Kumbakonam Travel Guide

Kumabakonam  busy capital of the Chola kings, nestled along the Kaveri river is some 37 kms. northeast of Thanjavur. It is noted for its many temples with their colourful and beautiful sculptures and intricate carvings. The most important temples are the Sarangapani, Kumbeshwara and Nageshwara temples. One in 12 years, Kumbakonam celebrates the Mahamagam festival and thousand of devotees flock here with a belief that a dip in the tank will wash all their sins.
Named from the legend where Shiva was said to have broken a Kumbh (water pot) after it was brought here by a great flood, the water from the pot is reputed to have filled the Mahamagam tank.

Places of Attraction

Dharasuram(30 kms) : The small town of Dharasuram is 4 kms West  of Kumbakonam. The Airateshwara temple, built by Raja Chola II is an excellent example of 12th century Chola architecture. The archaeological survey of India has restored the temple. The temple is fronted by columns with unique miniature sculptures. In the 14th century, the row of large statues around the temple was replaced with brick and concrete statues. At the main shrine, a huge decorated lingam stands, the natural light illuminating it from sunrise to sunset.

Gangaikondacholapuram: Once the capital of the Chola king Rajendra, the town of Gangaikondacholapuram(meaning ‘the city of the Chola who conquered the Ganga’) has now all but disappeared. The temple and the 5 kms long 11th century reservoir embankment survive.The Gopurams of this enormous temple, 35 kms north of Kumbakonam, dominate the surrounding landscape. It was built by the Chola emperor, Rajendra I( 1012-44) in the style of the Brihadishwara  temple and is dedicated  to Shiva. Many beautiful sculptures adorn the walls of the temple and its enclosures. The ornate tower is almost 55 mts high and is said to weigh 80 tonnes. Within the recesses of the temple walls stand many beautiful statues, including those of Ganesh, Nataraja and Harihara. Next to the temple there is a small museum (closed Friday), which exhibits the excavated  remains of the palace that once existed nearby.