Shri Kaalhastishwarar temple

This is the 10th of 12 temples associated with Mahamagam festival. It is located in Kumbhakonam city of TamilNadu. This is the place where Chandan applied to Kalash fell after pralay which later on became a Shiva linga. The temple is about 1800 years old and was renovated in 18th century by the Maratha king, Sarabhoji Maharaj under the guidance of His Holiness Shankaracharya of Kanchipuram. This temple is in the form of Tamil alphabet “ௐ” (which is known as Tamil Om). 

Mulavar: Shri Kaalahastishwarar

Devi: Shri Dhyana-Prahal-Ambika, Shri Katyayani

Kshetra vruksha: Bilva

About the temple and other shrines in this complex: 

This is an East facing temple with 5 tiered Rajagopuram. The main deity is facing the east. The koshtha moorthies are Shri Dakshinamoorthy, Shri Lingodbhavar, Shri Durga Devi, Shri Chandikeshwarar. Shri Dhyanambika Devi is in a separate shrine facing south. It is to the right side of Lord’s shrine. Shri Shivasurya housed in a separate shrine which is west facing. Shri Nataraja and Mother Shivagami are housed in a separate shrine. In this shrine, we come across idol of Shaiva saint Maanikvasagar. In the shrine of Shri Jwarahareshwarar, we find that he has 3 legs of which 2 are grounded and 1 is folded. This is to indicate that he cures the problems related to bones, skin and veins. Abhishek for Shri Jwarahareshwarar is performed with hot water. In another shrine we have, Shri Shiva as Shri Kalyan-Sundareshwarar with Shri Parvati Devi as Shri Katyayani in wedding attire. The unique feature is that Shri Shiva has a walking stick in his hand. This represents one of the rituals in south Indian marriage where the groom is symbolized going to Kashi before bride is given in marriage. In a separate shrine, we come across, huge idol of Shri Ashta-dasha-bhuja Maha Laxmi Durga. She has 18 hands and She is Aadi-devata of Shri Rahu. There are idols of Shri SiddhiVinayaka, Shri Meenakshi-Sundareshwarar, Shri Kaashi Vishawanath, Shri Saraswati, Shri Laxmi, Shri Ganga, Shri Navagraha, Shri Maruti and Shri Rahu in separate shrines.

Special features:

1. This is a Rahu Parihar sthala. 
2. His Holiness Shri Shankaracharya of Kanchipooram used to have darshan here daily during this stay. 
3. Just like Tirupati, where we have Kalahasti temple nearby Shri Vishnu’s temple, here also we have Shri Kalahastishwarar temple near Shri Oppiliappan (Shri Vishnu temple). Hence this place is known as Shri Dakshin-Kalahastishwarar temple as Shri Oppiliappan temple is known as Shri Dakshin-Tirupathi. 
4. The structure of this temple is like Tamil alphabet “ௐ” (Tamil Om). 
5. Shri Ashta-dasha-bhuja Maha Laxmi Durga is considered as Durga of all Durgas. 
6. The idol of Shri Jwarahareshwarar is of special feature. 
7. The beauty of idol of Shri Nataraja and Shri Shivagami Devi
8. Shri Shiva & Shri Parvati Devi as Shri Kalyan-Sundareshwarar and Shri Meenakshi Devi

Kshetra purana:

1. The temple is associated with Mahamagam festival and Maha Pralay. 
2. Once there was an argument between Shri Vaayu and Shri Aadi-Shesha about their physical strength. To test who is stronger, they decided to have a contest. In this contest, Shri Aadi-Shesha was to coil around the Meru mountain and Shri Vaayu was to blow him away. During this contest, three peaks got separated from Meru parvat and fell at 3 places in the south namely – Kalahasti, Thiruchirapalli & Trikonmala. Shri Shiva manifested at these 3 places. As Kumbhakonam was a great teertha kshetra, Shri Shiva manifested here as Shri Kalahastishwarar. As Kalahasti is a great Rahu-parihar sthala, this place also became a great Rahu-parihar sthala. 

Festivals:

On the day of Makar Sankranti, wedding festival of Shri Shiva and Shri Parvati Devi is held here. After the marriage festival, Shri Shiva will be in Neetya-kalyan attire. 

Lord Shiva is taken in a procession to the Mahamagam tank during Mahamaga festival. During Rahu kaal, special poojas are held for Ashta-dasha-bhuja Maha Laxmi Durga. 

Prayers:

People worship Shri Jwarahareshwarar to get rid of the incurable diseases.

Worship done at this place, gives the same benefit as when done in Kalahasti. So people worship Shri Shiva and Shri Dhyana-Prahal-Ambika Devi. 

Temple timing:  6.30 am to noon; 4.30 pm to 7 pm

Courtesy: Various blogs and websites

Shri Aadikampatta Vishwanathar temple

This is the ninth of twelve Shiva temples associated with Mahamagam festival. This is the place where the flowers from the kalash fell during the pralay and formed a Shiva linga. This temple is located in Kumbakonam city in TamilNadu on the western side of Aadikumbeshwarar temple. During the Chola period, minting of Gold and Silver coin was being carried out at this place. And hence this place got the name Kampatta. Shaiva saint Moorka-nayanar was associated with this temple, as he used to gamble around this place.

Mulavar: Shri Aadikampatta Vishawanathar, Shri Aadikampatta Vishweshwar

Devi: Shri Anantnidhi, Shri Nidhiammai

Sacred teertha: Dhumaketu teertha, Balavi teertha

Kshetra vruksha: Jasmine creeper (Malathy van)

This is an East facing temple with an arch at entrance. At the entrance itself, we come across a garden (Nandan van). The Shiva linga is a swayambhoo linga formed after the pralaya. A unique feature of the temple is that we come across Nandi, Balipeeth and Dhwajastambha just before the Rajagopuram. The Rajagopuram is 3 tiered. There is a mandap after the Rajagopuram. At the entrance of the sanctum we find an idol of Shri Dhumaketu. We come across the koshtamoorthis - Shri Ganesha, Shri Dakshinamoorthy, Shri Lingodbhavar, Shri Brahma and Shri Chandikeshwar in their usual position. Devi is housed in a separate shrine facing south. We come across the idols of Naalvar and Mangairkarasi (one of the 63 Nayanmars). She was the queen of Pandya king and daughter of Chola king. 

On the western side in a mandap, we find idols of Shri Vinayaka, Shri Muruga and Devi Mahalakshmi. In small shrine under the bilva tree we come across Shri Ganesha. Not much details are available about this temple. 

Kshetra Purana: This temple is associated with the formation of Mahamagam tank and the pralay. This is the place where flowers from the kalash fell and formed a Shiva linga.

Dhumaketu teertha: In older days this place was abundant with Malathy (Jasmine creepers). Hence Malathy flowers were used for worship of Lord Ganesha. In a nearby village named Udayagiri, there lived a sage named Nirasara with his son Dhumaketu. Dhumaketu was a great scholar in art and scriptures. He was always surrounded by flocks of students aspiring to learn and gain knowledge. He used to take his students to various Shiva temples and other divine places. He used to explain and educate them about their importance. During one such visit, he came to the Kampatta Vishawanath temple and worshipped the Lord. Pleased with his devotion to teach, educate the students and his righteousness, Shri Shiva along with Devi Parvati gave him darshan at this place. Dhumaketu named Shiva as Shri Aadikampatta Vishwanath and Devi Parvati as Shri Anantnidhi. Lord in appreciation of Dhumaketu’s work, named the teertha as Dhumaketu teertha.

Festivals: 

Thai (Jan-Feb) - Makar Sankranti 

Masi (Feb-Mar) - Mahashivaratri, 10 days of Mahamagam festival

Chitrai (April-May) - Brahmotsav

Avani (August-Sept) - Ganesh chaturthi, 

Purattasi (Sept-Oct) - Navaratri 

Aippasi (Oct-Nov) - Annabhishek and Skanda shashthi festival 

Karthigai (Nov-Dec) - Festival of light known as Karthikeya Deepam

Margazhi (Dec-Jan) Thiruvathira, Arudra Darshan

Panguni (Mar-April) Uttara nakshatra festival

The day on which Lord along with the Goddess visit the Mahamagam tank, is celebrated on a large scale. 

Prayers: Students pray for success and excellence in examinations. Gold smiths pray for success and prosperity. 

Timings – 6.30 am to noon; 4.30 to 8pm

Courtesy: various blogs and websites

Shri Banapureeshwarar temple

This is the 8th of 12 Shiva temples connected with Mahamagam festival. The temple is more than 1500 years old. This is the place where Lord Shiva broke the kalash by an arrow. Shaiva saint – Manikvasagar has sung a hymn on this place. 

Mulavar: Shri Banapureeshwarar, Shri Somanathar

Devi: Shri Kamalambal, Shri Kamalambigai, Shri Somkamalambal

Kshetra Vruksha: Bilva tree

This temple has a three tier Rajagopuram with one parikrama and is facing the east. The Shiva Linga is believed to be a swayambhoo linga. The sanctum sanctorum consists of Mahamandap, Arthamandap and sanctum. 

Koshta murthis are: Shri Ganesha, Shri Dakshinamoorthy, Shri Ardanareeshwarar, Shri Bramha and Devi Durga

Devi is housed in a separate shrine on the northern side in Mahamandap facing the south. The idol is in a standing posture. She has rudrakshamala in two hands and her other 2 hands show Varada and Abhaya mudra. There is a separate shrine for Shri Vishnu along with his consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi. The idol of Shri Hanumaan is facing the shrine of Shri Vishnu. In the NW corner we come across shrine of Devi Durga. There is a linga installed and worshipped by Sage Vyasa. There are separate Shrines for Shri Muruga with his consorts Shri Valli and Shri Deivanai, Shri Chandikeshwar, Devi Durga, Shri Ganesha, Shri Bhairava & Navagrahas. The idol of Goddess Durga is very big. 

Kshetra purana: The temple is connected with the pralaya leading to the formation of Mahamagam tank.

This is the place where Lord Shiva as Keeratmurthy broke the kalash with an arrow. 

Vyas Linga: Once Sage Vyasa was cursed by Nandi-deva. He approached Shri Vishnu for remedy who advised him to install a Shiva linga and worship Shri Shiva. He installed a Shiva linga and worshipped Shri Shiva and got rid of the curse. This linga is known as Vyasa linga in the parikrama and the story is depicted on the gopuram. 

A king of Bengal known as Soorasena was advised by Maharshi Sootha to worship Shri Shiva at this place so that the queen Kantimati could be cured of an incurable disease. He followed the advice and his wife was cured. He also got a child boon. He did some renovation work at this temple. Sage Vyaghrapada also worshipped Shri Shiva at this place. 

Festivals: 

Thai (Jan-Feb) - Makar Sankranti 

Masi (Feb-Mar) - Mahashivaratri, 10 days of Mahamagam festival

Chitrai (April-May) - Brahmotsav

Avani (August-Sept) - Ganesh chaturthi, 

Purattasi (Sept-Oct) - Navaratri 

Aippasi (Oct-Nov) - Annabhishek and Skanda shashthi festival 

Karthigai (Nov-Dec) - Festival of light known as Karthikeya Deepam

Margazhi (Dec-Jan) Thiruvathira, Arudra Darshan

In addition to this, pradosh pooja and daily rituals are conducted. 

Prayers: People worship Devi here for prosperity and energetic. They worship for getting rid of decease.

Temple timing: 7am-11.30am; 5-8pm

Address: Shri Banapureeshwarar temple, Anna nagar, Kumbakonam 612001

Courtesy: Various websites publishing information about temples in South India