Adi Kumbeswarar Temple

It is one of the 127 temples on the southern banks of the river Cauvery. It is mentioned as, ‘Thirukkudamooku’ in ‘Thevaram’ and at present it is called Kumbakonam. It is a prime temple amidst the many temples in Kumbakonam. The presiding Murti(deity) is Adi kumbeswarar and His consort is Mangalambika. It is also one of the 64 saktibheta sthala (Mantrabheta sthala). The Shiva Linga is slightly tilted at the top towards left and hence the name kumbakonam (kumba – pot;konam -bend) and the deity kumbeshwara.

During cosmic dissolution, a pot containing nectar (Amrita) was floating and lord Shiva came in the disguise of a hunter and pierced the pot with an arrow, thereby making the nectar to flow through it’s nostril on all sides . Hence this place is named Kudamooku (kuda – pot; mooku – nostril or tip). The objects such as mango leaf, sacred grass (Tharppai), hoop (uri), Bell tree leaf (Bilva), coconut and the sacred thread (poonool)which adorning the pot fell into different places due to whirl wind. They appeared as Shiva lingas and later on they became Siva temples. As per puranas the genesis of life happened by the the Thiru Vilaiaadal (divne play) of God Shiva here, and from here all the living beings originated.

The Adi Kumbeswarar temple complex covers an area of 30,181 sq ft (2,803.9 m2) and houses four gateway towers known as gopurams. The tallest is the eastern tower, with 11 stories and a height of 128 feet (39 m) The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Kumbeswarar and Mangalambigai Amman being the most prominent. The temple complex houses many halls; the most notable is the sixteen-pillared hall built during the Vijayanagar period that has all the 27 stars and 12 zodiacs sculpted in a single stone.