A once in 12 years opportunity to drain your soul of the sins is the tourist attraction of Kumbakonam's Mahamaham Festival. Considered as one of the top spiritual festivals of Southern India, on the day of Mahamaham Hindus from all over the country travel here to take a dip in the Kumbakonam tank to wash off their sins. February 22 ,2016 was the last time this festival was celebrated in Kumbakonam. The date and the time to celebrate this religious festival is fixated as per the astrological positions.
As per the Hindu legend, it is said that the holy rivers like Yamuna, Ganges, Sarayu, Saraswati, Mahanadi, Kaveri, Narmada wished to get rid of the sins that people were washing away in them and hence reached out to Lord Brahma. To which the divine deity asked the rivers to combine and take a bath in Mahamaham to attain purity. Therefore, the rivers so mixed together are the perfect way at the to relieve one's soul of all the sins on the day this famous festival is celebrated.
Duration of the Festival
Cleanse your soul of the sins at Mahamaham festival which takes place once in every 12 years when the constellation, Maham is in close proximity to the moon. It is mostly observed in the Tamil month of masi around the time nearing end of February and beginning of March.
Highlights/Rituals of the Festival
- A special flag hoisting ceremony in the Vaishnavite and other holy shrines of Kumbakonam is a way to start the celebrations of this popular festival of Tamilnadu.
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