I was in
Kumbakonam for a couple of days last month. This temple town in Tamil Nadu that dates back to the 3rd century BC, gets its name from Lord Bramha's mythical pot (
kumbh), that came to rest in this town (
konam translates to corner) when it was set afloat by a flood. Kumbakonam is where my mom grew up, and also where my grandmother lives. I wanted to do a phototwalk when I was there, so my mom took me to a couple of very old and very beautiful temples early in the morning.
Our first stop was outside the 12th century Sarangapani Temple, the largest temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in Kumbakonam. The temple chariot that weighs about 300 tons(!!!) was all decked up to be taken on a procession (happens twice a year) later that morning. If you look closely, you'll see people standing inside it, and to its right is the building from which one needs to cross a bridge to enter it. The friendly priests in charge of the day's religious ceremonies were ready and waiting for the procession to begin.
.jpg "Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu") |
| Left: The Sarangapani Temple Chariot Right: A pandit all set for the busy day |
It was still quite early, and the procession wouldn't begin until 9 AM, so we chose not to wait - the April heat in Kumbakonam was pretty brutal and we didn't want to stay out for too long. We went to the 12th century Nageshwara Swamy temple next, built by the Chola king Aditya Chola, dedicated to the serpent king Nagaraj, a form of Lord Shiva. There is also a smaller shrine for the celestial
Rahu in this temple.
.jpg "Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu") |
| The 12th century Nageshwara Swamy Temple. |
 |
| Frescoes on the ceiling as you enter the temple. Probably a recent addition. |
.jpg "Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu") |
| A couple of smaller shrines inside the temple complex |
Our last stop was the Ramaswamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Ram, built in the 16th century by the prime minister of King Raghunayak of Tanjore. The huge hall leading to the main shrine is lined on both sides by exquisitely carved monolithic pillars depicting scenes from the Ramayan.
 |
| The 16th century Ramaswamy Temple. |
 |
| The corridor leading to the sanctum sanctorum. |
 |
| Monolithic pillars depicting scenes from the Ramayan |
 |
| Monolithic pillars depicting scenes from the Ramayan |
Calling Kumbakonam a temple town is no exaggeration - there are temples everywhere you look - EVERYWHERE.
.jpg "Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu") |
| How many temples can you see in this picture? I can see at least three. |
.jpg) |
| Almost every street ends in a temple |
The three ancient temples of
Darasuram, Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Tanjore, known collectively as the Great Living Chola Temples and recognized by UNESCO as world heritage sites, are located very close to Kumbakonam, so it is an ideal base if you're planning to visit them. I posted about
Darasuram last year, so Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Tanjore are on my To-Visit list this year :)
Im not usually big on temples, but these are some seriously gorgeous gorgeous pictures! You should freelance for Lonely Plant Mag!
ReplyDeleteOMG thank you so much babe - you made my day! I'm not big on temples either - I used to think they all look the same, but I'm slowly learning to appreciate them :)
Deletewow i went to these places all very long a go, and didn't understand much about them, but after reading up about my cultural heritage (after years of wanting to be more western then finally coming to the west and seeing how everyone is drawn to India and wondering why) I feel as though i must visit again with this old knowledge newly acquired... and your little descriptions are so helpful too. especially the fact that - go early in the morning and not in the blistering heat and crowds... :-P
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Pree - I'm so glad you find my descriptions helpful :) There is sooooo much awesome stuff in India and the world, the thought that we probably wont see everything there is to see in our lifetime is scary!
DeleteWas trying to show some pics of my home town to a friend and I stumbled upon something by some one familiar. Nice post. I grew around all these places. The elephant of Kumbheswarar temple used to bid hi and bye everyday on my way to school. Most of my December mornings started with some Pongal at Ramaswamy temple. But do not remember seeing their beauty as much as I see in your pics now.
ReplyDeleteHi Bharani, good to see you here! Thank you so much - glad you liked the post! And thanks for sharing your childhood memories of Kumbakonam :)
Delete