Kumbakonam..

Airavatesvara Temple

Airavatesvara Temple is a Hindu temple of Chola architecture located in Kumbakonam, Thanjavur
District in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This temple, built by Chola emperor Rajaraja II in the
12th century CE is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Brihadeeswara Temple at
Thanjavur, the Gangaikondacholisvaram Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram that are referred to as
the Great Living Chola Temples.

The Airavatesvarar temple is one among a cluster of eighteen medieval era large Hindu temples in
the Kumbakonam area, Thanjavur District. The temple is dedicated to Shiva. It also reverentially
displays Vaishnavism and Shaktism traditions of Hinduism, along with the legends associated with
Nayanmars – the Bhakti movement saints of Shaivism.

The stone temple incorporates a chariot structure, and includes major Vedic and Puranic deities
such as Indra, Agni, Varuna, Vayu, Brahma, Surya, Vishnu, Saptamatrikas, Durga, Saraswati, Sri devi
(Lakshmi), Ganga, Yamuna, Subrahmanya, Ganesha, Kama, Rati and others.Shiva’s consort has a
dedicated shrine called the Periya Nayaki Amman temple.

Ashta Bhairava

 

The Ashta Bhairavas (Sanskrit: अ

भैरवः , romanized: Aṣṭabhairavah, lit. ‘eight Bhairavas’) are the eight

manifestations of the Hindu god Bhairava,

A ferocious form of Shiva. They are regarded to guard and control the eight cardinal directions.

Each of the Ashta Bhairavas is regarded to preside over eight subordinate Bhairavas, totalling 64 Bhairavas.

The Ashta Bhairavas are described to be
subordinate to Kālabhairava, who is considered the supreme ruler of time in the universe and the
chief form of Bhairava.

Gangaikonda Cholapuram

Gaṅgaikoṇḍa Chōḻapuram is a village located near to Jayankondam, Ariyalur district, Tamil Nadu,
India. It became the capital of the Chola dynasty in c. 1025 by Chola emperor Rajendra I, and served
as the capital for around 250 years.
The town is about approximately 125 kilometres (78 mi) northeast of Tiruchirapalli international
airport. As of 2014, the ancient city exists as a heritage town in the Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu,
India. The great Arulmigu Peruvudaiyar Temple at this place is next only to the Arulmigu
Peruvudaiyar Kovil at Thanjavur in its monumental nature and surpasses it in sculptural quality.
It has been recognised as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

The city was founded by Rajendra I to commemorate his victory over the Pala Dynasty. It is now a
small village, its past eminence only remembered by the existence of the Mahashiva Temple. The
Chola Empire included the whole of southern India to the river Tungabhadra in the north. For
administrative and strategic purposes, they built a new capital and named it Gangaikonda
Cholapuram.
The city seems to have had two fortifications, one inner and the other outer. The outer was probably
wider. The remains of the outer fortification can be seen as a mound running all around the palace.

Swaminatha Swamy Temple

The Swaminatha Swamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to god Murugan. It is located in
Swamimalai, 5 km from Kumbakonam, on the banks of a tributary of river Kaveri in Thanjavur
District, 290 km from Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is fourth abode of
Murugan among six (Arupadaiveedugal). The shrine of the presiding deity, Swaminathaswamy is
located atop a 60 ft (18 m) hillock and the shrine of his mother Meenakshi (Parvati) and father Shiva
(Sundareswarar) is located downhill. The temple has three gopuram (gateway towers), three
precincts and sixty steps and each one is named after the sixty Tamil years. The temple has six
daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and three yearly festivals on its calendar. The
annual Vaikasi Visagam festival is attended by thousands of devotees from far and near.As per Hindu legend, Murugan, the son of Shiva, extolled the meaning of the Pranava Mantra (AUM)
to his father at this place and hence attained the name Swaminathaswamy. The temple is believed
to be in existence from the Sangam period from 2nd century BC and was believed to have been
modified and rebuilt by Parantaka Chola