Kumbakonam is often called the temple town of Tamil Nadu, and the Adi Kumbeswarar Temple is at its heart.
Significance
According to legend, at the time of the great deluge, Lord Brahma placed a divine pot (kumbam) containing the seed of creation on the waters. The pot came to rest here, and when Lord Shiva — as a hunter — broke it with an arrow, its nectar spread across the land. The lingam at Adi Kumbeswarar is believed to have been shaped from the sand and nectar of that pot, which gives both the temple and the town their names.
Kumbakonam’s Mahamaham tank is associated with the same story, and the Mahamaham festival, held roughly once every twelve years, is one of the largest gatherings in South India.
Visiting
Adi Kumbeswarar is part of our Kumbakonam temple tour, and Kumbakonam is the base for the Navagraha temple tour.
