Gowthameswarar Temple is a Shiva temple near the Mahamaham tank. Shiva is worshipped here as Gowthameswarar, in the form of a lingam, with his consort as Saundaryanayaki.
Tradition
According to tradition, when the pot (kumbha) of the Kumbakonam legend broke, the thread tied around it fell at this place and became the lingam. The sage Gautama is said to have worshipped Shiva here to be freed from the sin of killing a cow, which gives the temple its name. An image of the sage stands in the corridor around the sanctum.
Mahamaham
It is one of the 12 Shiva temples connected with the Mahamaham festival, held at the Mahamaham tank about once every 12 years. Its place near the tank puts it at the heart of the festival. The temple's consecration ceremony (Kumbabishegam) was last held in September 2015.
Festivals at this temple
Dates are calculated from the Tamil calendar for Kumbakonam and can differ by a day from the temple’s own announcement. Always check with the temple before you travel.
February 21, 2027
Calculated dateMasi Magam theerthavari மாசி மகம் தீர்த்தவாரி
Theerthavari at the Mahamaham tank
Sources
- Hindu temples in Kumbakonam (Wikipedia)
- Mahamaham (Wikipedia)
- Gauthameswarar Temple (Wikipedia)
- Kumbakonam Gowthameswarar Temple (Tamil Wikipedia)
- Sri Gauthameswarar Temple, Kumbakonam (Veludharan Temples Visit)
Last reviewed October 6, 2026