Kartika month, that time of the year when visiting Shivite temple is considered auspicious and hence decided to take a spiritual trip to Tanjore,Kumbakonam and Chidambaram ; the very famous temple districts of Tamil Nadu.Reached Kumbakonam on 20th Nov morning via KSRTC from Bangalore .It was supposed to be a rainy day but luckily sunshine welcomed me with open arms.The hotel I stayed was very close to the bus stand . Freshened up with local breakfast nearby and headed towards the temples.
Day 1:
Kasi Viswanathar Temple, Kumbakonam is a Hindu
temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located
in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India. Here, Lord Shiva is worshipped
as Kasi Viswanathar, and His consort Parvati is depicted as
Visalakshi. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th-century Tamil Saiva
canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as
the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.
The temple complex covers two acres and is located close to
the Mahamaham tank. It houses two gateway towers known as gopurams.
The tallest is the western tower, with seven stories and a height of 72 feet
(22 m). The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Kasi Viswanathar,
Visalakshi and Navakanniyar being the most prominent.
Kashi Vishwanathar temple
Ramaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated
to Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu. It is one of the prominent temples in the town and
also one of the most prominent temples dedicated to Rama in India. The temple has a 3-tiered
gateway tower (gopuram) surrounded by walls. The central shrine houses the
image of Rama in a seated posture with his consort Sita. The other images are
of his brothers Lakshmana, Bharatha and Chatruguna in standing posture and
Hanuman in worship posture. The sixty-four pillars in the hall near the gopuram
are sculpted with exquisite finesse depicting various episodes of the
epic Ramayana.
Adi Kumbeswarar Temple,
where Shiva is worshiped as Adi Kumbeswarar, and is represented by
the lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Mangalambigai
Amman. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th-century-CE Tamil Saiva
canonical, greatest work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known
as the Nayanmars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. The name of the town Kumbakonam
is derived from the legend associated with Kumbeswarar Temple. The pot (kumbha)
is said to be of Brahma that contained the seed of all living beings
on earth. The kumbha is believed to have been displaced by
a pralaya (dissolution of the universe) effected by Shiva's
arrow and ultimately came to rest at the spot where the town of Kumbakonam now
stands. The nectar is believed to have fallen in two places -
the Mahamaham tank and the Potramarai tank. This event is now
commemorated in the Mahamaham festival held every 12 years. Kumbakonam was also
formerly known by the Tamil name of Kudamukku. Kumbakonam is
also identified with the Sangam age settlement of Kudavayil.
Also, not to forget the very famous degree coffee of Kumbakonam.I
was lucky enough to walk to Mangalambika tiffin centre to taste the degree
coffee and snacks.
Day 2:
Thillai Nataraja Temple, also referred as the Chidambaram
Nataraja Temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Nataraja, the
form of Shiva as the lord of dance (cosmic dancer). This temple is
located in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India. This temple has
ancient roots and a Shiva shrine existed at the site when the town was known as
Thillai. Chidambaram, the name of the city literally means "stage of
consciousness". The temple architecture symbolizes the connection between
the arts and spirituality, creative activity and the divine. The temple
wall carvings display all the 108 karanas from the Natya Shastra by
Bharata Muni, and these postures form a foundation of Bharatanatyam, an
Indian classical dance. it is the only Shiva temple common to both
the Pancha Sabha Thalam and the Pancha Bhuta Thalam.
The main Devi shrine in the Nataraja temple complex is offset
towards the north of the sanctum inside the third prakara, and found to the
west of the Shivaganga pool. It is called the Shivakama Sundari shrine,
dedicated to Parvati.
The Nataraja temple complex incorporates Vaishnava themes and
images like many Hindu temples in South India. A Vishnu shrine is found inside
the sanctum of the temple in its southwest corner. According to George Michell
and others, Chola kings revered Shiva, with Tyagaraja and Nataraja as their
family deity. Yet, their urban Shaiva centers "echo a very strong
substratum of Vaishnava traditions". This historic inclusiveness is
reflected in Chidambaram with Vishnu Govindaraja in the same sanctum home by
the side of Nataraja.
Chidambara Rahasiyam is a Hindu belief that there is a
secret message conveyed through the embossed figure near the shrine
of Shiva in the Chidambaram Temple.
Since ancient times, it is believed that this is the place where
Shiva and his consort Parvati are present, but invisible to most
people. In the temple, Chidambara Ragasya is hidden behind a curtain (symbolic
of Maya). Worship, or darshan is possible only when priests open
the curtain for special pujas. Behind the curtain are golden leaves, as
from the Aegle Marmelos tree, signifying the presence of Shiva and
Parvati. It is believed that saints can see the gods in their
physical form.
Top 12 Chidambaram Temple Scientific Facts
1.The temple’s architecture mirrors the
human body, representing the ‘pancha koshas’ (five sheaths) of human
existence as per yogic philosophy. Each sanctum corresponds to energy centres
or chakras within the body, creating a spiritual resonance for visitors.
2.Like human body Chidambaram temple
has nine entrances denoting nine openings of the body.
3.The main roof, he pointed out, is
adorned with 21,600 gold sheets—symbolizing the 21,600 breaths a
healthy human being takes in a day.
4.These sheets are fixed using 72,000 gold
nails, corresponding to the 72,000 nadis (nerves) in the body.
5.The sanctum sanctorum, known as
“Ponnambalam” (‘Pon’ meaning gold and ‘Ambalam’ meaning stage), is
slightly tilted to the left to symbolize the human heart.
6.Accessing it involves climbing five steps called
the ‘Panchatshara padi,’ representing the five syllables of the sacred mantra
“Na Ma Shi Va Ya.”
7. Four pillars supporting the
Kanaka Sabha represent the four Vedas
8.While 28 additional pillars signify
the 28 ‘Agamas’ (sacred texts) and methods of worship.
9.The 64 cross beams symbolize
the 64 arts, akin to the blood vessels in the human body.
10.Nine
Kalashas on the golden roof: Representing the nine types of energies or
‘Sakthi.’
11. Artha
Mantapa’s six pillars represent the six ‘Sastras.’
12. 18
pillars in the adjacent Mantapa signifies the 18 Puranas.
Thillai Kali Temple is on the outskirts of the city of
Chidambaram. Legend says that the goddess Kali (a form of Parvati)
moved here after losing to the god Shiva in the celestial dance contest.
It was an argument that who is superior, either Shiva or his wife
Parvati. In order to resolve thus, they performed a dance program at
Chidambaram in front of Vishnu, Brahma and other deities. While
they were playing dance, Shiva was about to be defeated.
Shiva performed the Urdhva Tandava posture, i.e. raising one leg
above his head and challenged Parvati to replicate it. Due to her modesty and
shyness, Parvati refused and agreed her defeat.
Parvati in anger assumed her ferocious form Kali and left
Chidambaram (Thillai) and settled outside the town borders. Thus, she is
worshipped as Thillai Kali here. Her anger was pacified by Brahma by chanting
the Veda and praising her.
Kali was pleased and assumed a benign form with four heads similar
to Brahma and known as Thillai Amman (Mother of Thillai) or Brahma
Chamundeeswari.
There are two main shrines in the temple. The west-facing shrine
depicts the goddess in his benign four-faced form Brahma Chamundeeswari.
In the east-facing shrine, the goddess appears in her ferocious
form called Thillai Kali.
Day 3 :
Brihadishvara Temple, called Rajarajesvaram (lit. 'Lord
of Rajaraja') by its builder, and known locally as Thanjai Periya
Kovil (lit. 'Thanjavur Big Temple') and Peruvudaiyar Kovil, is
a Shaivite Hindu temple built in a Chola architectural style
located on the south bank of the Cauvery river
in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the largest Hindu
temples and an exemplar of Tamil architecture. It is also
called Dakshina Meru (Meru of the South). Built
by Chola emperor Rajaraja I between 1003 and 1010 CE, the
temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the
"Great Living Chola Temples", along with the
Chola-era Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and Airavatesvara
temple, which are about 70 kilometres (43 mi) and 40 kilometres
(25 mi) to its northeast respectively. Built using granite, the vimana tower above
the shrine is one of the tallest in South India. The temple has a massive
colonnaded prakara (corridor) and one of the largest
Shiva lingas in India. It is also famed for the quality of its
sculpture, as well as being the location that commissioned the
brass Nataraja, Shiva as the lord of dance, in the 11th century. The
complex includes shrines
for Nandi , Parvati, Murugan, Ganesha,
Sabhapati , Dakshinamurti, Chandeshvara, Varahi, Thiyagarajar of
Thiruvarur, Siddhar Karuvoorar and others. The temple is
one of the most visited tourist attractions in Tamil Nadu.
Airavatesvara Temple is a Hindu
temple of Chola architecture located in Kumbakonam,
Thanjavur District in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This
temple, built by Chola emperor Rajaraja II in the 12th
century CE is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with
the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur,
the Gangaikondacholisvaram Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram that are
referred to as the Great Living Chola Temples.
I also did shop an embossed Surya frame as a souvenir from Tanjore.
The Airavatesvarar temple is one among a cluster of eighteen
medieval era large Hindu temples in
the Kumbakonam area, Thanjavur District.The temple is
dedicated to Shiva. It also reverentially displays Vaishnavism and Shaktism traditions
of Hinduism , along with the legends associated with Nayanmars –
the Bhakti movement saints of Shaivism.
The
stone temple incorporates a chariot structure, and includes major Vedic and
Puranic deities such as Indra , Agni , Varuna , Vayu , Brahma
, Surya , Vishnu ,Saptamatrikas ,Durga ,Saraswati ,Sridevi(Lakshmi)
, Ganga , Yamuna , Subrahmanya , Ganesha, Kama, Rati and
others. Shiva's consort has a dedicated shrine called the Periya Nayaki Amman
temple. This is a detached temple situated to the north of the Airavateshvarar
temple. This might have been a part of the main temple when the outer courts
were complete. At present, parts of the temple such as the gopuram is in ruins,
and the main temple and associated shrines stand alone. It has two sun
dials namely morning and evening sun dials which can be seen as wheels of the
chariot. The temple continues to attract large gatherings of Hindu pilgrims
every year during Magha, while some of the images such as those
of Durga and Shiva are part of special pujas.
It was indeed a peaceful and spiritual encounter and thoroughly involved connected to all the Vaishnavism and Shaivism temples.
