Kalahasteeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam – Religious Significance

Kalahasteeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam – Religious Significance

Maha Maham Festival:

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:

1. Kasi Viswanathar Temple, Kumbakonam

2. Aadhi Kumbeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

3. Someswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

4. Nageswarar (Vilvavaneswarar) Temple, Kumbakonam

5. Kalahasteeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

6. Gauthameswarar (Upaveethanathar) Temple, Kumbakonam

7. Koteeswarar Temple, Kottaiyur

8. Sakkottai Amirthakalasa Nathar Temple, Kalayanallur

9. Banapureeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

10. Abhimukeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

11. Aadhi Kambatta Visvanathar Temple, Kumbakonam 

12. Ekambareswarar Temple, Kumbakonam

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:

1.    Saarangapani Temple, Kumbakonam

2.    Chakrapani Temple, Kumbakonam

3.    Ramaswamy Temple, Kumbakonam

4.    Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Kumbakonam

5.    Aadhi Varaha Perumal Temple, Kumbakonam

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.