Nageswaraswamy Temple

Nageswaraswamy Temple is a Shiva temple in Kumbakonam and is counted among the earliest Chola temples. Shiva is worshipped here as Nageswarar, in the guise of Nagaraja, the serpent king. The deity is praised in the Tevaram hymns of Thirugnana Sambandar.

Tradition

According to tradition, the serpent Adisesha, tired from bearing the weight of the earth, prayed here and was given strength by Parvati. The serpents Dakshan and Karkotakan are also said to have worshipped Shiva here. The temple is known for its shrine to Rahu, one of the nine planetary deities.

History

The temple is attributed to Aditya Chola in the 9th century. Its inscriptions record gifts from the Cholas, the Thanjavur Nayaks and the Thanjavur Marathas, and show that it was once a centre of learning, with provision made for teachers and students. The temple is administered by the Tamil Nadu HR&CE Department.

Architecture

The temple is best known for its early Chola sculpture. Almost life-size figures on the walls of the sanctum are thought to show donors or members of the royal court, and small scenes from the epics run along the base. The building is aligned so that sunlight falls on the sanctum only in the Tamil month of Chithirai (April–May), which gives it the name Surya Kottam. The Nataraja shrine is built in the form of a chariot drawn by horses.

Mahamaham

It is one of the 12 Shiva temples connected with the Mahamaham festival, held at the Mahamaham tank about once every 12 years.