Nageswaraswamy Temple, Kumbakonam

Nageswaraswamy Temple, Kumbakonam is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India.[1] The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Thevaram and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. Shiva in the guise of Nagaraja, the serpent king and is located in the centre of Kumbakonam.

Nageswaran Temple
Kudanthai Keezhakottam
Religion
Affiliation	Hinduism
District	Thanjavur
Deity	Nageswaran(Shiva)
Features	Temple tank: Surya Theertham
Location
Location	Kumbakonam
State	Tamil Nadu
Country	India
Location in Tamil Nadu
Geographic coordinates	10°57′31.4910″N 79°22′43.173″E
Architecture
Type	Dravidian architecture
Creator	Cholas

History

Aditya Chola constructed this temple during the 9th century. It is great marvel of Chola architecture, building technology and astronomy. The orientation is structured in such a way that it allows sunlight inside the temple, right on the sanctum only during the Tamil month of Chithirai (April/May). It bears another name called Surya Kottam or Keezha Kottam. The Karuvarai (Sanctum Sanctorum) of Nageswaran temple is similar to Sarangapani Temple, as it is made in the form of a Chariot. The temple consists of three gopurams in the eastern, western and southern directions. The temple is designed in such a way that during the first three days of Tamil month Chittirai (April - May), the rays of the Sun falls directly in the base of the presiding deity in sanctum sanctorum.[2]

The temple had been a centre of learning as seen from the inscriptions in the temple. The inscriptions indicate specific subjects like Purvamimansa styled as Pravahakarma. There were also provisions made for feeding and maintaining for teachers and students.[3]

As per a Hindu belief, people troubled by Sarpa-dosha or Malefic effects Rahu-Kethu seek a relief by offering prayers in a single day to Kudanthai or Kumbakonam Nageshwarar in the morning, Thirunageshwaram Naganathar at the noon, Thirupamburam Pambureswarar in the evening and Nagoor Nageshwarar or Naganathar temple at night.[4]

Legend

During the time when Adisesha was feeling under the weight of the earth, he did penance at Kuvivanam. Parvathy appeared and blessed him at this place to get strength. The water body in the temple is called Naga Theertham.[5] Th temple known is for its shrine of Rahu, one of the nine celestial bodies in the Navagrahas. A legend has it that the mythological serpents Dakshan and Kaarkotakan worshipped Lord Shiva here. Legend also has it that King Nala worshipped Shiva here as in Thirunallar. There is a Naganathar temple at Tirunageswaram having similar features like temple. This place has been referred in Tevaram written by Saint Tamil poet of 7th Century AD, Thirugnana Sambanthar.[6]

Architecture

The temple is one of the prominent Shiva temples in Kumbakonam.[7] The temple shows early Chola art in its best form particularly in the form of human figures. The sanctum is of padabandha-padmaka type stands on padmopana. The lotus leaves of the padmopano are carved with vitality. In its iconographic scheme the Ardhanari, Brahma and Dakshinamoorthy in the niches of the outer wall are featured. The other sculptures on the walls almost life-size reflect either the donors to the temples or contemporary princesses and princes.[8] The epic scenes are in low relief on the plinth below the pilasters of the walls of the sanctum, recalling the wood work.[9]

The Devi shrine is an independent structure situated in the outer prakaram(outer precincts of a temple), detached from the axial unit, though it faces south, a feature common to Saiva Devin shrines. The complex of Nataraja shrine is in the form of a chariot on wheel drawn by horses as in the case of Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram and Sarangapani Temple in Kumbakonam.[10] Similar architecture of halls (Mandapas) simulating a chariot drawn by elephant or horses is found in Sarangapani temple at Kumbakonam, Mela Kadambur Amirthakadeswarar Temple, Sikharagiriswara Temple, Kudumiyamalai, Vriddhagiriswarar Temple, Vriddhachalam and Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvarur.[11]

According to historian Harle, the temple is counted among the four early extant temples of the Chola Empire, with the other three being Koranganatha Temple in Tiruchirappalli district, Moovar Koil in Pudukottai district, and Brahmapureeswarar temple in Thanjavur district. These temples follow the Pallava architecture which are relatively small in size. They all have a fair-sized porch, locally called ardhamandapa attached to the sanctum, both of which are slightly below the ground level in a pit kind of structure. The structures are also predominantly built of stone.[12]

Gangai Vinayagar

Nageswaran chariot

During Rajendra Chola's Ganges expedition, the victorious chola army brought a beautiful Vinayagar statue as a war trophy to the chola empire. The Vinayagar statue was kept at this temple and was aptly named as Gangai Vinayagar. Currently, the Vinayagar is present in the ardha mandapam, in front of the sanctum of Nageswarar. The Vinayagar seems to be in the Pala style.

Specialty

12 Shiva temples are connected with Mahamaham festival which happens once in 12 years in Kumbakonam. They are :

• Kasi Viswanathar Temple,
• Kumbeswarar Temple,
• Someswarar Temple,
• Nageswara Temple,
• Kalahasteeswarar Temple,
• Gowthameswarar Temple,
• Kottaiyur Kodeeswarar temple
• Amirthakalasanathar Temple,
• Banapuriswarar Temple,
• Abimukeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam,
• Kambatta Visvanathar Temple and
• Ekambareswarar Temple.

This temple is one among them.[13]

Notes

1. Census of India, 1961, Volume 7; Volume 9
2. R. 2001, pp. 217-8
3. Tyagi, Anil Kumar (2013). "Educational Institutions (B.C. 200- A.D. 700)". In Iyer, Shymala M. (ed.). Ancient India. New Delhi: Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. pp. 140–144. ISBN 978-81-230-1896-6.
4. Sharma, Sridhara (2007). Kumbakonam Azhaikkirathu. New Horizon Media. pp. 20–23. ISBN 9788183682244.
5. V., Meena (1974). Temples in South India (1st ed.). Kanniyakumari: Harikumar Arts. p. 25.
6. "campantar tEvAram -2" (PDF). projectmadurai.org. Retrieved 16 July 2011.
7. Diwakar, Macherla (2011). Temples of South India (1st ed.). Chennai: Techno Book House. p. 138. ISBN 978-93-83440-34-4.
8. Rajarajan, R.K.K. (2008) Identification of Portrait Sculptures of the Nāgēśvara Temple, Kuṃbhakōṉam. East and West, Rome, Vol. 58: 1-4, pp. 405-414. ISNN 0012-8376. https://www.academia.edu/3308644/Identification_of_Portrait_Sculptures_on_the_P%C4%81da_of_the_N%C4%81ge%C5%9Bvara_Temple_at_Ku%E1%B9%83bhako%E1%B9%87am
9. Rajarajan, R.K.K. (2008). "Identification of Portrait Sculptures of the Nāgēśvara Temple, Kuṃbhakōṉam". East and West, Rome. 58: 1-4: 105–114.
10. Temples of South India P.112. V.V. Subba Reddy
11. H., Sarkar (1974). The Kampahesvara temple at Thirubuvanam (PDF). Madras: Department of Archaeology, Government of Tamil Nadu. p. 9.
12. Harle, James C. (1958). The Brahmapuriswara temple at Pullamangai (PDF). Bombay: Bhulabhai Memorial Institute. p. 9.
13. Mahamaham Festival 2004 (in Tamil), Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Administration Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, 2004

References

• Ayyar, P. V. Jagadisa (1991). South Indian shrines: illustrated. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. ISBN 81-206-0151-3..
• R., Dr. Vijayalakshmy (2001). An introduction to religion and Philosophy - Tévarám and Tivviyappirapantam (1st ed.). Chennai: International Institute of Tamil Studies.

External links

Gallery

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  Images found in the second entrance
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  Nataraja shrine depicted as chariot
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  Amman shrine
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  Shrines in the prakara
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  Temple tree
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  Vimana of presiding deity
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  Vimana of Amman shrine