Friday, July 17, 2020

Kalahasteeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam – Religious Significance

Kalahasteeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam – Religious Significance
Shiva Temples:
Twelve famous Shiva temples in and around Kumbakonam participate in the famous Maha Maham festival during which Theerthavari happens in the Mahamaha Tank. This festival is celebrated once in 12 years in Kumbakonam.
These 12 Shiva temples are:
Of them 10 temples are in Kumbakonam. The processional deities of these temples come to this tank during festival days.
Vishnu Temples:
Also, 5 Vaishnava temples from Kumbakonam also participate in this festival. However, the Theerthavari happens in the river Kaveri instead of the Theerthavari in Mahamaha tank.
These Vaishnava temples are:
Equivalent to Sri Kalahasti:
This temple is considered equivalent to Sri Kalahasti in Andhra Pradesh.  Hence the presiding deities also bear similar names – Kalahasteeswarar and Gnanambigai (Gnanaprahalambigai).  
Equivalent to Tirupathy and Sri Kalahasti:
Also, people claim that as there are Tirupathy and Sri Kalahasti in the North, here the two temples – Kalahasteeswarar (Then Kalahasti) and Uppiliappan (Then Thirupathi) – are situated close to each other.