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| Kumbakonam Masimaham festival, .hindutamil.in |
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| old image,Kumbakonam Masi maham festival pinrest.com |
The annual Masimaham that comes in the Tamil month of Masi (February–March), is an important Hindu festival and the popular venue is Mahamaham tank of the temple city Kumbakonam which is close to Thanjaviur city. The famous tank is located in the prime area of the city and on the masi maham day thousands of devotees descend on the tank in the early morning to take head bath and to give tharpanam -paying respect to the pithroos - forefathers. Devotees, coming from far and wide, would visit Shiva Vishnu temples, etc., to get blessed by the almighty.
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| ,Kumbakonam,TN Kumbeswarer car festivalyting.com |
Masi Maham, or Maasi Magam, being an auspicious day in the Tamil month of Masi devout Hindus never miss this occasion and this festival has been around for several centuries. Maasi Magam date is February 24, 2024. Mahm or Makam, is one among the twenty seven stars (Nakshatras) as per the Hindu astrological system. A major temple ritual is
Theethavaari - ritual bathing of temple murtis in the water body sea, pond, etc. Her at the Mahamaham tank, the processional moorthis of Shiva as well as Vishnu temples are taken to the ghat in a religious procession. The temple priests will normally conduct the Theerthavaari rituals with dedication by chanting relevant mantras. It is rare to see the ritual bathing of the deities from the Shiva and Vishnu temples in the same tank being witnessed by thousands of devotees..
To day Priests performed special puja, abhishekam, and aradhana and the “theerthavari” was held around 12.30 p.m with religious fervor. As part of the festivities, the Shiva and Vishnu temples in the temple town wore a festive look and special pujas were performed. Devotees celebrated the occasion with devotion by participating in the temple car festival of Chakkarapani Temple (dedicated to God Vishnu) .
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| Kumbakonam Mahamaham tank, TN live.staticflickr.com/ |
Above image: Popular Mahamaham tank, Kumbakonam, TN: The annual Masimaham festival held in the tank has about 100,000 visitors whereas the Mahamaham festival that comes once in 12 year has close to 2 million visitors who take a holy dip in the tank that covers 21 acres. This festival, known as the ‘Kumbh Mela of the south’, the occurs when Guru (Jupiter) is in Simha Rasi (Leo), Sun in Kumbha rasi on a full moon day in the star ‘Maham’ in the Tamil Month of ‘Masi’. The holy tank is surrounded by sixteen small Mandapams (shrines) and has 21 wells inside the tank. The names of the wells carry the name of Hindu god Shiva or that of Rivers of India. Govinda Dikshitar, the chieftain of the ruler Ragunatha Nayak of Thanjavur, constructed the sixteen Mandapams and stone steps in the ghat around this tank. Next Mahamaham festival will be in 2028. ..................
Paying respect to the departed forefathers is an important duty of the family members. So on this occasion Hindus in other places go to the water bodies near-by to take a dip in the water or sea to offer tarpanam to their ancestors. Worship and chanting are performed to seek blessings from one's ancestors. It is also said takin a holy dip at places like mahamaham tank will give the devotees salvation - free from cycles birth and death.
