Nageswaran Temple, Kumbakonam
Encyclopedia
Nageswaran Temple is a Hindu
temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Kumbakonam
, Tamilnadu, India
. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Thevaram
and is classifed as Paadal Petra Sthalam. Shiva
in the guise of Nagaraja, the serpent king and is located in the centre of Kumbakonam
.
constructed this temple during the 12th century. It is great marvel of Chola architecture, building technology and astronomy
. The orientation is structured in such a way that it allows sunlight inside the temple, right on the sanctum only during the Tamil month of Chithirai (April/May). It bears another name called Surya
Kottam or Keezha Kottam. The Karuvarai(Sanctum Sanctorum) of Nageswaran temple is similar to Sarangapani Temple
, as it is made in the form of a Chariot
. The temple consists of three gopuram
s in the eastern, western and southern directions.
, one of the nine celestial bodies in the Navagraha
s. A legend has it that the mythological serpents Adiseshan, Dakshan and Kaarkotakan worshipped Lord Shiva
here. Legend also has it that King Nala worshipped Shiva here as in Thirunallar.
There is a Naganathar temple at Tirunageswaram
having similar features like temple.
This place has been referred in thevaram
written by Saint Tamil poet of 7th Century AD, Thirugnana Sambanthar.
and Dakshinamoorthy in the niches of the outer wall are featured. The other sculptures on the walls almost life-size reflect either the donors to the temples or contemporary princesses and princes. The epic scenes are in low relief on the plinth below the pilasters of the walls of the sanctum, recalling the wood work.
The Devi shrine is an independent structure situated in the outer prakaram
(outer precincts of a temple), detached from the axial unit, though it faces south, a feature common to Saiva Devin shrines. The complex of Nataraja
shrine is in the form of a chariot on wheel drawn by horses as in the case of Airavatesvara Temple
at Darasuram and Sarangapani Temple
in Kumbakonam
.
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...
temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located 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...
, Tamilnadu, 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...
. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Thevaram
Thevaram
Thevaram is a panchayat town in Theni district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Thevaram located in the border of Kerala separated by western ghats-Demographics:...
and is classifed as Paadal Petra Sthalam. 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...
in the guise of Nagaraja, the serpent king and is located in the centre of 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...
.
The Stately Temple
Aditya CholaAditya I
Aditya I , the son of Vijayalaya, was the first great Chola king of South India who extended the Chola dominions by the conquest of the Pallavas.- Pallava Civil War :...
constructed this temple during the 12th century. It is great marvel of Chola architecture, building technology and astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
. The orientation is structured in such a way that it allows sunlight inside the temple, right on the sanctum only during the Tamil month of Chithirai (April/May). It bears another name called Surya
Surya
Surya Suraya or Phra Athit is the chief solar deity in Hinduism, one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wives, Aditi; of Indra; or of Dyaus Pitar . The term Surya also refers to the Sun, in general. Surya has hair and arms of gold...
Kottam or Keezha Kottam. The Karuvarai(Sanctum Sanctorum) of Nageswaran temple is similar to Sarangapani Temple
Sarangapani Temple
Sarangapani Temple is a place of worship, dedicated to Vishnu as the Supreme God of the Vaishnava traditions of Hinduism.It lies in the Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu, India. It is about 1 miles away from Kumbakonam railway station. Which is on the Chennai - Tanjore main line. is one of the "Divya...
, as it is made in the form of a Chariot
Temple car
Temple cars are chariots used to carry representations of Hindu gods. The car is usually used on festival days, when many people pull the cart....
. The temple consists of three gopuram
Gopuram
A Gopuram or Gopura, is a monumental tower, usually ornate, at the entrance of any temple, especially in Southern India. This forms a prominent feature of Koils, Hindu temples of the Dravidian style. They are topped by the kalasam, a bulbous stone finial...
s in the eastern, western and southern directions.
Legend
This vast temple known is for its shrine of RahuRahu
In Hindu mythology, Rahu is a cut-off head of an asura, that swallows the sun or the moon causing eclipses. He is depicted in art as a serpent with no body riding a chariot drawn by eight black horses. Rahu is one of the navagrahas in Vedic astrology...
, one of the nine celestial bodies in the Navagraha
Navagraha
Graha is a 'cosmic influencer' on the living beings of mother Bhumidevi . In Hindu astrology, the Navagraha are some of these major influencers.All the navagraha have relative movement with respect to the background of fixed stars in the zodiac...
s. A legend has it that the mythological serpents Adiseshan, Dakshan and Kaarkotakan worshipped 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...
here. Legend also has it that King Nala worshipped Shiva here as in Thirunallar.
There is a Naganathar temple at Tirunageswaram
Rahu Stalam
Rahu Stalam is among the navagraha templesis a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu, India. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Thevaram and is classifed as Paadal Petra Sthalam signifying the nine planet gods...
having similar features like temple.
This place has been referred in thevaram
Thevaram
Thevaram is a panchayat town in Theni district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Thevaram located in the border of Kerala separated by western ghats-Demographics:...
written by Saint Tamil poet of 7th Century AD, Thirugnana Sambanthar.
Architecture
The temple shows early Chola art in its best form particularly in the form of human figures. The sanctum is of padabandha-padmaka type stands on padmopana. The lotus leaves of the padmopano are carved with vitality. In its iconographic scheme the Ardhanari, BrahmaBrahma
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...
and Dakshinamoorthy in the niches of the outer wall are featured. The other sculptures on the walls almost life-size reflect either the donors to the temples or contemporary princesses and princes. The epic scenes are in low relief on the plinth below the pilasters of the walls of the sanctum, recalling the wood work.
The Devi shrine is an independent structure situated in the outer prakaram
Prakaram
A Prakaram, also spelled Pragaram or Pragaaram) in Indian architecture is an outer parth around the Hindu temple sanctum. These may be enclosed or open and are typically enclosed for the inner most prakaram....
(outer precincts of a temple), detached from the axial unit, though it faces south, a feature common to Saiva Devin shrines. The complex of Nataraja
Nataraja
Nataraja or Nataraj , The Lord of Dance; Tamil: கூத்தன் ;Telugu:నటరాజ is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the cosmic dancer Koothan who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for god Brahma to start the process of creation...
shrine is in the form of a chariot on wheel drawn by horses as in the case of Airavatesvara Temple
Airavatesvara Temple
Airavatesvara Temple is a Hindu temple of Dravidian architecture located in the town of Darasuram, near Kumbakonam in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu...
at Darasuram and Sarangapani Temple
Sarangapani Temple
Sarangapani Temple is a place of worship, dedicated to Vishnu as the Supreme God of the Vaishnava traditions of Hinduism.It lies in the Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu, India. It is about 1 miles away from Kumbakonam railway station. Which is on the Chennai - Tanjore main line. is one of the "Divya...
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...
.