Kumbakonam, the temple town of South India, is picturesquely located amidst the two rivers, Cauvery & Arasalar.Kumbakonam is situated in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. The city is famous for the Mahamaham festival that is celebrated once in 12 years in the Mahamaham tank located in the heart of it.
Kumbakonam is known for its temples and Mathas. There are about 188 Hindu temples located here. The most important temples in Kumbakonam are the Sarangapani Temple, the Kumbeswara Temple and the Ramaswamy Temple. Kumbakonam also has a number of mathas or mutts. There are also two Vellalar mutts in nearby towns and a Raghavendra mutt in Kumbakonam. There is also a branch of the Vaishnavite Ahobila Mutt in Kumbakonam.
The Sarangapani Temple, about 12 storeys high was constructed by the Nayak kings in the 15th century. The Ramaswamy Temple, the main idol of Lord Rama was made from a single piece of Saligrama. The Kumbeswara Temple is considered to be the oldest shrine in the town. At the centre of this temple, is the Mahamaham tank where pilgrims from all over the country bathe during the Mahamaham festival held once in 12 years.