Mahamaham tank, Kumbakonam
Encyclopedia
Mahamaham Tank is a huge temple tank located in Kumbakonam
, Tamil Nadu
, India
. It is considered to be the foremost and largest among temple tanks in Tamil Nadu
.
in the garb of a hunter, shot an arrow at the pot and broke it, making it contents spill resulting in the revival of life. Kumbham means the pot and Konam means crooked - the pot the broke when Shiva
's arrow hit it. Adi Kumbeswara Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva
who broke the pot and place where the nectar fell is the Mahamaham tank.
town. This tank covers an area of 6.2 acres and is not a perfect rectangle. The tank is Surrounded by 16 small Mandapam
s and a "Nava Kannika Temple"(Nine rivers) in the Eastern Side. Govinda Theekshitan, the Chieftain, of Achutha Nayaka of Thanjavur, constructed sixteen Mandapam
s and stone steps around this tank.
is an annual event. But once in twelve years, when the planet Guru
(Jupiter) enters Simha
(Leo) sign, the Kumbh mela
festival of South India is celebrated at Mahamaham tank. Vast crowds gather at Kumbakonam
to have a dip in the tank, along with saints and philosophers. All the rivers of India are said to meet at the tank on this day and so, a purificatory bath at this tank on this day is considered equal to the combined dips in all the holy rivers of India
.
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...
, 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...
. It is considered to be the foremost and largest among temple tanks 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...
.
History
It is believed that after the deluge and just before the advent of Kaliyuga the celestial pot containing the nectar containing the seeds of life came to rest here. Lord ShivaShiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
in the garb of a hunter, shot an arrow at the pot and broke it, making it contents spill resulting in the revival of life. Kumbham means the pot and Konam means crooked - the pot the broke when Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
's arrow hit it. Adi Kumbeswara Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
who broke the pot and place where the nectar fell is the Mahamaham tank.
The Tank
The Tank is located in the heart of 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...
town. This tank covers an area of 6.2 acres and is not a perfect rectangle. The tank is Surrounded by 16 small Mandapam
Mandapam
Mandapam is a panchayat town in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Geography:Mandapam is located at . It has an average elevation of 9 metres .-Demographics:...
s and a "Nava Kannika Temple"(Nine rivers) in the Eastern Side. Govinda Theekshitan, the Chieftain, of Achutha Nayaka of Thanjavur, constructed sixteen Mandapam
Mandapam
Mandapam is a panchayat town in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Geography:Mandapam is located at . It has an average elevation of 9 metres .-Demographics:...
s and stone steps around this tank.
List of Mandapams
Brahmatheerthesar, Mukunthar, Thalesar, Rishakesar, Umaipakesar, Nairuthesar, Brahmeesar, Gangatheerthesar and Seshtra Paleesar, are the names of deities located in these Mandapams.List of wells inside the tank
| Name of Theertham Theertham Theertham is a 1987 Malayalam language film. It was directed by Mohan.... |
Associated Deity |
| Vayu Theertham | Vayu Vayu Vāyu is a primary Hindu deity, the Lord of the winds, the father of Bhima and the spiritual father of Lord Hanuman... (Air) |
| Ganga Theertham | Ganga(River) |
| Brahma Theertham | 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... |
| Yamuna Theertham | Yamuna Yamuna The Yamuna is the largest tributary river of the Ganges in northern India... (River) |
| Kubera Theertham | Kubera Kubera Kubera , also spelt Kuber, is the Lord of wealth and the god-king of the semi-divine Yakshas in Hindu mythology. He is regarded as the regent of the North , and a protector of the world His many epithets extol him as the overlord of numerous semi-divine species and the owner of the treasures of... (Celestial Deity) |
| Godavari Theertham | Godavari(River) |
| Eshana Theertham | Shiva Shiva Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a... |
| Narmada Theertham | Narmada Narmada Narmada may refer to:* Narmada River of central India* Narmada district of Gujarat, India* The Narmada Dam Project, involving the construction of a series of large irrigation and hydroelectric multi purpose dams on the Narmada River in India... (River) |
| Saraswathi Theertham | Saraswati Saraswati In Hinduism Saraswati , is the goddess of knowledge, music, arts, science and technology. She is the consort of Brahma, also revered as His Shakti.... (Deity) |
| Indira Theertham | Indra Indra ' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda... (Celestial Deity) |
| Agni Theertham | Agni Agni Agni is a Hindu deity, one of the most important of the Vedic gods. He is the god of fire and the acceptor of sacrifices. The sacrifices made to Agni go to the deities because Agni is a messenger from and to the other gods... (Fire) |
| Cauvery Theertham | Cauvery(River) |
| Yama Theertham | Yama Yama Yama , also known as Yamarāja in India and Nepal, Shinje in Tibet, Yanluowang or simply Yan in China, Yeomla Daewang in South Korea and Enma Dai-Ō in Japan, is the lord of death, in Hinduism and then adopted into Buddhism and then further into Chinese mythology and Japanese mythology. First... (Celestial Deity) |
| Kumari Theertham | Parvathi(Goddess) |
| Niruthi Theertham | Parvathi(Goddess) |
| Bayoshini Theertham | Parvathi(Goddess) |
| Deva Theertham | Shiva Shiva Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a... (God) |
| Varunai Theertham | Varuna Varuna In Vedic religion, Varuna is a god of the sky, of water and of the celestial ocean, as well as a god of law and of the underworld... (Celestial Deity) |
| Sarayu Theertham | 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... (River) |
| Kanya Theertham | Parvathi(Goddess) |
Mahamaham Festival
MahamMaham
Meham is a city and a municipal committee in Rohtak district in the Indian state of Haryana.-Geography:Meham is located at . It has an average elevation of 214 metres ....
is an annual event. But once in twelve years, when the planet Guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
(Jupiter) enters Simha
Simha
Simha could be:* The name Singh.*Simha , a 2010 Telugu movie featuring Nandamuri Bala Krishna*Simha a mumbai based fusion group composed of Harold Fernandes, Shyamala Sajnani and Prasad Ruparel performing a fusion of carnatic, jazz, rock and Hindustani classical...
(Leo) sign, the Kumbh mela
Kumbh Mela
Kumbh Mela is a mass Hindu pilgrimage in which Hindus gather at the Ganges river.The normal Kumbh Mela is celebrated every 3 years, the Ardh Kumbh Mela is celebrated every six years at Haridwar and Prayag, the Purna Kumbh takes place every twelve years, at four places Prayag, Haridwar, Ujjain,...
festival of South India is celebrated at Mahamaham tank. Vast crowds gather 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...
to have a dip in the tank, along with saints and philosophers. All the rivers of India are said to meet at the tank on this day and so, a purificatory bath at this tank on this day is considered equal to the combined dips in all the holy rivers of 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...
.