Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam
Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva,
located in the town of Kumbakonam. Shiva is worshiped as Adi Kumbeswarar,
and is represented by the lingam.
His consort Parvati is depicted as Mangalambigai Amman.
The temple complex houses four gateway towers known
as gopurams. The tallest
is the eastern tower, with 11 stories and a height of 128 feet. 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 Vijayanagar period that has all
the 27 stars and 12 zodiacs sculpted in a single stone.
The present masonry structure was built during
the Chola dynasty in the 9th century, while later expansions are
attributed to Vijayanagar rulers of the Thanjavur Nayaks of the 16th
century
Adi Kumbeswarar is the presiding deity of the temple
Mangalambika is his consort and her shrine is present parallel to the left of
Kumbeswarar shrine. The temple has a colonnaded hall and a good collection of
silver vahanas (sacred
vehicles used to carry deities during festival processions)Beyond the
flagstaff, a hallway whose columns feature painted brackets representing yali (a mythological creature)
leads to the gopuram.
The Navarathiri Mandapam
has 27 Nakshatram (Stars) and 12 Rasis (constellations) carved in a single block.
The idol of Subramanya having six hands instead
of 12.
Stone Nadaswarams (pipe instrument) and
Kiratamurti are main attractions of the temple.
The Mahamaham tank,is associated with the temple,
where Mahamaham festival is held once in 12 years.
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