:Someswarar Temple
1199:Thiruvidaimarudur
1087:Nayaks of Tanjore
1057:978-81-223-0997-3
937:978-81-7907-053-6
881:978-81-7907-053-6
821:on 5 January 2013
680:Chakrapani Temple
636:Someswarar Temple
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469:Sarayu Theertham
414:Kumari Theertham
370:Indira Theertham
338:Eshana Theertham
316:Kubera Theertham
305:Yamuna Theertham
294:Brahma Theertham
225:Govinda Dikshitar
219:Shiva or that of
191:Jammu and Kashmir
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1247:Nageswara Temple
1164:Revenue Division
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1194:Patteeswaram
1086:
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975:
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265:
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207:Architecture
201:
184:
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137:
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1204:Tirubuvanam
858:Bansal 2008
747:Percussions
505:Tamil month
144:located in
142:temple tank
80: /
56:Coordinates
1407:Kumbakonam
1381:Categories
1189:Swamimalai
1150:Tamil Nadu
1137:Kumbakonam
1018:References
843:Ayyar 1993
825:5 December
533:Kumbh mela
486:(Goddess)
442:(Goddess)
431:(Goddess)
420:(Goddess)
150:Tamil Nadu
146:Kumbakonam
140:is a huge
68:79°22′54″E
65:10°57′21″N
49:Tamil Nadu
45:Kumbakonam
1317:Mahamaham
1184:Darasuram
1146:Thanjavur
499:Mahamaham
363:Saraswati
260:Theertham
237:Mandapams
233:Thanjavur
217:Hindu god
186:Kali Yuga
1325:Festival
984:44211361
956:, p. 240
904:, p. 503
860:, p. 126
789:See also
484:Parvathi
475:(River)
440:Parvathi
429:Parvathi
418:Parvathi
398:(River)
365:(Deity)
354:(River)
333:(River)
331:Godavari
311:(River)
289:(River)
258:Name of
41:Location
1214:Temples
989:27 June
954:S. 2004
916:, p.120
914:V. 1995
698:Gallery
531:), the
521:Jupiter
396:Cauvery
387:(Fire)
352:Narmada
198:History
51:, India
1339:Topics
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690:, and
670:, and
572:Vishnu
473:Sarayu
462:Varuna
453:(God)
320:Kubera
309:Yamuna
299:Brahma
278:(Air)
181:Brahma
160:Legend
1174:Block
1169:Taluk
1008:Tamil
980:JSTOR
801:Notes
597:Appar
564:Shiva
538:India
525:Siṃha
513:Magam
451:Shiva
374:Indra
342:Shiva
297:Lord
287:Ganga
177:Shiva
1330:Tank
1179:Town
1092:ISBN
1072:ISBN
1052:ISBN
1031:ISBN
991:2021
932:ISBN
876:ISBN
827:2011
517:Guru
509:Masi
407:Yama
385:Agni
276:Vayu
168:Yuga
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507:of
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
