27. SRI NAGESWARASWAMY TEMPLE AT KUDANTHAI KEEZHKKOTTAM (KUMBAKONAM)

Devara Paadal Petra Sthalam	144th Shiva Sthalams(One of the Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam)
Region	Chola Naadu - South
Chola Naadu - South	27th Shiva Sthalam
Pathigam	Saint Thirunavukarasar (Appar)

HISTORY:

Kumbakonam, popularly known as the “Temple city”, is located on the banks of the river Cauveri. Cauvery and Arasalaru rivers flow in such a manner that they look like garlands adorning this place. 

The historical names of this place are Vilva Vanam, Surya Kottam and Keezha Kottam. As this temple is on the eastern side of Kumbakonam, the temple is known as Kudanthai Keezha Kottam (“Keezh thisai means eastern side and kottam means temple).

At a later date, a Shiva devotee named Padakachery Ramalinga Swamigal took a lot of pain to renovate this temple which was in a dilapidated condition at that time. He also performed the consecration ceremony in the year 1923. It is believed that he collected the funds by way of alms in a pot (hundi) which he tied around his neck. His idol with the hundi can be seen at the main entrance tower.

12 famous Shiva temples:

12 famous Shiva temples participate in the renowned “Mahaamaham” festival during which “Theerthavaari” happens in the Mahaamaha tank. This festival is celebrated once in 12 years in Kumbakonam. These 12 Shiva temples are:

·        Kasi Viswanathar Temple, Kumbakonam

·        Aadhi Kumbeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

·        Someswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

·        Nageswarar (Vilvavaneswarar) Temple, Kumbakonam

·        Kalahasteeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

·        Gauthameswarar (Upaveethanathar) Temple, Kumbakonam

·        Koteeswarar Temple, Kottaiyur

·        Amirthakalasanathar Temple, Kalayanallur

·        Bhanapureeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

·        Abhimukeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

·        Aathikambatta Visvanathar Temple, Kumbakonam and

·        Ekambareswarar Temple, Kumbakonam.

5 Vaishnava temples:

5 Vaishnava temples from Kumbakonam also participate in this festival. However, instead of their Theerthavaari in Mahaamaha tank, the Theerthavaari happens in the river Kaveri. These Vaishnava temples are:
1. Sri Saarangapani temple
2. Sri Chakrapaani temple
3. Sri Ramaswami temple
4. Sri Rajagopalaswami temple and
5. Sri Aadhivaraha Perumal temple.

Pralayam:

At the end of every “yuga”, there is a huge flood that leads to the destruction of all living beings in the earth. This is called the “Pralayam”.  Lord Shiva, through Lord Brahma, arranged for the seeds of all living organisms and four Vedas and Puranas to be put in a pot (“Amutha Kalas” or Kumbham or Kudam in Tamil) filled with nectar (“amirtham”). This was decorated with flowers and cloth and a string was tied to it. This was kept on top of the Mount Kailash. When the Maha Pralayam started, it destroyed all living creatures on the earth. The Amutha Kalas also got displaced and started floating on the seas for years. Eventually when the Pralayam stopped, the Kalas settled in Kumbakonam. Then Lord Shiva took the form of a hunter (Kiratha Murthy) and split open the pot with his arrow. The life on earth started flourishing again.

Shivalingams:

It is believed that when Lord Shiva opened the pot with his arrow, the pot broke and the decorative items on it fell in various places across the earth. Each of these pieces became Shivalingams.

These places are -

·        Kumbesam – this is the place where the Amutha Kalas stayed. This is presently known as Sri Aadhi Kumbeswarar temple (“Aadhi” means “the very beginning”). It is believed that Lord Kiratha Murthy himself made a Shivalingam with the broken pieces of the Kalas by mixing nectar and sand with it. He worshiped this lingam and stayed back in this place. The Shivalingam is in the shape of the neck of a pot (“Kudamukku” in Tamil).

·        Somesam – This is the place where the Kalas’s string (“Uri” / “Sikkam” in Tamil) fell. This place is presently known as Sri Someswarar temple.

·        Nagesam – This is the place where the Kalas’s “vilvam” (leaf used in poojas) fell.  This place is presently known as Sri Nageswarar temple.

·        Abhimugesam – This is the place where the Kalas’s coconut fell. This place is presently known as Sri Abhimugeswarar temple.

·        Gautamesam – This is the place where the Kalas’s sacred thread fell.  This place is presently known as Sri Gautameswarar temple.

·        Kudavoil - This is the place where the Kalas’s rim fell. This place is presently known as Sri Koneswarar temple at Kudavasal.

·        Kalayanallur (Saakkottai) – This is the place where the mid-portion of the Kalas fell. This place is presently known as Sri Amirthakalasa Nathar temple.

·        Bhanathurai, - This is the place where Lord Shiva broke the Kalas with his arrow. This place is presently known as Sri Bhanapureeswarar temple.

·        Maalathivanam – This is the place where the Kalas’s flowers fell.  This place is presently known as Sri Aathikampatta Viswanathar temple.

·        Sri Kalahastheeswarar Koil – This is the place where the Kalas’s “Chandan” fell.

·        Sri Ekambareswarar temple - This is the place where the Kalas’s other decorative items fell. 

·        Kottaiyur Sri Koteeswarar temple - This is the place where some drops of the nectar fell.

The nectar from the Kalas is believed to have reached the Mahaamaham and Potraamarai tanks.

Kumbakonam:

This nectar is also believed to have spread around an area of about 24 kms. In this radius, there are five Shiva temples which are known as “Panchakurosa Sthalams” (“pancha means five and “kurosa” is a unit of measurement used in ancient times). These temples are Thiruvidaimaruthur, Koranattu Karuppur, Thirunageswaram, Swamimalai, and Dharasuram

Anecdotally, since the Kalas (also called Kumbam) settled in this place, it gets the name of “Kumbakonam”.

Serpent king Adhisheshan:

Serpent king Adhisheshan (Naga Raj, the king of serpent) holds the earth in its place. Once he was tired and was unable to hold the earth. He pleaded to Lord Shiva to give him enough strength to continue doing his job. Lord Shiva advised him to go to earth and worship him at this temple in Kumbakonam. The lord further advised him that he would get the energy to hold the earth with a single head instead of having 1000 heads. He installed a Shivalingam here and worshipped the lord. As Nagaraja worshipped the lord here, the lord is praised as Sri Nageswarar.

Gangai Vinayakar:

Chola King Rajendra's Ganges expedition, the victorious army brought a beautiful Vinayakar statue as a war trophy to the Chola empire. This Vinayakar statue was kept in this temple and was aptly named as “Sri Gangai Vinayakar”. This Vinayakar can be seen in the hall in front of the sanctum sanctorum.

16 Shivalingams:

The huge Mahamaha tank covers of an area of about 6 acres and it has 16 entrances. At each entrance, there is a shrine for Lord Shiva. These shrines are collectively called “Sodasa Mahalingaswamy” (“Sodasam means 16 in Tamil). The names of these 16 Shivalingams are –

·        Brahmatheertheswarar

·        Mukuntheswarar

·        Thaneswarar

·        Vrushabeswarar

·        Baneswarar

·        Koneswarar

·        Bakthikeswarar

·        Bairaveswarar

·        Agastheeswarar

·        Vyaseswarar

·        Uma Bakeswarar

·        Nirutheeswarar

·        Brahmeswarar

·        Gangathareswarar

·        Mukthi Theertheswarar

·        Kshetrabaleswarar.

·        Mahamaha Theertham is known as -

·        Brahma Theertham in “Kruthayugam”

·        Papanodam in “Threthayugam”

·        Mukthi Theertham in “Thuvabarayugam” and

·        Kanya Theertham in Kaliyugam.

20 wells and Theerthams:

There are 20 wells and Theerthams inside the Mahamaha tank, these are theerthams dedicated to Indra, Agni, Naga, Thiruthi, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera, Eesanya, Brahma, Ganga, Yamuna, Godhavari, Narmada, Saraswati, kaveri, Kumari, Bayoshini, Sarayu, Kanniya and Devas.

Mahamaham festival:

The Mahamaham festival takes place once in every twelve years during the Tamil Month of Masi (February - March), when lakhs of pilgrims from various parts of India visit Kumbakonam to take a holy dip in the sacred Mahamaham tank which is located in the heart of the town. After the dip here, devotees also take a dip in the nearby Potramarai tank and in the river Kaveri (Sakkara Padithurai bathing ghat).

People who worshipped here:

Serpents Adhiseshan, Dakshan and Kaarkotakan worshipped Lord Shiva here. Also, it is believed that Suryan and King Nala worshipped the lord here.

SALIENT FEATURE:

·        This is one of the famous Parihara Sthalams for planet Rahu.

·        This east facing temple with 5 tiers.

·        This temple is one of the participating temple in the Mahaamaham Theerthavaari.

·        There is a popular saying in Sanskrit - Kumbakonam is more sacred than Varanasi (Kasi). A sin committed at some place can be washed away by visiting a neaby holy place.  A sin committed in one of the sacred places is washed away by going on a pilgrimage to Varanasi. However, if one commits a sin in Varanasi itself, it can only be washed off in Kumbakonam. Similarly, any sinful act done at Kumbakonam is washed away there itself.

·        Kumbakonam gets the name “Bhaskara Kshetram” because Suryan is believed to have worshiped the lord here. Suryan is also known as Bhaskara.

·        The temple’s holy Theertham, “Singamuga kinaru” (lion faced well) can be seen in the outer corridor.

·        This temple is considered to be significant for its three important attributes – Moorthy, Sthalam and Theertham - glory of Lord, sacredness of the land and the auspicious temple tank.

·        This temple’s Nataraja Sabha is called as “Perambalam” as it is in the shape of a chariot (“Ratham”). The chariot has stone wheels on both sides and is aesthetically designed with stone 2 horses and 4 elephants pulling it. The 12 spokes on the wheels are said to represent the 12 zodiac signs.

·        It is believed that worshiping the Lord Nageswarar at three different temples – here in this temple, at Thirunageswaram and at Thiruppampuram during morning, afternoon and evening respectively is very auspicious.

·        It is believed that Lord Suryan (Sun) worships Lord Shiva of this temple by directing his rays on the lingam every year for three days in the Tamil month of Chithirai (Apr-May) on 11th, 12th and 13th at 06.00 AM.

·        The significance of this temple is that Goddess Mahakaali and Lord Agni Veerabadrar (Urthuva Dhandavamurthy) are placed opposite to each other.

·        Another significance of this temple is the shrine of “Pralayakala Rudrar” which cannot be seen anywhere else.

·        The other noteworthy feature is that Goddess Sivakami can be seen playing the Thalam to the dance of Lord Natarajar. Lord Vishnu can be seen playing the flute. Lord Natarajar here is also praised as “Sri Aanantha Koothar”.

TEMPLE INFORMATION:

Moolavar	Sri Nageswaraswamy, Sri Madanthai Pahar, Sri Vilva Nesar, Sri Paathala Beeja Nathar
Ambal	Sri Periyanayagi, Sri Brahan Nayaki
Theertham	Mahaamaham tank
Sthala Vriksham	Vilvam tree

BELIEF:

Devotees can worship the lord here between 4.30 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. (Rahukala time) on Sundays to get relief from all types of ailments.

It is also believed that worshiping Lord Shiva here will result in the reunion of estranged couples.

Devotees believe that by worshiping the lord here, obstacles from their marriage proposals will be removed.

Lord Jurahara Ganapathy is very famous here – (“Juram” means fever in Tamil). For any kind of fever, devotees can pray to this lord for relief. They perform abhishekam of the lord with offerings of rice, pepper “rasam” and dal paste (“Thokaiyal”). 

TEMPLE FESTIVAL:

Tamil Month	English Month	Festival Name
Maasi	Feb-Mar	“Maasi Maham” Brahmotsavam

HOW TO REACH:

Kudanthai Keezhkkottam, now popularly known as Sri Nageswaraswamy temple is situated in the heart of Kumbakonam town. It is on the Chidambaram to Tanjure via Mayiladuthurai route. It is about 35 kms from Mayiladuthurai. Kumbakonam has a railway station and this temple is about 2 kms away from the station.

TEMPLE ADDRESS:

Sri Nageswarswamy Temple,
Kumbakonam,
Tanjure
Tamil Nadu – 612 001.

LOCATION: