12 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,
Kalahasteeswarar Temple,
Gowthameswarar Temple,
Kottaiyur Kodeeswarar temple
Amirthakalasanathar Temple,
Banapuriswarar Temple,
Abimukeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam,
Kambatta Visvanathar Temple and
Ekambareswarar Temple.
This temple is one among them.
Kumbakonam Sapta Stana Temple[edit]
This is one of the Saptha Stana Temples of Kumbakonam. During the Mahahaman of 2016 the palanquin festival was held on 7 February 2016.
Following the tirttavari held at Mahamaham tank on 21 April 2016, the palanquin festival of the Sapta Stana Temples were held on 23 April 2016.The festival which started from Kumbesvara Temple at the 7.30 p.m. of 23 April 2016 completed on the morning of 25 April 2016 after going to the following temples.
Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam
Amirthakadeswarar Temple, Sakkottai
Avudainathar Temple, Darasuram
Kabartheeswarar Temple
Kottaiyur Kodeeswarar Temple
Kailasanathar Temple, Melakaveri
Swaminatha Swamy Temple
The temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. Like other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Shaivaite community, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals are performed four times a day; Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 10:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 10:00 p.m. Each ritual comprises four steps: abhisheka (sacred bath), alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Annamalaiyar and Unnamulai Amman.
The worship is held amidst music with nagaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion instrument), religious instructions in the Vedas read by priests and prostration by worshippers in front of the temple mast.
There are weekly rituals like somavaram and sukravaram, fortnightly rituals like pradosham and monthly festivals like amavasai (new moon day), kiruthigai, pournami (full moon day) and sathurthi. Maha Shivrathri and Masi Magam during the Tamil month of Masi (February - March) and Margazhi Tiruvadhirai during Margazhi (December - January) are the major festivals celebrated in the temple.
Kumbabishegam
The Kumbabishegam of the temple was held on 22 October 2015.