KUMBHAKONAM

The land of Kaveri and Arasalar

Dear Readers,

The stories of history have never missed to enthrall us. When great storytellers put their imaginations of landscape, starry skies, green flowing rivers and a dazzling character in place, all that seem to make us time travel. However, each of us has a different takeaway.

A such depiction is to be seen in the movie- “Ponniyin Selvan”, ‘Ponni’ referring to the ancient name of Kaveri.

I was fortunate enough to be nourished in this land of Kaveri and Arasalar.

MOONSCAPES

Thanjavur was the Great Capital of the Cholas who ruled between 9th-13th Century AD. The Brihadeshwara temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, also known as the Thanjavur temple, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built by Raja Raja I in 1010 AD, it took almost 34 years to build this temple and it stands today as a testimony of the exemplary Chola Architectural Style. Studies tell us that the temple was made in rock-cut architecture, it was designed in such a way that the structure could adjust itself with the rotation of earth, thus was able to remain unaffected during earthquakes.

The Cholas were said to be the devotees of Lord Shiva. Raja Raja I ensured that the information about the building of this temple, people involved, donations given to the temple be passed on to the coming generations through coin inscriptions, rock engravements and murals.

During olden days, a temple used to be an important place for gatherings, discussions, courts, before it gained more of a religious importance. The temple courtyards were designed for travelers to stay and big enough to occupy the village populace during natural calamities. Then again there were tanks for built for the devotees to wash their limbs or take a holy bath. .

The ‘Vimanam’ of the temple( the temple tower over the sanctum-sanctorum or Garbha-griha) was made high so that the elderly of the village could worship from their own homes. It is a pyramidal super-structure , which is said to bring cosmic energy to the deity in the Garbha-griha. The top of these were mounted with metal conductors, engineered to seize if the lightning hits. According to the traditions, the sacred pots mounted on the same contained grains( stored to be used as seeds in case of natural disasters, their natural age was said to be 12 years). These pots were to be refilled every 12 years.

Kumbhakonam or Kudamukku( its ancient Tamil name meaning mouth or spout of the pot) is known as the temple town of Tamil Nadu. This is bounded by Kaveri river in the north and Araslar river in the south. It specifically consists of 188 Hindu temples and thousands of temples are dispersed around this town. According to mythology, during ‘Pralaya’ or apocalypse, Lord Brahma had put the seeds of all the living organisms on the earth in a ‘Kumbham’ i.e. pot. During this phase of destruction and renewal, Shiva broke this pot using his bow and arrow, thus re-establishing life on earth. This explains the name of ‘ Kumbhakonam’.

Every 12 years Mahamaham festival(symbolic equivalent of Mahakumbh celebrated in ‘Sangam’ of Uttar Pradesh) is celebrated in Kumbhakonam at the Mahamaham tank( which is said to be the place where Shiva’s arrow broke sacred pot. This tank is believed to be formed by the confluence nine rivers: Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Narmada, Godavari, Krishna, Tungabhadra & Kaveri.   

MOONSHOTS

January was an ideal time to be visiting the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu. At least for me. Days were bright and sunny and nights were cool and calm.

Other than the temples like Thanjavur temple and Darasuram ‘Airavateeshwarar’, which are well known and being well preserved. There are numerous temples present around Kumbhakonam, primarily worshipping Shiva.

---

Understanding heritage is not possible if you are not ready to give yourself back to what you are seeking. Probably that is true for everything in life.

Something that I got to understand recently

We can be so much better “if we start treating ourselves in just the way we will want to be treated, when we become the person we dream to be.”

Our minds are so powerful.

---

During my visit to a Shiva temple near ‘Kadgampadi’ village, that I was made aware of the divine songs of Alwars: Tevaram.

I met an old priest who was the last of the family of those who recited these devotional poems during the every day prayers. Now his next generation is not going to follow his area of work. Therefore, this tradition might not be followed at that temple for long.

However, what took me to relief is that all these most peaceful places exist mostly because of not being too special.

Sharing a quote by Khushwant Singh in his book “Train to Pakistan”, which is a time-travel tale about the of partition of India:

“Not forever does the bulbul sing
In balmy shades of bowers,
Not forever lasts the spring
Nor ever blossom the flowers.
Not forever reigneth joy,
Sets the sun on days of bliss,
Friendships not forever last,
They know not life, who know not this.”
― Khushwant Singh, Train to Pakistan

Hope that you find it well.

Thank you.

Punam.