Call Taxi in Kumbakonam City of Mahamagam Festival
Call Taxi in Kumbakonam - Sri Siva Sakthi Travels
This Festival occurs when the sun is in the Zodiacal sign of Aquarius(Khumbha), Jupiter transists Leo(Simha) and the Moon is in conjunction with the constellation Maham. Generally all the these astronomical combination take place on a full moon day of the Tamil Month of Masi(Solar Kumbha Month) i.e. either in the latter half of February or in the first of March. The festival comes off once in 12 years.
Mahamaham bathing festival is concentrated on a single day, the concourse of pilgrims being all the more. The festival at Haridwar, Allahabad, Nasik and those in Andhra Pradesh happen to be bathing in river while the Mahamaham is bathing in a tank, generally followed or preceded by a dip in the River Cauvery at Kumbakonam.
The Centre of the Mahamaham festival is the Mahamaham Tank, a holy pool of nectar that followed out of Lord Brahma's Kumbha after it has been broken by Lord Siva's arrow shot. This Mahamaham tank is situated to SouthEast of the Adi Kumbheswarar Shrine, the principal ancient Lord Siva Shrine of the place. The Mahamaham tank, trapezoidal, (looking rectangular) in shape covers roughly an area of about five acres and a half with a full capacity depth of ten feet.
It is Holier than Varanasi(Kasi). There is an oft quoted popular saying in Sanskrit noting Kumbakonam as even as more sacred than Varanasi(Kasi). A sin committed at some ordinary place is washed off by a visit to a holy place. Sin done in a sacred spot is washed off by going on a pilgrimage to Varanasi(Kasi). If one dares to commit a sin in that sacred city too, that sin is wiped off at Kumbakonam and any sinful act done at Kumbakonam is atoned for there itself.
Brahma, the creator after the Prilaya Era, to continue with his work of creation wanted to have a Peetam. Lord Shiva asked him to make a pot made of "Amirhtam" and sand. The pot had a Peetam in it, with the vedas around it on four sides. A coconut was kept over the pot and garlands of Poonul (Sacred Thread ) and Tharpai were decorated and Brahma worshipped it.
During a flood, the pot floated and moved towards south from Kailash. Lord Shiva in the disguise of a hunter, broke the pot with an arrow and the amirtham spilled as "AMIRTHA THEERTHAM". Mixing the amirtham of the Kumbha with sand Lord Shiva emerged as LINGAM. The sacred place where he gave darshan as "KUMBESWARAN" is now called as KUMBAKONAM.
During a flood, the pot floated and moved towards south from Kailash. Lord Shiva in the disguise of a hunter, broke the pot with an arrow and the amirtham spilled as "AMIRTHA THEERTHAM". Mixing the amirtham of the Kumbha with sand Lord Shiva emerged as LINGAM. The sacred place where he gave darshan as "KUMBESWARAN" is now called as KUMBAKONAM.
Though rituals and archanas are done daily for the god, some special festivals are celebrated annually, which make the people gathered in large numbers and make their minds purified. Among the various festivals MAHAMAHAM that is celebrated once in twelve years is of very great importance.
During the time of Mahamagam festival, it is also believed that taking bath in the holy stream of water from the famous rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswathi, Sarayu, Godavari, Mahanadi, Narmatha, Pavoshnl and Cauvery, which are mixed together in Mahamagam tank, would get rid of sins according to Hindu religion.
The modern Kumbakonam is the nerve - centre of all the commercial activities in Tanjore District. Plenty of diverse small scale industries thrive in this town, chief among them being Silk, Scented & Shredded Supari, Chewing Tobacco, Brass & Stainless Steel Wares, Icon & Pith ware, Cosmetics etc.
The town has also been well - known for its prestigious educational institutions which have turned out eminent stalwarts in diverse spheres. It is perhaps because of this fact that the premier college of this ancient town namely the Government Arts College is proudly acclaimed as the "Cambridge of South India". The famous Mathematician Ramanujam studied in this Institution.
During the early period of 20th Century, the town has gained importance especially for the silk and metal manufacturing activities which supports extensive number of workers in the town. Kumbakonam being the headquarters of Kumbakonam taluk has different names like Kudanthai, Kudamooku and Baskarashetram from time immemorial.
