Abimukeswarar Temple is a

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hin ...

dedicated to

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

located in Kumbakonam in

Thanjavur district Thanjavur District is one of the 38 districts of the state of Tamil Nadu, in southeastern India. Its headquarters is Thanjavur. The district is located in the delta of the Cauvery River and is mostly agrarian. As of 2011, Thanjavur district ...

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. The temple is one of 12 Shiva temples connected with the

Mahamaham ''Mahamaham'', also known as ''Mahamagham'' or ''Mamangam'', is a Hindu festival celebrated every 12 years in the Mahamaham tank located in the city of Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu in the south of India. This 20-acre square tank surrounded by Shi ...

festival, which takes place in Kumbakonam every 12 years.Mahamaham Festival 2004 (in Tamil), Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Administration Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, 2004

Location

This temple is located on the eastern bank of the Mahamaham tank, Kumbakonam. The temple is 500–1000 years old.

Presiding deity

The

moolavar ''Mulavar'' () or ''Mula-murti'' is a Sanskrit-Tamil term referring to the main deity, or a murti (cult image) in a Hindu temple. Location The central deity, ''mulavar'', is located near the centre of temples, than the images that surround them, ...

presiding deity, is found in his manifestation as Abimukeswarar. Shiva turned around, while nava kanniyar river goddess came there, enabling them to give darshan to them, so he is known as Abimukeswarar. His consort,

Parvati Parvati ( sa, पार्वती, ), Uma ( sa, उमा, ) or Gauri ( sa, गौरी, ) is the Hindu goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. She is a physical representation of Mahadevi i ...

, is known as Amirthavalli. The sacred tree of this temple is Gooseberry.Dinamalar Temples, Sri Abhi Mukheswarar temple
/ref> Sani Bhagwan of this temple is taller than the other 8 planets in the Navagraga shrine.

Mahamaham festival

The temple is one of 12 Shiva temples connected with the

festival, which happens every 12 years in Kumbakonam. The other temples are Kasi Viswanathar Temple, Kumbeswarar Temple, Nageswara Temple, Someswarar Temple, Kottaiyur Kodeeswarar temple, Kalahasteeswarar Temple, Gowthameswarar Temple, Amirthakalasanathar Temple, Banapuriswarar Temple, Kambatta Visvanathar Temple and Ekambareswarar Temple.

Mahasamprokshanam

The Mahasamprokshanam (also known as Kumbabishegam) of the temple was held on 26 October 2015.

Mahasamprokshanam, 26 October 2015

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References