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Kumbakonam is a beautiful town in Tamil Nadu that's home to some of the country's most exquisite temples. It's also an important historical site, with many ancient buildings still standing and preserved within its walls. When you head out on your trip to Kumbakonam, it can be hard to decide where to start exploring first--there are so many wonderful places to visit! So we've compiled this list of our favorite places in Kumbakonam so that you don't have any trouble finding a good place for dinner or lunch before venturing out into the city itself (or maybe just staying put at home).
Kumbakonam is a city in Tamil Nadu, India. It was once known as "Kodanda Rameswaram" due to the presence of two temples dedicated to Rama: one at Sivan temple and another at Perumal temple.
The city is located on the banks of river Kaveri (the mythical name for River Kaveri) and has been identified with its name since ancient times. The major part of this city was destroyed by floods during 1965–1966; however it soon recovered after that thanks to efforts made by local authorities and civic agencies alike who worked together towards rebuilding their homes and livelihoods through relief programs called "Panchayat Samithis".
The Sarangapani Temple is one of the most important temples in India. It was built in the 16th century, and it's dedicated to Shiva. The temple has a beautiful garden and is a popular tourist destination.
It's also on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites list—a testament to its significance as an architectural masterpiece that blends classical Hindu architecture with Islamic influences from around India (it shows up in many other places too).
Adi Kumbeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in the town of Kumbakonam. The temple's architecture and sculptures are considered masterpieces of Indian art.
The temple was built during the early years of Chola rule (10th century CE). It houses two murtis: one of Nataraja, dancing Shiva; and one of Garuda, riding on an eagle (or perhaps an elephant).
The Mahamaham festival is held in the temple tank, which is a large pool. It's usually held on a Friday, Sunday or Monday and lasts for about three days. On this day people gather in groups to swim around in the water as well as throw coloured powder into it (this is called 'tirupati pettai'). It's believed that if you throw red powder into the water then you will be able to see your dreams come true; if you throw pink powder then good luck will follow you wherever you go; if yellow then wealth will come your way; blue will bring happiness; white brings peace and tranquility etc.
The Navagraha Temples are a series of temples built by the Pallava dynasty, who ruled from Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. The temple complex consists of eight main structures:
Sri Venkateswara Temple (also known as "the Big Temple"), which houses the presiding deity Shiva and is one of India's most significant pilgrimage sites;
Sri Kalahasti Temple, dedicated to Vishnu;
Nageswaran Temple, dedicated to Shiva; and three smaller temples that form an outer wall around them:
Gopuram Murugan Temple at Tirukoilur , dedicated to Murugan or Kartikeya;
Chola Dravidian style architecture with stone walls covered with plaster or lime mortar
The Airavatesvara Temple is a pilgrimage site, and it's located in the heart of Kumbakonam.
The temple was built by the Pallava king Mahendravarman I in 6th century AD and dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the most important Hindu temples in India, with an architecture that's unique for its time period. The main idol inside this temple has two faces: one male and one female. This makes it very interesting since it shows how different religions can coexist peacefully within one place!
The Kasi Viswanathar Temple is one of the most sacred shrines in India. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and can be found on the banks of River Cauvery. This temple has been visited by many great saints and sages over its history, including Sri Ramana Maharshi, who gave his last discourse at this place.
The temple complex consists of four main Someshwara Temples:
The first temple has a single hall with three doors leading into it; this hall houses images of Nandi bull (a sacred animal) flanked by two other bulls behind him; these animal statues are believed to have been brought from Pandya Nadu during Shatapatha Brahmana era (700 BC). These three animals represent Lord Shiva's power over creation, destruction & regeneration respectively
If you want to explore more of the region, consider booking a day trip to nearby Thanjavur. This ancient city is home to many cultural sites and museums and offers some great walking tours.
You can get there by train from Chennai Central station or from all major cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai. The journey takes about two hours on average depending on the traffic situation in between stations (and with all due respect for our fellow Indians who drive like maniacs). Once at Thanjavur Railway Station, it's just a short walk down Galis Road into town where most accommodation options are located close by within walking distance of each other—you'll need only take one bus ride or tuk-tuk ride back home after visiting these places!
Kumbakonam is known for its many tank gardens, which are a source of water and income for the city. The tank gardens have been around since as early as 1650 A.D., but they weren't built until after 1789 when it was decided that they would be used to supply water to the people of Kumbakonam and surrounding areas.
The tanks were also used for entertainment purposes: children would play in them or entertain guests by washing their feet with soap made from coconut milk that had been boiled down into a paste (this practice has since been banned).
The Nageshwara Temple is a sacred Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva. It was built in 10th century by Raja Raja Chola I and has been a source of religious and cultural identity for Hindus, Buddhists and Jains since then.
The main deity here is Lord Shiva known as Nageshwara or Vishnu-Shiva representing duality between good and evil, light and darkness, male energy (Shakti) and female energy (Shakti). He also represents all pervading consciousness which extends beyond time space limits of human perception into infinity like a flame burning fiercely even though it has no fuel on its own but can be kindled by any object whatsoever for instance if you drop some flammable liquid on it then instantly starts burning away without any external help from us humans other than our intention alone :)
The Swamimalai Murugan Temple is one of the most fascinating places to visit in Kumbakonam. It was built by the Pallavas, who ruled for almost 700 years. The temple is dedicated to Lord Muruga, an important deity in Hinduism and Tamil culture.
The temple has a long history as well; it was originally built during the Chola period (12th century AD) but has since been renovated several times. Today, over 2 million pilgrims visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site every year!
The temple is dedicated to Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe.
It was built in the 14th century by King Narasimha Varman II.
This beautiful temple is located in Kumbakonam, which was once called as Kanyakumanam (the abode of King Narasimha).
The temple's architecture has been praised for its beauty and simplicity by many travellers who have visited this place over the years since its inception; hence earning it a place on UNESCO World Heritage Sites list where it remains today!
A temple dedicated to the Hindu god Kumbeswarar is located in Kumbakonam, a town in Tamil Nadu. The temple was built by Pallava king Mahendravarman I and renovated by Narasimhavarman I of the Western Chalukya Empire. It stands as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been described as "one of the most impressive Pallava temples".
The Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple is a small but beautiful example of the Vijayanagara style. It was built on the site of a previous temple, which was destroyed by Tipu Sultan in 1784. The current structure dates from 1811 and features many sculptures and paintings from around India as well as local artisans who have contributed their skills to its decoration over time. The temple has become one of Kumbakonam's most popular tourist destinations since it was first opened to visitors in 1834 after being renovated by the British East India Company following Tipu's destruction of its predecessor.
Visit the Kumbakonam Palace. This palace was built by the Pallavas, who ruled over South India from the 9th century to 12th century. It has been declared a "heritage structure" by UNESCO and is now open to visitors who wish to explore its intricate details.
Visit the Kumbakonam Museum. This museum houses an excellent collection of artifacts that date back as far as 500 BC, including bronzes and paintings from ancient times (including some depicting deities). It also contains several artifacts related to Indian mythology—such as idols depicting gods such as Shiva or Vishnu—as well as tools used during early mankind's time on earth; these include stone axes used by early humans around 100000 BC!