Mahamaham Tank
History of Mahamaham Tank
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”.
On the Mahamaham day people start with praying these shivan temples and start dips in the 20 wells and go to kumbeswarar Temple and dip in the holy tank and finally in kaveri river 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). When the same slipped over the earth , it fell on the place where the Mahamaham tank is located. 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. It is believed that when the earth was transformed from one planet to other, the samples of all the living beings are collected in a ” Kumbaham” meaning a pot in tamil. When the pot fell down and toppeled, the living beings are created in earth. Hence the name of the place “Kumbakonam” meaning “Pot Toppled” in Tamil.
List of 20 theerthams in the Mahamaham tank
- Vayu Theertham
- Ganga Theertham
- Brahma Theertham
- Yamuna Theertham
- Kubera Theertham
- Godavari Theertham
- Eshana Theertham
- Narmada Theertham
- Saraswathi Theertham
- Indira Theertham
- Indira Theertham
- Cauvery Theertham
- Yama Theertham
- Kumari Theertham
- Niruthi Theertham
- Bayoshini Theertham
- Deva Theertham
- Deva Theertham
- Sarayu Theertham
- Kanya Theertham
The tank covers an area of 6.2 acres and is trapezoidal in shape. The tank is surrounded by 16 small Mandapams (shrines) and has 21 wells inside the tank. Govinda Dikshitar, the chieftain of Ragunatha Nayak of Thanjavur, constructed the sixteen Mandapams and stone steps around this tank. Bahmatheerthaeswarar, Mugunthaeswarar, Thaneshwarar, Yedabeshwarar, Bhaneshwarar, Bhaneshwarar, Bairaveshwarar, Agatheeswarar, Vyaseshwarar, Umabageshwarar, Nairutheeshwarar, Brahmeshwarar, Gangeshwarar, Mukthaeswarar, Sathirabaleshwarar.
List of 12 Shiva temples connected with Mahamaham festival
- Kasi Viswanathar Temple
- Kumbeswarar Temple
- Someswarar Temple
- Nageswara Temple
- Kahahasteeswarar Temple
- Gowthameswarar Temple
- Koteeswarar Temple
- Amirthakalasanathar Temple
- Banapuriswarar Temple
- Abimukeswarar Temple
- Kambatta Visvanathar Temple
- Ekambareswarar Temple
List of 5 Vaishnava temples connected with Mahamaham festival
5 Vaishnava temples from Kumbakonam also participate in this festival. However, instead of their Theerthavaari in Mahaamaha tank, the Theerthavaari happens in the river Kaveri.
- Saarangapani temple
- Chakrapaani temple
- Ramaswami temple
- Aadhivaraha Perumal temple
Street near Mahamaham Tank
Location: To view the location please click here
Address:
Nearest Airport: Trichy International Airport – 102 km
Nearest Railway station: Kumbakonam – 1 km
Mahamaham Tank Opening Hours
Mahamaham tank remains open for visits on the following open days of the week – and the entrance timings and opening hours on these days are from . Apart from the closing days mentioned above, most places are closed on national holidays and important local holidays, so it is best to check with locals or at the point of interest to confirm whether it is open on such days. Also the timings in winter and timings in summer for mahamaham tank may differ.
Mahamaham Tank Photos
Phone no: Not available
Bus Route
The tank is less than 1 km from Kumbakonam railway station. There are lot of bus facilities available. The bus, stop at Mahamaham tank itself. It is located right in the centre of Kumbakonam.
Hotels to stay in Kumbakonam
1. Hotel Green Park
No. 10, Lakshmi Vilas Street,
Kumbakonam, South India – 612001.
Ph :(0435) – 2402853 / 2403914
2. Quality Inn VIHA
New Railway Road, Kumbakonam,
Tanjore, Tamil Nadu 612001
Ph:0435 255 5555
3. Lee Garden
Naal Road Junction, Srinagar Colony, Kumbakonam
Tanjore, Tamil Nadu 612001
Ph:0435 240 2526
4. Rayas Grand
23-25, Holy Mahamaham Tank West Bank,
Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu
Ph:0435 242 3170
Near By Temples: Chakrapani Temple, Sri Valangaiman Mariamman Temple , Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Sarangapani Temple
Near by Restaurants: Veg Hotel – Balaji Bhavan, Sree Murari, Sri Mangalambika Vilas, Non-Veg hotel – Aathurar Briyani, Pandyan Hotel, Raya’s Restaurant
Near By Places to Visit: Darasuram, Papanasam, Thirubuvanam, Patteeswaram