ABSTRACT

Location: On the southeast coast of India, along the Cauvery River and near the Bay of Bengal, approximately 190 miles south of Madras.

Description: Kumbakonam is a center of Brahmanism, a destination for Brahman pilgrims, and a showcase for historic Indian architecture, much of it built by the Cōla kings. Among its numerous Hindu temples are two major temples dedicated to Brahmā (Brahmā and Chakkarapani Temples) and three dedicated to Siva (Nageśvara, Sarangapani, and Kumbeshwara Temples). Every twelve years, pilgrims flock to the city to participate in the bathing festival held in the sacred Mahāmagham Tank.