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