VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Mahamaham Tank Temples / மகாமகத்தீர்த்தக்கரை தலங்கள் / கும்பகோணம் மகாமக குளம், Kumbakonam, Kumbakonam District, Thanjavur District ), Tamil Nadu.

Friday, 15 March 2024

Mahamaham Tank Temples / மகாமகத்தீர்த்தக்கரை தலங்கள் / கும்பகோணம் மகாமக குளம், Kumbakonam, Kumbakonam District, Thanjavur District ), Tamil Nadu.

The visit to these 16 Shiva Temples on the banks of Mahamaham Tank was a part of Divya Desams around Kumbakonam and Thanjavur Visit on 10^th and 11^th February 2024, organized by Culture Circuit.

The Mahamaham Tank is in trapezoidal shape. There are 16 small Shiva shrines with mandapas, constructed around the banks of the Mahamaham Tank. All the 16 Shiva Shrines are facing the Tank, irrespective of directions.

ARCHITECTURE

The unique features of these Shrines and Mandapas are built with Vimanas. The Shrines are built on upanam and a Pada bandha adhistanam with 3 patta kumudam. Most of the Shrines are with eka tala Vimana, where as the mandapa vimanas are with 2 talas. The sanctum sanctorum and the Mandapas are built with stones and the Vimanas are built with bricks. Stucco images of Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Brahma, and Maha Vishnu are in the Mandapa Tala and Greeva kostas. There are no images in the Shrine Deva Kostas and Greeva Kostas.

Sri Brahmatheertheswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ பிரம்மதீர்த்தேஸ்வரர் கோயில். This temple is on the North - West corner of the Mahamaham Tank.

Sri Mugunthechurar Temple / ஸ்ரீ முகுந்தேசுரர் கோயில், is on the North banks of Mahamaham Tank.

Sri Thanechurar Temple / ஸ்ரீதனேச்சுரர் கோயில், is on the North banks of Mahamaham Tank.

Sri Edabeswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ இடபேஸ்வரர் கோயில், is on the North banks Mahamaham Tank.

Sri Baneeswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ பானேஸ்வரர் கோயில், is on the North banks of Mahamaham Tank.

Sri Koneshwarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ கோனேஸ்வரர் கோயில், is on the North - East corner of the Mahamaham Tank.

Sri Dineshwarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ தினேஷ்வரர் கோயில், is on the East banks of Mahamaham Tank.

Sri Bairaveswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ பைரவேஸ்வரர் கோயில், is on the East banks of Mahamaham Tank.

Sri Agastheeswarar Temple /ஸ்ரீ அகத்தீஸ்வரர் கோயில், is on the South - East corner of the Mahamaham Tank.

Sri Viyasheswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீவியாசேஸ்வரர் கோயில், is on the South banks of Mahamaham Tank.

Sri Umabakeshwarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ உமாபாகேஸ்வரர் கோயில், is on the South banks of Mahamaham Tank.

Sri Nairudeeswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ நைருதீஸ்வரர் கோயில், is on the South banks of Mahamaham Tank.

Sri Birmeswarar Temple / ஶ்ரீ பீர்மேஸ்வரர் கோயில், is on the South - West corner of the Mahamaham Tank.

Sri Gangeswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீகங்கேஸ்வரர் கோயில், is on the West banks of Mahamaham Tank.

Sri Muktheeswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ முக்தேஸ்வரர் கோயில், is on the West banks of Mahamaham Tank.

Sri Sheshaithirabaleswarar temple/ ஶ்ரீ சேஷத்திரபாலேஸ்வரர் கோயில், is on the West banks of Mahamaham Tank.

HISTORY

The 16^th Century Govinda Deekshitar, the Chief Minister of Achutappa Nayak was responsible for the renovation of all these Shrines. He was the Chief Minister for 3 Vijayanagara Nayaka Rulers of the Thanjavur region, namely Achuthappa Nayaka, Sevappa Nayak, and Raghunatha Nayaka of Thanjavur. Govinda Deekshidar started the oldest Raja Kaavya Vedic padasala during 1542 CE, in Kumbakonam. He was instrumental, in renovating this Mahamaham Tank with steps and 16 temples around the banks of the Tank. He had carried out these, through the Gold gifted to him, equivalent to his weight as Thulabaram by the Achuthappa Nayaka, the Thanjavur Nayaka king.

The sculpture of the offering of gold by Raghunatha Nayak is found in the Sri Muguntheeswarar Temple Mandapam. In other mandapas sculptures pertaining to the respective grants are found.

sculpture of offering of gold by Raghunatha Nayak to Govinda Deekshidhar- Thulabaram

Thanks to Dr. Kamal

PC - Uma G - Govinda Deekshidar and his wife Nagambigai

HOW TO REACH

The Mahamaham Tank is about 1 KM from Kumbakonam Railway Station and Kumbakonam Bus Stand.

The tank is about 36 KM from Thiruvaiyaru, 44 KM from Thanjavur, 47 KM from Thiruvarur, and 282 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is Kumbakonam.

LOCATION OF THE MAHAMAHAM TANK: CLICK HERE

Old Chariot

Sri Gauthameswarar Temple New Chariot Vellottam / Trial Run was conducted on 07th Feb 2024

Sri Gauthameswarar Temple New Chariot Vellottam / Trial Run was conducted on 07th Feb 2024.

Mahamaham Tank

I was not very serious about 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 friends 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 days 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. From Feb 13^th to 22^nd water in the Kaveri was released from Kallanai. During the Mahamaham festival water spray arrangements were made on all 20 wells. The 12 Shiva temples and 5 Vaishnava temples of Kumbakonam used to join and celebrate this Mahamaha festival.

Shiva Temples are…

KasiViswanathar Temple,
AdiKumbeswarar Temple,
SomeswararTemple,
NageswaraswamyTemple,
Kalahasteeswarar Temple,
Gauthameswarar Temple,
Kodeeswarar Temple,
Amirthakadeswarar Temple,
Banapuriswarar Temple,
Abhi MukheswararTemple,
Kambatta Viswanathar Temple and
Ekambareswarar Temple.

The Maha Vishnu Temples are…

SarangapaniTemple,
ChakrapaniTemple,
Ramaswamy Temple,
Rajagopalaswamy Temple, and
Varaha Perumal Temple.

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 wanted to purify themselves from the sins absorbed by them from the human beings, after taking a holy dip in the rivers. Shiva advised all to take a bath in the Mahamaham tank on the Mahamaham day where the Amirtha fell into the tank and were relieved from their 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 the moon with the lunar asterism ( Magha Nakshatra ) and when Jupiter is in the constellation of Leo. This festival occurs when the sun is in the Zodiacal sign of the Aquarius ( Kumbha ). Jupiter transits to Leo ( Simha) and the moon is in conjunction with the constellation Maham. Generally, all these astronomical combinations take place on a full moon day of the Tamil month Masi ( Solar Kumbh month ) ie. The latter part of February or the first part of March, once in 11 to 12 years.

There is a story about how the Amirtha fell into the Mahamaham Tank... the story goes like this ... At the end of the Thuvabra yuga before the 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 pralaya, 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 falls on the place is called Kudavasal, The center of the pot that falls is called Thirukkalayanallur and the bottom fallen place is called Kumbakonam. The amirtha fell in the Mahamaham tank and the Potramarai Kulam.

On reaching Kumbakonam, my friends Mr. Alex and Mr. Madham took 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 a trapezoidal shape with steps. There are 20 wells dedicated to the 20 holy rivers. It is believed that holy water springs out of each well. There are 16 Shiva Shrines with mandapas and a Nava Kannika Temple, built around the Mahamaham Tank. The tank spreads over an area of 6.2 acres. Govinda Deekshitar of Nayaka’s chieftain re-constructed the Mahamaham tank steps and 16 Small Shrines with mandapas on the banks of the tank.

LOCATION OF MAHAMAHAM TANK: CLICK HERE