ADI KUMBESHWAR TEMPLE - KUMBAKONAM

Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

 The name of the town Kumbakonam is derived from the legend associated with Kumbeswarar Temple. "Kumbakonam", means Kumbha (Pot) Konam (Angle). The lingam is in the form of a Pot which is conical on top. It is also tilted to the left. This is a unique lingam in the world.During cosmic dissolution, a pot containing nectar (Amrita) was floating and lord Shiva came in the disguise of a hunter and pierced the pot with an arrow, thereby making the nectar to flow through it’s mouth on all sides . Hence this place is named Kudamooku(muham) (kudam – pot; Muham – mouth or tip). The mythical pot (kumbha) of Brahma that contained the seed of all living beings on earth. The kumbha is believed to have been displaced by a Pralaya (dissolution of the universe). Shiva's arrow peirced the pot and the seeds dispersed for evolution. The town of Kumbakonam was also known in Tamil as Kudamukku or Kudavayil.

 

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.