Friday, January 31, 2014

A VISIT TO KUMBAKONAM AND THANJAVUR



                        Our Thanjavur,Kumbakonam visit Jan 24-28,2014
 We two Left Aluva by the EKM-Karaikal Exp  on 24th Jan.at 2230 hrs,and reached Thanjavur by 0930 hrs on 25th.Left our luggages in the Railway cloak room and after breakfast  bought 2 tickets for Kumbakonam.Visited the Bruhadeeswaran temple,Thanjavur during the short break.Returned to the RS by 1145 .Reached Kumbakonam by 1250 by the shatabdi Exp( Coimbatore to Mayiladuthurai.) Hired an auto( Rs60) and   reached the Sankara Residency , where we had arranged for our stay.(Rs 1250 for a AC suit) Occupied the room by 1320 hrs.Got the lunch and took rest till 1500hrs.
                            The hotel people had arranged for our local tour also .We got a very experienced driver Sri.Govindan,who had vast experience in the local tour programmes and also knew very well about the importance of the various destinations.
                                                   Day 1 -  25th Jan  ( Saturday )( from 1500 hrs to 2000 hrs )
   1) Thinkaloor ( Shiva temple with Chandran )
2) Thiruvayar,the Samadhi of Thiagaraja Swamigal.Every year during the middle of January,Thiagaraja
    Aradhana takes place here.
   3)Swami malai.One of the temples in the Arupadai Veedu of Lord Subramonia.
  4)Thiruvalam chuzhi,(Valampuri )Ganesa temple.White Ganesa.
 5 ) Patteeswaram  temple ( Durgai and Shivan )
 6) Alamgudi ( Guru;Jupiter ).Shiva and Neelambika .
 7 )Njanapuri,Anjaneya peetom (36 feet height )
 8)Padai katty MariAmman,Valangainan
9 ) Uppilyappan koil,( Perumal koil )
10 )ThiruNageswaram ( Rahu ) Siva,Devi.----------Dinner at Hotel Balaji.2030 hrs.
                                                   Day 2-26th January ,Sunday (0615hrs to 2200 hrs )
1 )Surianar Koil ( Sun ),
2 ) Kanjanur    ( Sukran,Venus )
3)Thiruvizhai Mazhalai(Shiva )temple
4)Abhishta VaradarajaPerumal Koil,Vishnupuram.-----------Breakfast at Mayiladuthurai
5 ) KeezhePerumballam( Kethu )Shiva,Devi temple
 6) Thiruvenkadu ( Budhan )Devi,Shiva temples.
 7)  Vaitheeswaram,( Sevvai,Mars ),Sri Vaidyanatha Swami( Shiva ).----Lunch at Mayiladuthurai.
 8)  Anjaneya Idol( 60 feet height )
9)Vittal ,Perumal temple,Govindapuram( Lord Krishna )
10 )Mahalingeswar temple,Thiruvidaimarutur,( Siva,Devi )
11) Darasuram  temple.Airavateswar ( Shiva ).
12)AdiKumbeswar temple ( Motta gopuram )( Shiva,Devi )
13)Sreerama temple.( Sreerama pattabhishekam )
14 )Sarangapani temple( Vishnu temple
      Dinner from town hotel 2030 hrs.
                                     Day 3,27th Jan 2014 ,(Monday )0615 hrs to 2000 hrs.
1)Thirumaichur temple ( Shiva,Lalithambika )
 2 )ThiruSkandan Swami,Kandankudi( with Valli & Devayani )
  3),Ganesa temple.Nalankulam ,Thirunellar
 4 )Sani temple,Thirunellar.( Darpaneswaran,( Siva), Devi & Sani.)Heavy crowds of 2-3 lakhs on Fridays,Saturdays and Sundays.)
 5 )Nagur mosque,Beach.( Ptsunami affected area.)
6) Kayarakona Swami  temple,Nagapattanam (Sivan & Neelayathakshi )
7)Anjaneya temple,Nagapattanam
8 ) soundara rajaPerumal koil,Nagapattanam.
9)Nellukkadai Sri MariAmman koil,Nagapattanam.
10) Akkarapettai.The worst ptsunami affected area,A bridge was washed off and a new bridge had to be constructed.Many boats were flown over to the coast.
11)Korakka Siddhan’s Jeeva Samadhi Peetom,Vadakku Poikai nalloor.
12) Velankanni church and Beach.A very neatly maintained place.
13) Salt lakes near Velankanni on way to Thiruvalur.
14)Keezhveloor temple ,Sikkal(  Shiva ,Devi and Muruka )Subramonia is believed to have received the Vel from his mother  at this temple for killing Tharakasura .The temple owns much paddy grown land )
15 ) Sikkal Perumal temple.This also has large land holdings.
16)Arch gate near Thiruvalur with the images of the king in his chariot with a cow on the other side depicting the impartial way in which he took decisions.( a cow rang the bell at the palace gate to complain about the killing of it’s calf by an unidentified person.The king promised to give proper punishment to the guilty.On enquiry it turned out to be the prince himself who brutally killed the calf during his outings.The king himself killed his son using his chariot while his son was sleeping in the palace yard.)
17 ) Thiagaraja Moorthy temple,Thiruvalur ( Birth place of Thiagaraja Swamigal )
18)Nachiar koil,Kalgaruda .
19 )Saneeswaran temple with the entire family of Sanidevan ( 2 wives and 2 children )
20 )Azhakaputhur temple(Siva and Devi ,Sankha Chakra dhari Murukan),Kumbakonam.
                  Dinner at 2030hrs and back to the lodge.
                                   Day 4, 28th Jan 2014 Tuesday -0630 hrs -1730 hrs
1)      Mahamaham tank,Kumbakonam.The tank is normally full of water.It has 22 wells in it .During the KumbhaMela,the water in the tank is pumped out and there is water in the wells only.People use this water for purifying their body,and then worship in the  temple.
2)      Nageswara temple.( siva,Brahma and Saraswathi ).
3)      Vegetable market near the Arasalar river.
4)      Darasuram fort maidan.
5)      Nalloor Kalyana sundara Temple( the colour of the Shiva linga here is believed to be changing 6 times a day.There is a Kaali temple and also a tank here.
6)      Palaivananathar.A place where paddy is grown extensively using farming/harvesting machines.There are huge sylos  also for storing the paddy.
7)      Papanasam temple.There are 108 Sivalingams here (106 in a hall,1 in the temple and 1 ,known as Hanumat linga outside the main temple).
       The road from Papanasam  to Saha mangaliam has very little curves.  
     8 )Mullaivananathar temple( The Siva linga is believed to have been got from a mullai (jasmine )forest.( Siva  and Kalpaka rakshambika ).There is a big pond too.
         9 )Mariaman Koil,Thanjavur,The Diety here is believed to be the sister of Samayapuram diety.          The diety has rich sarees and ornaments all made of gold.
 10 )Aakaya lingam temple ( siva and Durga )The Siva linga is very tall and is near the railway track to  Trichy. Durga and Naga are also here.           
            11) Thanjavur palace,art gallery,Saraswati mahal library,museum,Viewing tower,Sivaganga garden    
12 ) Brihadeeswae temple,Tanjavur.Very huge Sivalingam and Nandi.Both are carved out of single stones.The towers are not painted and retain their natural stone colour.There are hundreds  of Sivalingas  around the inner temple.
Those who want a comfortable stay and darsan of the temples here can contact ,
SRI SANKARA RESIDENCY,54 –A,Banadurai North Street,Kumbakonam.612 001
( has both AC suites /guest house /accommodation)
Phone numbers - LL  0435 2423243( Kumbakonam )
                                               Mob;- 94437 24271
Sri Govindan ( Cab )         09629201935

1 comment:

  1. It was great reading your blog post. Kumbakonam is a beautiful temple town, set between the tranquil waters of river Cauvery and Arasalar. It has got enormous religious significance for Hindus. Check out numerous hotels in Kumbakonam offering comfortable accommodation.

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