Kumbakonam - Temple Town and City of Temples

Introduction

Kumbakonam, known as Kashi on Cauvery, is an old South Indian City situated in the Cauvery River Basin. It involves an exceptional situation in Hindu Myth and legend, as a result of the important engravings, iconography, strict engineering, and profoundly expressed inestimable topography, as far as its metropolitan construction. Its situation in Hindu Myth, metropolitan arrangement sanctuaries, and tanks, royal residences and city structures, establishments, strict grants, Brahmin world-class, expressions and specialties, all prompts the customs of Urbane Tamil Culture. The consecrated regal design of Kudamukku (Kumbakonam) - Palaiyarai, along with a more extensive organization of auxiliary agglomerations, comprised probably the soonest settlement of the Cholas in the Cauvery. Kumbakonam, in the Thanjavur region, is situated at 10° 57' north scope and 79° 23' longitude. Kumbakonam is special being one of the not very many multi-center sanctuary urban communities. The metropolitan texture incorporates sanctuaries, matams, chattrams, agraharams, paditorais, making it one among the best enduring old Tamil urban communities.

History 

Kumbakonam is related to the cosmogonic legend of Shiva as"Adikumbeshwara" or "Ruler of the Pot". According to the Myth, "the maker (Brahma) tries to protect the most valuable things from obliteration, which finishes an astronomical cycle. Along these lines, he puts the Hindu sacred texts and the seed of creation in a brilliant pot, which glides south on the grandiose flood, till it is broken by Shiva's bolt. The two heavenly tanks of Kumbakonam, Mahamakam tank and Pottramarai tank, are viewed as the most consecrated and lovely. Mahamakam tank is a fine repository enunciated with steps and plinths, encircled with fifteen hallowed structures (each with conquering vimana, containing a linga and a sixteen pillared mandapam). A blessed shower, in the propitious Mahamakam tank, washes off all transgressions. Mahamakam tank, in the core of the city, is a gathering point for 9 holy stream goddesses (addressed by wells), specifically, Sindu, Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi, Sarayu, Godavari, Mahanadi, Narmada, Payashul, and Cauvery.

Settlement Pattern of Kumbakonam 

Fancifully Kumbakonam expected its root, revolved around the Kumbeshwara sanctuary, the two heavenly tanks of Mahamakam and Pottramarai, and the Banadurai Temple. The development of the city was set apart by the ascent of sanctuary settlements. The two shaiva sanctuaries – Nageshwara sanctuary and Kasi Vishwanatha sanctuary; and one Vaishnava sanctuary – Sarangapani sanctuary; framed the cores of Shaiva and Vaishnava settlements. The underlying block structures were changed over to stone vimanas and cores of enormous sanctuary buildings, which filled consistently in size from the Chola period and acquired extra auxiliary hallowed places and fenced-in areas (Prakarams) with tall gopurams, during the Vijayanagara - Nayaka period 8. Nageshwara sanctuary kept on being the middle for every significant movement, till the Kumbeshwara sanctuary acquired importance. The means and mandapam were added to the Mahamakam tank, alongside various Padithore along the Cauvery waterway.

Housing Typology Overview 

The house basically mirrors the way of life and the control of the client. A straight house type with a rotating patio is the essential typology. The interface with the road is basically the verandah, as a limit characterized by a high plinth, tile shelter rooftop, and upheld on wooden columns. The house is normally G or G+1 with the upper floor set back past the verandah. The patio obliges different utilizations going from a formal space to a private domain. It likewise helps in ventilating the house. 

Urban Block Overview 

The metropolitan square is fundamentally characterized with a principle sanctuary as the center, in this way delivering a multi loci arrangement to the metropolitan texture. The metropolitan square is characterized by the roads with the adjoining fabricated adjoining it, leaving a broad aggregate patio that shapes the bigger arrangement of open spaces with the waterway in the middle running the east-west way. The normal size of a block shift from 180m x 300m to 400m x600m. Roads run corresponding to the water network offering admittance to the private plots that are adjoining the watershed zone. The normal plot size is 2.5m x 120m running opposite to the street. 

Kumbakonam - One of the Paradise the Temples 

Kubeswara Temple ninth century - Kumbeswara is a significant Saivite sanctuary arranged in the focal piece of the Kumbakonam town. The Kumbeswara sanctuary complex is very huge and lovely, the Mahamaham celebration which happens once like clockwork during the Tamil month of Masi.

Sarangapani Temple eleventh century - Sarangapani is an acclaimed Vaishnav sanctuary. It is likewise known for its tall gopuram. The chariot celebration, which happens each year, is one of the greatest celebrations.

Airavatesvara Temple eleventh century - The Airavatesvara sanctuary is arranged at Dharasuram,4km west of the Kumbakonam town. The Airavatesvara sanctuary was built by raja Chola and is a superb illustration of the Chola design. Stories from sagas and Hindu folklore are portrayed everywhere on the sanctuary engineering.

Nageswaran Temple twelfth century - Nageswaran sanctuary is devoted to ruler Shiva. Aditya Chola built the nagaswaram sanctuary during the twelfth century. The Nageswaran is an incredible illustration of Chola engineering and cosmology.

Someswar Temple fourteenth century - Someswar sanctuary is situated in the southern bit of Sri Sarangapani sanctuary, the engineering style of someswar sanctuary takes after the Dravidian style of sanctuary design of 13the century during the Chola period.

Chakrapani Temple sixteenth century - The primary living god at the sanctuary is chakraraja. The most exceptional point about the chakrapani sanctuary is that Vilvaarchana, which is typically acted in shiva sanctuaries, is likewise performed here for master Vishnu.