Shiva temple
Kasi Viswanathar Temple
A Shiva temple beside the Mahamaham tank, known for its shrine to nine sacred rivers, the Nava Kanniyar.
Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu
Mahamaham 2028
Kumbakonam's sacred bathing festival, held about once every 12 years when pilgrims gather at the Mahamaham tank. Find the festival's story, its temples, and practical help for your visit.
Time until Mahamaham 2028
Counting down to March 2028 (dates to be confirmed by TN HR&CE).
- Days
- –
- Hours
- –
- Minutes
- –
- Seconds
- –
About the festival
Mahamaham is a Hindu festival held about once every twelve years at the Mahamaham tank in Kumbakonam, and is often called the southern counterpart of the Kumbh Mela. According to tradition, nine sacred rivers (the Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Narmada, Godavari, Krishna, Tungabhadra, Kaveri and Sarayu) gather in the tank on the festival day, so a single bath here is held to equal bathing in all of them.
The festival falls in the Tamil month of Masi (February–March), when the full moon is in the star Magha. A smaller festival, Masi Magam, is held every year; the great Mahamaham comes when this alignment coincides with Jupiter in Leo.
On the day, the deities of the town's temples are carried to the banks at noon for the ritual immersion (theerthavari). Pilgrims bathe, give to charity, and follow the temple chariots through the streets. The festival has been celebrated for more than five centuries: the Vijayanagara emperor Krishnadevaraya came for it in 1524. The next Mahamaham is expected in March 2028 (dates to be confirmed by TN HR&CE).
Plan your visit
Famous temples
A few of the temples connected with the festival. The temples page lists them all, along with other temples in and around Kumbakonam.
Shiva temple
Adi Kumbeswarar Temple
Kumbakonam's largest Shiva temple, whose legend of the pot (kumbha) gives the town its name.
Shiva temple
Nageswaraswamy Temple
An early Chola Shiva temple, famous for its sculpture and for sunlight that reaches the sanctum only in April–May.
Vishnu temple
Sarangapani Temple
Kumbakonam's largest Vishnu temple and a Divya Desam, with the town's tallest gateway tower.
Vishnu temple
Chakrapani Temple
A Vishnu temple where Vishnu is worshipped as the divine discus, shown with eight arms and a third eye.
Nearby temple
Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram
A 12th-century Chola temple at Darasuram, part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Great Living Chola Temples.
Have a question?
Maha, our assistant, will answer questions from this site's pages.