According to an old saying a sin committed in a kshetra can be nullified by visiting and praying at another punya kshetra. A sin committed in a punya kshetra can be washed off by visiting and worshiping at Varanasi. A sin committed in Varanasi can only be washed at Kumbhakonam. But sin committed in Kumbhakonam can be washed off in Kumbhakonam itself. It means that other places, to wash off sins, we have to go to other places whereas Kumbhakonam is only place where sins committed here can be washed off only at Kumbhakonam. This indicates the greatness of Kumbhakonam. Every human being (Hindu) always prays and worships to get rid of the sins and dushkarma. Hence above statement was prevailing in those days. Similarly, when Adharma becomes maximum at the end of the Yuga, Lord Shiva creates a pralaya (a great deluge) so that a change takes place, and a new Yuga begins. But at the same time, He also helps in the new creation.
Once just before pralaya, Lord Brahma, got a doubt in His mind that if all the seeds for creation are destroyed how to start the creation. He rushed to Lord Shiva – the destroyer, for guidance. At that time Lord Shiva advised him about the manner in which the seeds for new creation can be preserved and at the same time how to start the creation after pralaya. He advised Lord Brahma to make a pot by mixing mud (sand) and amrut. Then fill it up with amrut and keep all the seeds necessary for creation inside the pot. Then he advised that he should spread the Vedas, Agamas, Puranas etc on all 4 sides in the kalash. He asked him to place a bunch of Mango leaves and a coconut at the top of the pot so that it gets the shape of the Kalash. He advised him to tie the sacred thread (upavidh) around the pot and inside the pot put flowers etc before sealing it. Then he asked him to keep it at the top of Mount Meru (which is a residence of Lord Brahma) and hang it from the ceiling by tying with a rope made of sacred grass (darbha). He asked him to worship it with bilva leaves by placing it along with flowers over the coconut. He asked him to make this Kalash sacred by sprinkling the amrut over the Kalash. He told him that during the pralay, this Kalash will flow along the water and will stop at a place. Then he will appear as hunter (Kiratmoorthy) and break the pot so that Lord Brahma can start sristi.
Lord Brahma followed the instructions to the point. When the pralay came, there was a chaos around as the nature’s fury was at the highest in all forms. The Meru parvat also was drowned in the pralay water and the Kalash along with the sacred grass tied around it started moving along the water towards the south. It reached a particular point and stayed at a place as pralaya water started receding. The sacred grass, the mango leaves, etc detached themselves and fell at that place. The place where the mango leaves fell, a Shamee tree manifested, and the sacred grass tied around the kalash became a Linga. There was a bilva tree and seven goddesses appeared stood as guard over that place. The darbha that formed the Linga is known as “Darbha Linga”. All this happened on the western side of the sea. Then kalash started moving towards North-West direction and stayed at a place. At very same time there was a celestial voice stating that this is the place where the kalash will stay finally and there is no other kshetra that will be more sacred than this place. As kalash stayed at this place, its known as Kumbhakonam.
The things around the kalash started falling off around their own. The place where the sacred thread holding the kalash stopped, a Shiva linga was formed. The temple at this place is known as Someshwarar temple. The place where sacred thread around the kalash fell, is the present Gautameshwar temple. The place where the bilva leaves fell, the Linga was formed and temple at this place is known as Nageshwar temple. The coconut became a Linga and the temple at this place is known as Nallikeshwaram and linga is known as Abimukeshwarar. In this manner the various parts of the kalash fell and all of them formed a swayambhoo Linga. In the end only kalash containing the seeds remained.
Lord Brahma started praying Lord Shiva so that he can help him in recovering the beej (seeds) from the Kalash. Lord Shiva appeared in the form of a hunter (Keerat Moorthy) and broke it with His arrow. The pot broke into pieces and the articles inside the pot fell at various places. At each place a shiva linga manifested on its own and at each place a temple was constructed later on.
Aadikumbeshwarar temple – This is the place the amrut kalash stopped first. It is believed that Lord Shiva himself made a Shivalinga by mixing amrut and mud (sand). He worshipped the Shiva Linga at this place and the linga is in the shape of neck of the pot (kalash).
Someshwarar temple - The place where the sacred thread holding the kalash stopped, a Shiva linga was formed.
Nageshwarar temple – where the bilwa leaves fell.
Abimukeshwarar temple – where the coconut fell
Gautameshwarar temple – where the sacred thread (upavidha) fell
Koneshwarar temple – where the rim of the kalash fell
Amrutkalasnathar temple at Sakkottai – this is the place the middle portion of the kalash fell. The place is known as Kalayanallur as the mid portion of the pot is known as Kalayam in tamil.
Baanpurishwarar temple – the place from where Lord Shiva broke the kalash with his arrow.
Aadikampatta Vishwanadar temple – where the flowers from the kalash fell and the Linga was formed and the place became abundant with Malathy flowers and was known as Malathy vanam.
Kalahastishwarar temple – where the Chandan from the kalash fell.
Ekambareshwarar temple – where the remaining parts of the kalash fell.
Kottaiyur Kodeshwarar temple – where some drops of amrut fell.
Kumbhakonam was earlier known as Kudamukku. It was also known as Kudavayil during Tamil Sangam period more than 4000 years ago. The Kumbhakonam is known as City of temples as it contains 100s of temples and sacred teerthas around it. It contains the Shankaracharya math, a Vaishnav math, Madhavacharya math, Jain temples and Aaryavaishya temple known as Kannikaparameshwari Amman Kovil and it also has 34 of the 273 padal petra sthalams. It also has nine, Divya Kshetra temples out of 108 Vaishnava Divya Kshetras.
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