பிரணவ் தமிழியல் ஆய்விதழ்

THE GLORY OF KUMBAKONAM AS A TEMPLE CITY

Dr.A.Karkuzhali
Associate Professor and Head
Department of History
Kunthavai Naacchiyaar Govt. Arts College, Thanjavur. 67
ABSTRACT
The Political sequences that led to the rise of Kumbakonam as an urban centre, its previous
history and its glory as a temple city are briefly brought to light in the following fourth chapter. The map
of Tamil Nadu meant for the location of Kumbakonam and the regions taken under Article is provided.
Key words : Kovanattudaiyan – Kudamukku – Bhudattalvar Kudavayirkottam – Malaikuram –
Colanmaligai – Palaiyarai – illuminates the Linga – Karonam – Diksitar – Kudavayil – Konam.
Introduction
Kumbakonam a special town in Thanjavur District, is said to have enjoyed a continuous history
for a very long time. It has been a sacred religious centre from the days of the Sangam Age to the present
day. It is known for its temple architecture and hence it is called as a „Temple City‟. It differs from other
temple cities of Southern India in the diversity of the religious traditions manifested in its architecture and
celebrated in elaborate cycle of ritual enactment that have been performed and re-interpreted down to the
present day.
Location
Now a days, Kumbakonam is a first class municipal town in Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu State
at a distance of 313 kilometers from Chennai on the Tiruchirappalli main line of Southern Railways,
Kumbakonam which is about forty kilometers east of Thanjavur, is located at 10.57o latitude North and
longitude 79.42o East. The kaveri and the Arasalar rivers flow on the northern and southern sides of the
town.1
Legendary origin of Kumbakonam
According to the ancient Puranic tradition Kumbakonam originated at the very epicenter of the
creation cycle following the Great Deluge. Brahma, the creator, had feared that he would lose the seeds of
creation during the flood and prayed to Siva for a plan to preserve them until after the waters
receded. Siva instructed him to seeds inside a clay pitcher filled with nectar and water and place the
pitcher on the peak of Mount Meru, the rising waters would then carry the pitcher to a holy spot in the
South where the new cycle of creation could begin. All went according to a plan, but when Brahman
tried to retrieve the seeds following the flood, fire sprang up from the pitcher and he was unable to
approach it. Once more he prayed for assistance from Siva. The God appeared as a hunter and shattered
the pitcher with an arrow, allowing Brahma to gather the seeds and begin the process of
creation. Although shards from the pitcher has scattered in all directions, the nose-like piece and the base
remained there, the town that developed on that site was therefore known as Kumbakonam (nose of the
pitcher).2 Hence it was called as Kudamukku in the days of the Siava saints.
Sambandar records thus:
3
Kuraviri Solai Sulanda Kulaga Kudamukku
Appar Sings,
“Kovanattudaiyan Kudamukku4
Kuttadi vuraiyum Kudamukku”
Among the 51 pasurams of Nalayira Divya Prabandam which portray the city Among the 51 pasurams of
Bhudattalvar alone describes like this:
“Pada mukkin Ayiravaip Pambanaimel Serndai5
Kudamukkin Koyilaik Kondu”
Early history

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The region around Kumbakonam was inhabited as early as the Sangam Age. The Colas are said
to have a strongly guarded treasury at Kumbakonam in the Sangam Age. It is believed to be the site of
ancient town of Kudavayil where the early Chola King Karikala held his court.6 Some scholars identify
Kumbakonam as the site of the fabled prison of Kudavayir – Kottam where the Chera King Kannaikkal
Irumporai was imprisoned by the early Chola king Kocenganan.7 Kumbakonam is identified with the
town of Malaikurram, which had served as the Chola capital as early as the 7th Century C.E. and with the
town of Colamaligai which has also served as a Chola capital.8 By this time the Cholas were not
independent monarchs but ruling as feudatory of the Pallava kings.
When the Chola ruler Vijayalaya ascended the throne, he was waiting for the turn to come
up. When the Pallavas and Pandyas were engaged in war, Vijayalaya captured Tanjore from Muttaraiyar
and made it as capital. He built a temple there for Nishumbasudhani (Durga). In the Tirupurambiyam
battle that took place in 880 C.E. near Kumbakonam, the Cholas took the side of Aparajita Pallava against
the Pandiyas under the leadership of Aditya I, the son of Vijayalaya.9 In this battle the Pandiyas were
routed out. The Pallava king Aparajita felt so much pleased with Aditya I, that he confirmed the latter‟s
possession of Tanjore, besides allowing him to add some fresh territory to his own. Aditya however did
not feel satisfied with these. He calculated cleverly that if he made a supreme effort he could bring the
pallavas down. He further felt that the Pallava‟s fall would enable him to bring all Tamil Nadu under his
control. Wih the Help of his son Parantaka I he was able to Subjugate the Pallavas and became the
powerful ruler of Tondai mandalam, Chola mandalam and Kongudesam. Thus the Vijayalaya line of
Cholas became popular and the rulers who ruled in this line were called as “Imperial Cholas”10
Kumbakonam during the days of the Cholas
KUmbakonam came in to limelight during the rule of the Imperial Cholas who ruled from 9th
Century C.E to 12th century C.E. In this town the Cholas developed a characteristically Tamil form of
urbanism that grew by aggregation from its core in the Kaveri Valley to an empire that at its peak in these
centuries extended from the Ganges Valley in the north to Srilanka.11 Kudamukku, present day
Kumbakonam, was the sacred religious centre, organized around its several temples, whereas Palaiyarai,
2km to the South –West was the royal centre and the residential capital, with its palaces, royal temples
and administrative and military establishments.12 Moreover the village Kumbakonam was greatly
expanded as an Illustrious town with efforts of Rajendra I, the son of Rajaraja I, to celebrate his victory
over the king of Bengal and his march to the Gangas river in 1023 C.E. According to the official
inscription, Rajendra I had spent part of his youth in the palaces of Cholanmaligai
(Plaiyarai).13 Extensive land grants were given to the Brahman religious aristocracy by the Chola king
and hence Kumbakonam became a major centre of religious study and worship. Soon it developed into
an urban centre because of the availability of sufficient resources which resulted in consisting of a large
population.
As the cholas were devout saivites, many Siva temples were constructed in Kumbakonam. The
Nagesvara temple located in the heart of the town is one of the finest examples of early Chola art and
architecture that embodies several strata of ritual symbolism. The earliest and probably the most
consistent ritualistic and iconic theme in the Nagesvara temple draws its inspiration from workship of
suriya, the Sun God. To the present day the most auspicious and important annual festival celebrated in
this temple occurs on the day when the sun penetrates through the inner Sanctum Sanctorum and
illuminates the Linga. The walls of the sanctum which displays the finest stone sculptures of royal
persons are very unique among Indian temples in providing with an entire service of secular portraits.14
The temple of Kasi Visvanatha which is called as Karkonam temple is a very popular temple
situated near the Mahamaham tank. According to a legand Lord Rama is believed to have stayed in
Kumbakonam and worshipped Kasi Visvanathar to acquired the skill to fight against his enemy
Ravana. As Rama acquired the trait of his need, this place came to be called as Karkonam.
The architectural style of the Somesvara temple which is situated in the Southern portion of
Sarangapani temple resembles the Chola feature of the 12th century. The Baanapurihvara temple

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dedicated to Siva is another marvel of the Cholas. This temple is noted for the narthana mandapam
which is adorned with ornate pillars suggesting their original form.15
Along with the Siva temples, temples dedicated to Lord Visnu gained popularity. The famous
Sarangapani temple, Cakkarapani temple, Ramaswami temple are the noted temples which where
elaborated with the construction of additional mandapas during the Vijayanagar - Nayak Kings. Among
them the Ramasvami temple was founded in the early 17th centuary by Govinda Diksitar,16 a powerful
minister of Raghunatha Nayak. The architecthtural details noticed in this temple seems to be the
emulation of the chola style which made the most explicit contribution to the renewed sacred core of
Kumbakonam. The Chakkarapani temple is dedicated to Visnu as the bearer of the disc (cakra) with
which he destructs all evils. Worshippers enter the central shrine from different directions according to
the time of the year, reflecting the influence of astronomic calculations on temple rituals. Since no
inscriptional evidances are found in this temple, it is believed to have been built in the fifteenth century
following the architectural style of the Cholas.
The Adi-Kumbeshwara is the largest and most important temple at Kumbakoanm. This temple
was built in the Chola period but assumed its present dimension by the chieftain of Accuta Nayak of
Tanjore who embellished the temple by renovating and constructing the additional mandapas. This
temple is connected with the creation myth of the city. According to the legend, Shiva sent an arrow to
rupture the pot. The pot‟s mouth fell in a place and this came to be called ‘Kudavayil’. The remaining
part of a pot, other than its mouth was called konam. It stayed at one place where Siva made a lingam
with the nectar from the pot an d the earth. The place where a lingam was made from the contents came
to be called Kumbeshvar.
The most celebrated earlier temple of Vishnu is that of Sarangapani temple which is noted for
vaidika vimaana designed as a chariot with wheels drawn by horses and elephants. Though the core of
the temple existed in the Pallava and medieval Chola periods, the present structure of the temple can be
attributed to the later Cholas most likely to the region of Vikrama Chola. The gate way portion of the
gopuram of this temple is also attributable to the time of the later Cholas but the super structure of eleven
tiers may belong to the Vijayanagara period.17
Mahamaham Tank
This is the most sacred place situated in the heart of the city with sixteen shrines covered by small
gopuras each dedicated to one of the sixteen mahadanaas bestowed by a ruler on the holy place. The
present layout which is seen today was designed by the Chieftain of the Nayakas Govinda
Diksitar. Praised by the Nayanmars of the Seventh Century, its sanctity has made it a place of pilgrimage
for more than a millennium. The Mahamaham which occurs every twelve years exactly takes place at the
full moon day during the Tamil month Tai. According to the legend, such is the purifying power of this
tank that all the goddesses of sacred rivers of India, from the Ganges to the Kaveri are believed to have
bathed here in order to get rid of the sins of all humanity accumulated in their waters. The west facing
Kasi Vishvanathar temple near to this northern bank of the tank provided a sanctuary for the
enshrinement of the river goddesses. During this festival, all the Gods in various temples of
Kumbakonam are taken out in processions to the Mahamaham tank and are worshipped by thousands of
people. Recently the Mahamaham festival was celebrated on 28th February 2016. Thus the festival of
Mahamaham is a southern equivalent of the great kumbamela festival held at the confluence of the
Ganges at Prayarg in North India.
Apart from many temple which are situated in the town of Kumbakonam, there are many number
of temples found in the nearby places within a radius of ten miles from Kumbakonam. The temples of
Tiruvidaimarudur, Trichuvanam, Ammachatram, Tirunageshwaram, Sivapuri, Saakkottai, Kottaiyur,
Patteshwaram, Dharasuram Tiruvalachuli, Swamimalai, Tirupurambiyam are noted for their
sacredness. Thus Kumbakonam which has earned itself the exalted reputation of the Benaras of Southern
India is apicturesque temple town located in the Kaveri river basin. It occupies a unique position in
Hindu myth and legend because of its multiple religious themes temples were constructed by them which

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stand even today as a testimony proving their supremacy over this town and the areas around it. The
temples which are selected for the study of dance sculputures are located in this great city of
Kumbakonam and the places few miles around it.
Conclusion
The emergence of Kumbakonam as an important city during the days of the Cholas has made it as
their secondary capital. Kudamukku as it was called by this name during their time, included in itself the
sites of Paliayrai and Darasuram. Palaiyarai became prominent by the existence of the royal palaces and
the military regiments of the Cholas. Darasuram was called as Rajarajapuram during the days of
Rajarajs II. The entire surroundings of Kumbakonam as it was totally called by the name „Kudandai‟ had
been enjoying an abundant wealth of art and culture. It represented a sacred and devotional centre with
many temples being constructed in and around it. The availability of the dance information through the
dance sculptures is enormous in Kumbakonam just because it got developed into an urban centre with
sufficient economic resources. Endowments by members of the royal family, officials, merchants and
artisans led to a stedy growth of the temple establishments.

REFERENCES
1. V.Nanda, (1999) Kumbakonam : the ritual topography of a sacred and royal city of south
India. Archaeology. International https://www.ai-journal.com/articles/10.5334/al.3014
2. Kumbakonam – Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, Wikipedia foundation,
https://www.en.wikipedio.org/wiki/Kumbakonam.
3. Paul E.Schellinger, Robert M.Salkin, International Dictionary of Historic places : Vol.5, Asia
and Oceania Routlege, London and Newyork, 1996, p.501.
4. Sambandar Tevaram, 3:18-2.
5. Appar Tevaram, 5:19 – 4 & 8
6. Nalayira Divya Prabandam, Irandam Tiruvandadi, Pasuram No.2278.
7. K.N.Sivaraja Pillai, The Chronology of the early Tamils, 1932, p.88.
8. K.A. Nilakanta Sastri, The Cholas, 1975, p.72.
9. P.V.Jagadisa Ayyar, South Indian shrines, 1982, p.320.
10. A.Vadivudevi., Dance sculptures of the Kumbakonam Temples, 2018, p. 56-63.
11. V.M.Krishnamurthi, History of South India, 1983 – p.293.
12. Vadivudevi, op.cit.,
13. V.Nanda, op.cit., Kumbakonam : the ritual topography of a sacred and royal city of south
India. Archaeology
14. Paul E.Schellinger, Robert M.Salkin, op.cit, p.501
15. Vidya Dehjia, Art of Imperial Cholaws, 1990, p.14.
16. V.Nanda, op.cit.,
17. P.V.Jagadisa Ayyar, op.cit., p.321.

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