Mahamaham is a Hindu religious festival celebrated every twelve years at Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. It is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Magha, and is considered a symbolic equivalent of the Kumbh Mela. While the annual observance is known as Masimaham after the Tamil calendar month of Masi, the Mahamaham is observed once in twelve years. The festival attracts large crowds, which had been documented by writers since the 19th century. The last Mahamaham was celebrated on 22 February 2016.
The festival involves a gathering of pilgrims at the Mahamaham tank. As per Hindu mythology, the waters in the tank is constituted holy confluence of nine Indian river goddesses–Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Narmada, Godavari, Krishna, Tungabhadra, Kaveri, and Sarayu. As per the Tamil text of Periya Puranam, the river goddesses gather on the day at the tank to pray to god Shiva and rejuvenate their waters.
History
thumb|Mahamaham festival in 1896
The antiquity of the event is deduced from the architectural and epigraphy. The visit of Krishnadevaraya (1509–1529) is recorded in an inscription in the gopuram of Nagalpuram, a village in Chengalpattu district. That Krishnadevaraya visited the event is also recorded in the inscription found in the Shiva temple in Kuthalam. Vast crowds of Hindu devotees gather at Kumbakonam to have a dip in the tank. All the rivers of India are believed to meet at the tank on this day and a purificatory bath at this tank on this day is considered equal to the combined dips in all the holy rivers of India. The purificatory bath is believed to remove sins and after the dip, pilgrims offer charitable gifts in the hope of being rewarded in the current life and subsequent lives.), Narmada River, Krishna River, and Kaveri River. These arrive here to rejuvenate and get repurified through Ganga and with Shiva's blessing. This cyclic event makes this a sacred site and the waters holy to cleanse one of any sins they may have committed or absorbed from others. which are mixed together in Mahamaham tank, would get rid of sins. and has 21 wells inside the tank. The names of the wells carry the name of Lord Shiva or that of Rivers of India.
The Mahamaham tank has four streets along its four banks. It is constructed with steps on the sides for people to easily access the tank and take dips. There are 16 mandapas (Gopuram Towers) around the corners and sides of the tank. These towers are considered to be forms of Shiva.
Names of the Gopuram Tower
1. Brammatheertheshwarar; 2. Mukundeshwarar; 3. Dhaneshwarar; 4. Virushabeshwarar; 5. Baaneshwarar; 6. Koneshwarar; 7. Bhakthikeshwarar; 8. Bhairaveshwarar; 9. Agasthyeshwarar; 10. Vyaneshwarar; 11. Umaibakeshwarar; 12. Nairutheeshwarar; 13. Brammeshwarar; 14. Gangatheshwarar; 15. Mukthatheertheshwarar; 16. Shethrabaleshwarar
Names of 20 Theertham (wells)
1. Vayu Theertham; 2. Ganga Theertham; 3. Bramma Theertham; 4. Yamuna Theertham; 5. Kubera Theertham; 6. Godavari Theertham; 7. Eshana Theertham; 8. Narmada Theertham; 9. Saraswathi Theertham; 10. Indira Theertham; 11. Agni Theertham; 12. Cauvery Theertham; 13. Yama Theertham; 14. Kumari Theertham; 15. Niruthi Theertham; 16. Bayoshni Theertham; 17. Deva Theertham; 18. Varunai Theertham; 19. Sarayu Theertham; 20. Kanya Theertham
Mahamaham festival rituals
thumb|The tank and Masimaham festival
On the Mahamaham day people start with praying these Siva temples, followed by a dip in the holy tank. The devout follow a more exhaustive procedure with dips in the 20 wells, visit to Kumbeswarar Temple, dip in the holy tank and finally in Kaveri river to complete the process. Other celebrations including public chariot parades and fares, featuring the sanctum idols of the main temples of Kumbakonam being brought out for public viewing, carried in wooden chariots through the different streets of the town.
Connected Shiva temples
Twelve Shiva temples are connected with Mahamaham festival which happens once in 12 years in Kumbakonam. They are Kasi Viswanathar Temple, Kumbeswarar Temple, Someswarar Temple, Nageswara Temple, Ekambareswarar Temple, Gowthameswarar Temple, Abimukeswarar Temple, Kambatta Visvanathar Temple, Banapuriswarar Temple, Kalahasteeswarar Temple, Koteeswarar Temple, and Amirthakalasanathar Temple. Of these twelve, first ten temples are located in Kumbakonam town itself. Of them 11 temples are in Kumbakonam.
Connected Vishnu temples
Five Vishnu temples are connected with this festival. They are Sarangapani Temple, Chakrapani Temple, Ramaswamy Temple, Rajagopalaswamy Temple, and Varahaperumal Temple.