Mahamaham
Encyclopedia
Mahamaham is a Hindu
Kumb Mela festival celebrated every 12 years in a town called Kumbakonam
in Tamil Nadu
, India
. Hindus consider taking a holy dip at the Mahamaham tank on the day of Mahamaham as sacred. The last Mahamaham was celebrated on March 6, 2004, with people from various places taking the holy dip in the Mahamaham tank.
The festival is celebrated at an interval of around eleven to twelve years. The festival takes place at a particular time as determined by astrological position: during the full moon of the Tamil month of Maasi (February–March) 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 Aquarius(Khumbha), Jupiter transists Leo(Simha) and the Moon is in conjunction with the constellation Maham. Generally all the these astronomical combination take place on a full moon day of the Tamil Month of Masi(Solar Kumbha Month) i.e. either in the latter half of February or in the first of March.
People are washing their sins on the holy rivers like Ganges, Yamuna
, Sarasvati River
, Sarayu
, Godavari River
, Mahanadi River
, Narmada River
, Pavoshnl and Kaveri River
. These rivers wanted to get rid of their sins and approached Lord Brahma
. Lord Brahma
advised these rivers if you meet together and take bath in Mahamaham would wash off all the sins. Hence, during the time of Mahamaham festival, it is also believed that taking bath in the holy stream of water from the famous rivers like Ganges, Yamuna
, Sarasvati River
, Sarayu
, Godavari River
, Mahanadi River
, Narmada River
, Pavoshnl and Kaveri River
, which are mixed together in Mahamaham tank, would get rid of sins according to Hindu religion.
Mahamaham bathing festival is concentrated on a single day, the concourse of pilgrims being all the more. During this festival, thousands of Hindu devotees come to Kumbakonam, and take bath in a tank named Mahamaham tank, generally followed or preceded by a dip in the kaveri river
at Kumbakonam. The tank has 20 holy wells. These wells are named after 20 holy rivers flowing across India. People get themselves drained in these wells. These wells are also called as "Theertham" (Holy water).
2.Ganga Theertham
3.Bramma Theertham
4.Yamuna Theertham
5.Kubera Theertham
6.Godavari Theertham
7.Eshana Theertham
8.Narmada Theertham
9.Saraswathi Theertham
10.Indira Theertham
11.Agni Theertham
12.Cauvery Theertham
13.Yama Theertham
14.Kumari Theertham
15.Niruthi Theertham
16.Bayoshni Theertham
17.Deva Theertham
18.Varunai Theertham
19.Sarayu Theertham
20.Kanya Theertham
It is believed that taking dip or sprinkling water of the tank on the bodies cleanses all the sins.
The Mahamaham Tank has four streets alongs its four banks. It is constructed with steps on the sides for people to easily access the tank and take dips. There are 16 Mandapas ( Gopuram Towers) around the corners and sides of the tank.These towers are considered to be forms of lord Shiva ( The Hindu
God)
2.Mukundeshwarar
3.Dhaneshwarar
4.Virushabeshwarar
5.Baaneshwarar
6.Koneshwarar
7.Bhakthikeshwarar
8.Bhairaveshwarar
9.Agasthyeshwarar
10.Vyaneshwarar
11.Umaibakeshwarar
12.Nairutheeshwarar
13.Brammeshwarar
14.Gangatheshwarar
15.Mukthatheertheshwarar
16.Shethrabaleshwarar
. Then Shiva took the form of a Hunter and split opened the pot with his arrow. The seeds and elixer poured out of it in now Mahamaham
tank. Then, life on earth started flourishing again.
Hence the God Shiva in here is called as Kumbehswarar.
There are three famous temple in kumbakonam
from where the idols are prayed. These temples include the " Abimuhadeeswara Temple" , " Kasi Viswanathar Temple" and " Kumbeshwara Temple".
to complete the process.
On the occasion of the festival
, metal idols of the deities of the main temples of Kumbakonam is carried on palanquins or chariots and taken around the different streets of the town.
There is an oft quoted popular saying in Sanskrit
noting Kumbakonam
as even as more sacred than Varanasi
(Kasi). A sin committed at some ordinary place is washed off by a visit to a holy place, sin done in a sacred
spot is washed off by going on a pilgrimage to Varanasi
(Kasi). If one dares to commit a sin in that sacred city too, that sin is wiped off at Kumbakonam
and any sinful act done at Kumbakonam
is atoned for there itself.
The next Mahamaham will be celebrated in the year 2016.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Kumb Mela festival celebrated every 12 years in a town called Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam , also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India , is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 272 kilometres from Chennai, it is the headquarters of the Kumbakonam...
in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Hindus consider taking a holy dip at the Mahamaham tank on the day of Mahamaham as sacred. The last Mahamaham was celebrated on March 6, 2004, with people from various places taking the holy dip in the Mahamaham tank.
The festival is celebrated at an interval of around eleven to twelve years. The festival takes place at a particular time as determined by astrological position: during the full moon of the Tamil month of Maasi (February–March) 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 Aquarius(Khumbha), Jupiter transists Leo(Simha) and the Moon is in conjunction with the constellation Maham. Generally all the these astronomical combination take place on a full moon day of the Tamil Month of Masi(Solar Kumbha Month) i.e. either in the latter half of February or in the first of March.
People are washing their sins on the holy rivers like Ganges, Yamuna
Yamuna
The Yamuna is the largest tributary river of the Ganges in northern India...
, Sarasvati River
Sarasvati River
The Sarasvati River is one of the chief Rigvedic rivers mentioned in ancient Hindu texts. The Nadistuti hymn in the Rigveda mentions the Sarasvati between the Yamuna in the east and the Sutlej in the west, and later Vedic texts like Tandya and Jaiminiya Brahmanas as well as the Mahabharata...
, Sarayu
Sarayu
The Sarayu is a river that flows through the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. This river is of ancient significance, finding mentions in the Vedas and the Ramayana. The Sarayu forms at the confluence of the Karnali and Mahakali in Bahraich District...
, Godavari River
Godavari River
The Godavari is a river that runs from western to southern India and is considered to be one of the big river basins in India. With a length of 1465 km, it is the second longest river in India , that runs within the country and also the longest river in South India...
, Mahanadi River
Mahanadi River
The Mahanadi in East Central India. It drains an area of around 141,600 km2 and has a total course of 858 km. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Orissa.-Source:...
, Narmada River
Narmada River
The Narmada , also called Rewa is a river in central India and the fifth largest river in the Indian subcontinent. It is the third largest river that completely flows within India after Ganges and Godavari...
, Pavoshnl and Kaveri River
Kaveri River
The Kaveri , also spelled Cauvery in English, is a large Indian river. The origin of the river is traditionally placed at Talakaveri, Kodagu in the Western Ghats in Karnataka, flows generally south and east through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and across the southern Deccan plateau through the...
. These rivers wanted to get rid of their sins and approached Lord Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
. Lord Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
advised these rivers if you meet together and take bath in Mahamaham would wash off all the sins. Hence, during the time of Mahamaham festival, it is also believed that taking bath in the holy stream of water from the famous rivers like Ganges, Yamuna
Yamuna
The Yamuna is the largest tributary river of the Ganges in northern India...
, Sarasvati River
Sarasvati River
The Sarasvati River is one of the chief Rigvedic rivers mentioned in ancient Hindu texts. The Nadistuti hymn in the Rigveda mentions the Sarasvati between the Yamuna in the east and the Sutlej in the west, and later Vedic texts like Tandya and Jaiminiya Brahmanas as well as the Mahabharata...
, Sarayu
Sarayu
The Sarayu is a river that flows through the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. This river is of ancient significance, finding mentions in the Vedas and the Ramayana. The Sarayu forms at the confluence of the Karnali and Mahakali in Bahraich District...
, Godavari River
Godavari River
The Godavari is a river that runs from western to southern India and is considered to be one of the big river basins in India. With a length of 1465 km, it is the second longest river in India , that runs within the country and also the longest river in South India...
, Mahanadi River
Mahanadi River
The Mahanadi in East Central India. It drains an area of around 141,600 km2 and has a total course of 858 km. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Orissa.-Source:...
, Narmada River
Narmada River
The Narmada , also called Rewa is a river in central India and the fifth largest river in the Indian subcontinent. It is the third largest river that completely flows within India after Ganges and Godavari...
, Pavoshnl and Kaveri River
Kaveri River
The Kaveri , also spelled Cauvery in English, is a large Indian river. The origin of the river is traditionally placed at Talakaveri, Kodagu in the Western Ghats in Karnataka, flows generally south and east through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and across the southern Deccan plateau through the...
, which are mixed together in Mahamaham tank, would get rid of sins according to Hindu religion.
Mahamaham bathing festival is concentrated on a single day, the concourse of pilgrims being all the more. During this festival, thousands of Hindu devotees come to Kumbakonam, and take bath in a tank named Mahamaham tank, generally followed or preceded by a dip in the kaveri river
Kaveri River
The Kaveri , also spelled Cauvery in English, is a large Indian river. The origin of the river is traditionally placed at Talakaveri, Kodagu in the Western Ghats in Karnataka, flows generally south and east through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and across the southern Deccan plateau through the...
at Kumbakonam. The tank has 20 holy wells. These wells are named after 20 holy rivers flowing across India. People get themselves drained in these wells. These wells are also called as "Theertham" (Holy water).
Names of 20 Theertham
1.Vayu Theertham2.Ganga Theertham
3.Bramma Theertham
4.Yamuna Theertham
5.Kubera Theertham
6.Godavari Theertham
7.Eshana Theertham
8.Narmada Theertham
9.Saraswathi Theertham
10.Indira Theertham
11.Agni Theertham
12.Cauvery Theertham
13.Yama Theertham
14.Kumari Theertham
15.Niruthi Theertham
16.Bayoshni Theertham
17.Deva Theertham
18.Varunai Theertham
19.Sarayu Theertham
20.Kanya Theertham
It is believed that taking dip or sprinkling water of the tank on the bodies cleanses all the sins.
The Mahamaham Tank has four streets alongs its four banks. It is constructed with steps on the sides for people to easily access the tank and take dips. There are 16 Mandapas ( Gopuram Towers) around the corners and sides of the tank.These towers are considered to be forms of lord Shiva ( The Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
God)
Names of the Gopuram Tower
1.Brammatheertheshwarar2.Mukundeshwarar
3.Dhaneshwarar
4.Virushabeshwarar
5.Baaneshwarar
6.Koneshwarar
7.Bhakthikeshwarar
8.Bhairaveshwarar
9.Agasthyeshwarar
10.Vyaneshwarar
11.Umaibakeshwarar
12.Nairutheeshwarar
13.Brammeshwarar
14.Gangatheshwarar
15.Mukthatheertheshwarar
16.Shethrabaleshwarar
Legend
It is believed that the God of Creation, Brahma will go for a sleep once in a while and it will result in the destruction of all the living beings in the earth. The Oceans will raise, flood the cities and villages, remains so for years and kills all the living beings in the world. This is called Brahma pralayam (Flood of Brahma). In order to sustain life in earth, Lord [Shiva] instructs the educated to take sample of seeds of living organisms in a pot (Kumbham) filled with elixer and keep it atop Himalayas ( now, Mt. Everest). When the Brahma pralayam started, it killed all living creatures in the earth, even the ones who filled the pot. The flood water level rose so high that it got the pot kept in Mt. Everest floating for years. Eventually when all the excess water dried up, the pot settled in a place now called KumbakonamKumbakonam
Kumbakonam , also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India , is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 272 kilometres from Chennai, it is the headquarters of the Kumbakonam...
. Then Shiva took the form of a Hunter and split opened the pot with his arrow. The seeds and elixer poured out of it in now Mahamaham
Mahamaham
Mahamaham is a Hindu Kumb Mela festival celebrated every 12 years in a town called Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu, India. Hindus consider taking a holy dip at the Mahamaham tank on the day of Mahamaham as sacred...
tank. Then, life on earth started flourishing again.
Hence the God Shiva in here is called as Kumbehswarar.
There are three famous temple in kumbakonam
Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam , also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India , is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 272 kilometres from Chennai, it is the headquarters of the Kumbakonam...
from where the idols are prayed. These temples include the " Abimuhadeeswara Temple" , " Kasi Viswanathar Temple" and " Kumbeshwara Temple".
Mahamaham day worship
On the Mahamaham day people start with praying these Siva temples. This is continued by dips in the 20 wells, visit to Kumbeswarar Temple, dip in the holy tank and finally in Kaveri riverKaveri River
The Kaveri , also spelled Cauvery in English, is a large Indian river. The origin of the river is traditionally placed at Talakaveri, Kodagu in the Western Ghats in Karnataka, flows generally south and east through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and across the southern Deccan plateau through the...
to complete the process.
On the occasion of the festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
, metal idols of the deities of the main temples of Kumbakonam is carried on palanquins or chariots and taken around the different streets of the town.
There is an oft quoted popular saying in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
noting Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam , also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India , is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 272 kilometres from Chennai, it is the headquarters of the Kumbakonam...
as even as more sacred than Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
(Kasi). A sin committed at some ordinary place is washed off by a visit to a holy place, sin done in a sacred
Sacred
Holiness, or sanctity, is in general the state of being holy or sacred...
spot is washed off by going on a pilgrimage to Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
(Kasi). If one dares to commit a sin in that sacred city too, that sin is wiped off at Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam , also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India , is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 272 kilometres from Chennai, it is the headquarters of the Kumbakonam...
and any sinful act done at Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam , also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India , is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 272 kilometres from Chennai, it is the headquarters of the Kumbakonam...
is atoned for there itself.
The next Mahamaham will be celebrated in the year 2016.