About Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam, also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India, is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu.t is located 40 km (25 mi) from Thanjavur and 273 km (170 mi) from Chennai and is the headquarters of the Kumbakonam taluk of Thanjavur district.
The town is bounded by two rivers, the Kaveri River to the north and Arasalar River to the south. According to the 2011 census, Kumbakonam has a population of 140,156 and has a strong Hindu majority; but it also has sizeable Muslim and Christian populations. Kumbakonam is known as a "temple town" due to the prevalence of a number of temples here and is noted for its Mahamaham festival which attracts people from all over the globe.
Kumbakonam dates back to the Sangam period and was ruled by the Early Cholas, Pallavas, Medieval Cholas, Later Cholas, Pandyas, the Vijayanagar Empire, Madurai Nayaks, Thanjavur Nayaks and the Thanjavur Marathas. It rose to be a prominent city between the 7th and 9th centuries AD, when it served as a capital of the Medieval Cholas. The town reached the zenith of its prosperity during the British Raj when it was a prominent centre of European education and Hindu culture; and it acquired the cultural name, the "Cambridge of South India". In 1866, Kumbakonam was officially constituted as a municipality, which today comprises 45 wards, making it the second largest municipality in Thanjavur district.
History
The region around Kumbakonam was inhabited as early as the Sangam Age (3rd century BC to 3rd century AD). The present-day Kumbakonam is believed to be the site of the ancient town of Kudavayil where the Early Chola king Karikala held his court. Some scholars identify Kumbakonam as the site of the fabled prison of Kudavayir-kottam where the Chera king Kanaikkal Irumporai was imprisoned by the Early Chola king Kocengannan.
Following the decline of the Chola kingdom, Kumbakonam was conquered by the Pandyas in 1290. Following the demise of the Pandya kingdom in the 14th century, Kumbakonam was conquered by the Vijayanagar Empire. Krishnadevaraya (1509–29), the emperor of Vijayanagara visited the town in 1524 and is believed to have bathed in the famous Mahamaham tank during the Mahamaham festival. Kumbakonam was ruled by the Madurai Nayaks and the Thanjavur Nayaks from 1535 to 1673 when it fell to the Marathas. Each of these foreign dynasties had a considerable impact on the demographics and culture of the region. When the Vijayanagar Empire fell in 1565, there was a mass influx of poets, musicians and cultural artists from the kingdom.
according to the chronicles of the Hindu monastic institution, the Kanchi matha, the matha was temporarily transferred to Kumbakonam in the 1780s following an invasion of Kanchipuram by Hyder Ali of Mysore. When Tipu Sultan invaded the east coast of South India in 1784, Kumbakonam bore the brunt of his invasion. The produce fell sharply and the economy collapsed. Kumbakonam did not recover from the calamity till the beginning of the 19th century.
Kumbakonam was eventually ceded to the British East India Company in 1799 by the Thanjavur Maratha ruler Serfoji II (1777 -1832) and reached the zenith of its prosperity in the late 19th and early 20th century when it emerged as an important center of Brahminism,[26] Hindu religion and European education in the Madras Presidency.
Geography
Kumbakonam is located at 10.97°N 79.42°E.[33] It is situated 273 km (170 mi) south of Chennai,[34] 96 km (60 mi) east of Tiruchirappalli, and about 40 km (25 mi) north-east of Thanjavur.[35] It lies in the region called the "Old delta" which comprises the north-western taluks of Thanjavur district that have been naturally irrigated by the waters of the Cauvery and its tributaries for centuries in contrast to the "New Delta" comprising the southern taluks that were brought under irrigation by the construction of the Grand Anicut canal and the Vadavar canal in 1934.[36][37] It has an average elevation of 26 metres (85 ft).[38] The town is bounded by two rivers, the Cauvery River on the north and Arasalar River on the south.
Std code-0435
Pincode-612001
Governemnt Website
Education
The Raja Veda Padasala, established by Govinda Dikshitar during 1542 in Kumbakonam, teaches Sanskrit vedic scriptures in specialised fields of Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Agamas and Sastras.[58][140][141][142][143] Kumbakonam emerged as an important centre of education in the late 19th century and was known as the "Cambridge of South India".[38] The Government Arts College, established in Kumbakonam in 1867, is one of the oldest educational institutions in the Madras Presidency.[144] It began as a provincial school on October 19, 1854, before being upgraded to a government college in 1867.[144][145] It was affiliated to the Madras University in 1877.[27] One of the early principals of the college was William Archer Porter, a Cambridge Wrangler, who, along with T. Gopala Rao, was instrumental in its elevation to a government college.[144] He is also credited with framing the college's acclaimed educational policy.[146] In 1881, it became a full-fledged college and high school courses ceased to be taught.[146] Notable faculty members included U. V. Swaminatha Iyer (1855–1942)[147] while the Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887–1920) who studied from 1904 until 1906 when he dropped out and V. S. Srinivasa Sastri (1869–1946), an Indian politician and administrator, are its notable alumni.[144] The Government Arts College for Women was started in 1963[148][149] and had a total strength of 2,597 pupils in February 2006.[150] The college offers various undergraduate courses and one post-graduate course and is affiliated to the Bharathidasan University.[150] Other colleges in Kumbakonam include Idhya Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Annai College of Arts and Sciences,Government College Of Fine Arts and Arasu Engineering College.[151] The Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy has a satellite campus based in Kumbakonam where all disciplines of Engineering, arts and sciences are taught.[151] The Native High School, founded in 1876,[152] and the Town Higher Secondary School, one of whose students was Srinivasa Ramanujan, were some of the oldest schools in the Madras Presidency.[153] At present, there a total of 36 government and private schools in Kumbakonam.
Etymology
The name "Kumbakonam", roughly translated in English as the "Jug's Corner",[1] is believed to be an allusion to the mythical pot (kumbha) of the Hindu god Brahma that contained the seed of all living beings on earth. The kumbha is believed to have been displaced by a pralaya (dissolution of the universe) and ultimately came to rest at the spot where the town of Kumbakonam now stands. This event is now commemorated in the Mahamaham festival held every 12 years. Kumbakonam is also known as Baskarashetram[2] and Kumbam[3] from time immemorial and as Kudanthai in ancient times.[4] Kumbakonam is also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India.[5] Kumbakonam was also formerly known by the Tamil name of Kudamukku.[6] Kumbakonam is also identified with the Sangam age settlement of Kudavayil.
City Administration
Chairman-Rathna Sekar
Commissioner-S. Kalaichelvan
Holy Places
Kumbakonam is known for its temples and mathas (monasteries). There are around 188 Hindu temples within the municipal limits of Kumbakonam.[25] Apart from these, there several thousand temples around the town thereby giving the town the sobriquets "Temple Town" and "City of temples".
Adi Kumbeswarar Temple is considered to be the oldest Shaiva (the sect of the god Shiva) shrine in the town, believed to be constructed by the Cholas in the 7th century.
The Nageswaraswamy Temple has a separate shrine for the Sun god Surya who is believed to have worshipped Shiva at this place.[52] Adi Kumbeswarar temple, Nageswaraswamy temple and Kasi Viswanathar temple are Shiva temples in the town revered in the Tevaram, a Tamil Shaiva canonical work of the 7th–8th century.[53] Kumbakonam has one of the few temples dedicated to the god Brahma.[54]
Sarangapani temple is the largest Vaishnava (the sect of the god Vishnu) shrine present in Kumbakonam. The present structure of the temple having a twelve storey high tower was constructed by Nayak kings in the 15th century. It is one of the "Divya Desams", the 108 temples of Vishnu revered by the 12 Alvar saint-poets.[55][56] The Ramaswamy temple, which has scenes from the Hindu epic Ramayana depicted on its walls, was constructed by Govinda Dikshitar, the minister of successive Nayak rulers, Achuthappa Nayak (1560–1614) and Raghunatha Nayak (1600–34).[57][58] He added a commercial corridor between the temple and the older Chakrapani temple, which in modern times is called Chinna Kadai Veethi, a commercial street in the town.
The Thenupuriswarar Temple at Patteeswaram, the Oppiliappan Kovil, the Swamimalai Murugan temple and the Airavateswarar temple at Darasuram are located in the vicinity of Kumbakonam.[64] The Airavatesvara Temple built by Rajaraja Chola II (1146–73) during 12th century is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur, the Gangaikondacholisvaram Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram that are referred as the Great Living Chola Temples
Hotel
Hotel River Side Resort And Spa
Hospital
Government hospital
Palakarai Road, Kumbakonam HO, Kumbakonam - 612001
Contact-+(91)-435-2430002
Economy
The important products of Kumbakonam include brass, bronze, copper and lead vessels, silk and cotton cloths, sugar, indigo and pottery.[27] Kumbakonam is considered to be the chief commercial centre for the Thanjavur region. In 1991, around 30% of the population was engaged in economic activity.[112] Rice production is an important activity in Kumbakonam.[112] Of 194 industrial units in Kumbakonam, 57 are rice and flour mills.[112] Kumbakonam is also a leading producer of betel leaves and nuts; the betel leaves produced in Kumbakonam are ranked amongst the best in the world in terms of quality.[112] The A. R. R. Agencies, a leading manufacturer of arecanut slices has its factory in Kumbakonam.[113] The main administrative offices of T. S. R. & Co., a cosmetic company, are also based in Kumbakonam.[114] Kumbakonam is also famous for its metal works.[112] The Tamil Nadu Handicraft Development Corporation had been established in the nearby town of Swamimalai in order to train bronze artisans.[112] Kumbakonam is an important silk-weaving centre and more than 5,000 families were employed either directly or indirectly in silk weaving.[112] Silk weaved in Kumbakonam is regarded as one of the finest in the subcontinent.[115] They are largely used in the manufacture of Thirubuvanam silk sarees.[112] Kumbakonam was also an important salt-manufacturing area during British rule.[116] The town lends its name to the Kumbakonam Degree Coffee, a blend of coffee prepared using undiluted pure milk.[117] In recent times, Kumbakonam has emerged as an important manufacturer of fertilizers.
Apart from its manufactures, tourism is also a major source of income for the town. The Hindu temples[118][119] and colonial-era buildings have been recognised for their tourism potential.[120] The 12th-century Airavatesvara Temple in the town of Darasuram near Kumbakonam is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.[65] Kumbakonam is also frequented by art collectors interested in handloom cloth and other curios.[121] Banks such as the Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda,[122] State Bank of India,[122] Tamilnad Mercantile Bank,[122] Canara Bank,[122] Indian Bank,[122] Indian Overseas Bank,[122] Bank of India,[122] Union Bank of India,[122] Corporation Bank,[122] Lakshmi Vilas Bank,[122] ICICI Bank,[123] ING Vysya Bank,[124] Karur Vysya Bank,[122] Punjab National Bank,[122] Syndicate Bank[122] and Vijaya Bank have their branches in Kumbakonam. The City Union Bank was founded in Kumbakonam in 1904 as the Kumbakonam Bank Limited and its headquartered in the town.
Famous personalities
- Mathematics genius-Ramanujan
- Tamil Grand Father-U.V.Saminatha Iyyer