Kumbakonam

Kumbakonam, known as Coombaconum during the British rule, literally means - Pot’s Corner. According to myth, the town of Kumbakonam is believed to be the resting spot of Kumbha or mythical pot of Lord Brahma, which contains the seeds of all the living things on earth. The pot came to rest here following the pralaya or the dissolution of the universe, and the festival of Mahamaham is celebrated every 12 years in commemoration of this event. Kumbakonam is also known by many other names such as - Baskarashetram, Kumbam and Kudamukku.

Kumbakonam is often referred to as the ‘Temple Town’ or the ‘City of Temples’. The town has around 188 Hindu temples, and several thousand more surrounding its outskirts. The oldest Shaiva temple of the town, the Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, is believed to have been constructed by the Cholas in the 7th century, worshipping Lord Shiva. The Nageswaraswamy Temple is built in honour of the Sun God Surya. The largest Vaishnava temple in Kumbakonam built for Lord Vishnu is the Sarangapani Temple.It is one of the 108 temples, or Divya Desams, worshipped by the Tamil Alvar saint-poets, who are ardent bhakts or devotees of Lord Vishnu.The Ramaswamy Temple has depictions from the Hindu epic Ramayana on its walls. During the Mahamaham Festival, millions of pilgrims take a holy dip in the Mahamaham tank. Apart from these, the town of Kumbakonam also has many mathas or monasteries. Some of the famous include - Sri Sankara matha and Raghavendra matha.

The town of Kumbakonam has had an incredibly vibrant history through the wheel of time. Dating back to the Sangam period, the town was under the rule of the famous South Indian ruling communities, the Cholas, Pallavas, and Pandayas. The city rose to prominence later, and under the British Raj it came to be known as the "Cambridge of South India" and became an important centre of Hindu culture and the European education.

Slowly, many temples started coming up in the town, and thus, it came to be known as an important religious centre. Being one of the most important cities even in many historical eras, Kumbakonam gained its development at an early stage, and thus became one of the most important places in Thanjavur district and an important tourism centre in the southern India. The art, architecture and the cultural and religious tolerance of the area have been alluring tourists for visiting Kumbakonam since long.

Popularly known as the "Temple Town", Kumbakonam is famous for its cultural diversity and tolerance. With about 188 temples in the town, the place is popularly now known for being a religious centre, and a beautiful depiction of the art and culture of the area. With temples like Airavatesvara Temple, Uppiliappan Temple, Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Nageshwara Temple and Chakkarapani Temple in its locality, no one will dislike this beautiful city of temples.

The famous festival of Mahamaham is an extremely sought after event, which attracts tourists from all over the world. Celebrated in the Mahamanam Tank, the festival is known for taking a holy dip, and attracts lakhs of tourist all throughout the festival. Kumbakonam is thus an incredibly beautiful place, which should be on everyone's travel list.

Vegetarian food rules the roost here with pre-dominantly Tamil cuisines on offer. One can get authentic South Indian cuisines which will tickle your taste buds.
Also don't forget to have coffee Kumbakonam as it has one of the best filter coffees in the world.
View Top Restaurants in Kumbakonam

Taking into account the number of temples in the city, it won't be feasible for the tourists to visit each one of the temples. A 2-day trip might be a suitable option for the travellers to plan their visit to Kumbakonam.

Day 1: Utilise the first day to start with a visit to Mahamaham Tank and the Airavatesvara Temple, located at a drive of 10 minutes from each other. Uppiliappan Temple, located at a drive of 20 minutes, can also be visited on this day. Next at a 17-minute drive is Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, which can be your last stop for the day.

Day 2: Utilise the second day further to explore more temples and a few more tourist attractions in the town, and also explore the local markets and shop for the local goods, which will be memorable for you the rest of your life.