VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Chakrapani Temple / சக்கரபாணி கோயில், கும்பகோணம் and Mahamaham Tank, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

Thursday 10 March 2016

Chakrapani Temple / சக்கரபாணி கோயில், கும்பகோணம் and Mahamaham Tank, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

10^th March, 2016.

SRI CHAKRAPANI TEMPLE

This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and the temple is located near Mahamaham Tank.

Inside view of Rajagopuram, Balipeedam and Dwajasthambam

Moolavar : Sri Chakrapani

Thayar : Sri Vijayalakshmi Thayar.

Some of the important features of this temple are....

Sannadhi for Vinayagar, Panchamuga Anjaneyar in the outer prakaram. The sanctum was built on an elevated place with steps. It has two entrances, one is called Dhatchinaya Vayil and the other is called Utharavana Vayil and both are alternatively kept open for darshan for six months. Moolavar is in the form of Chakkara with three eyes like Lord Shiva and also called as ChakkaraRaja. Thayar is in a separate sannadhi.

LEGENDS

The history of the temple goes like this... Mahavishnu – Sri Sarangapani sent his disc to destroy the demon Jalandarasura. After killing the Chakra came and rested on Brahma who was doing yagna on the banks of river Kaveri. On seeing the brightness of Chakra Sun increases its brightness and all the sun’s brightness was observed by Chakra. On seeing this Sun surrendered to Chakra and Built a temple and worshiped.

The place where, Chakra reappeared after killing demon is called as Chakra Padithurai on the banks of River Kaveri.

The temple was built during the 16^th century by Nayakars reign.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

This is one of the 5 Maha Vishnu Temples, that participates in Mahamaham Theerthavari festival, which occurs once in 12 Years. The list of 12 Shiva temples and 5 Vaishnava temples of Kumbakonam used to join and celebrate this Mahamaha festival is given below.

Shiva Temples are…

1. Kasi Viswanathar Temple,

2. Adi Kumbeswarar Temple,

3. Someswarar Temple,

4. Nageswaraswamy Temple,

5. Kalahasteeswarar Temple,

6. Gauthameswarar Temple,

7. Kodeeswarar Temple,

8. Amirthakadeswarar Temple,

9. Banapuriswarar Temple,

10. Abhi Mukheswarar Temple,

11. Kambatta Viswanathar Temple and

12. EkambareswararTemple.

The Maha Vishnu Temples are…

1. Sarangapani Temple,

2. Chakrapani Temple,

3. Ramaswamy Temple,

4. Rajagopalaswamy Temple, and

5. Varaha Perumal Temple.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple is kept open between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The landline no 0435 – 2403284 may be contacted for further details.

http://www.srichakrapanitemple.org/

http://mahamahamfestival.in/

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE :CLICK HERE

Moolavar vimanam view through grill work

Temple entrance arch with Dwajasthambam

Rajagopuram,

Rajagopuram with old hand made tiled house

..............To be continued.

Mahamaham Tank

I was not very serious of attending the Mahamaham to be held at Kumbakonam once in 12 years and this year it was held between Feb 13^th to 22^nd, 2016. One of my friend Mr Alex, called me on Mahamaham day and asked me about my program. Also people who could not take a holy dip on Masi magam nakshatra day, can have the holy dip on any one of the day of Tamil Masi Month ( February – March ). So planned to visit Kumbakonam on 13^th March 2016. The procedure is after the holy dip in all the 20 wells, we have to take the holy dip in Potramarai Kulam and River Kaveri. During Feb 13^th to 22^nd water in the Cauvery was released from Kallanai. During Mahamaham festival water spray arrangement was made on all 20 wells. The 12 Shiva temples and 5 Vaishnava temples of Kumbakonam used to join and celebrate this Mahamaha festival.

Mahamaham Tank – devotees are taking the holy dip

A brief history of the Mahamaham is as follows.....

All the 20 rivers went to Shiva and wants to purify themselves from the sins absorbed by them from the human beings, after taking holy dip in the rivers. Shiva advised all to take bath in the Mahamaham tank on the Mahamaham day where the amirtha was fell in to the tank, and get relieved from the sins.

How the mahamaha day is calculated... The day is decided as per the astrological position : During the full moon day of Tamil month Masi, when the conjunction of moon with the lunar asterism ( Magha Nakshatra ) and when the Jubitor is in constellation of Leo. This festival occurs when the sun is in the Zodiacal sign of the Aquarius ( Kumbha ). The Jupiter transit to Leo ( Simha) and the moon is conjunction with the constellation Maham. Generally all these astronomical combination takes place on a full moon day of Tamil month Masi ( Solar Kumbh month ) ie. Latter part of February or first part of March, once in 11 to 12 Years.

There is a story how the amirtha fell in to the Mahamaham Tank... the story goes likes this ... At the end of the Thuvabra yuga before starting of Kali yuga, Brahma put samples of all living beings in a pot ( Kumbam ) of Amrita and kept on the top of mount meru. After the pralayam, the pot/ kumbam floated in the water and reached Kumbakonam. Lord Shiva as a hunter broke the pot with his bow and arrow. The mouth that fallen on the place is called as Kudavasal, The centre of pot that fallen is called as Thirukkalayanallur and the bottom fallen place is called as Kumbakonam. The amirtha fell in Mahamaham tank and the Potramarai Kulam.

On reaching Kumbakonam, my friends Mr Alex and Mr Madham takes care of me and they took me to all the three theertha tanks and Sri Sakkarapani Temple, Sri Sarangapani Temple and Sri Someswarar Temple and finally dropped me at Thiruvisanallur.

MAHAMAHAM TANK:

The tank is in octagonal shape ( Kumbha shape ) with steps. There are 20 wells dedicated to the 20 holy rivers via. It is believed that holy water springs out of each well. There 16 mandapas and a Nava Kannika Temple, built around the Mahamaham Tank. The tank spreads an area of 6.2 acres. Govinda Theekshitan of Nayaka’s chieftain constructed the Mahamaham tank with steps and 16 mandapam’s on the banks of the tank.

LOCATION OF MAHAMAHAM TANK: CLICK HERE