Kampaheswarar Temple

The Kampaheswarar or Sarabeswarar Temple is established in Thirubuvanam near Kumbakonam. Here the presiding deity Shiva is called "Kampaheswarar." He is the Lord who helped a king get rid of his shivering. Brahmarakshasa haunted the king after killing a Brahmin by mistake. Lord Shiva then came to rescue the king and removed his fears.

The Legend of Kampaheswarar Temple

Once Lord Shiva took the avatar of Lord Sarabeswarar. This was done to get Vishnu rid of his anger and fury after he turned into Lord Narsimha. The Lord took the avatar to kill the demon King Hiranyakashipu who wanted to kill his son Prahlad, a staunch devotee of Vishnu.

In his Narasimha avatar, Lord Vishnu took the demon in the air, placed him on his thighs, and tore him into pieces. However, his fury was not seeking an end which frightened all the Devas. The Devas then approached Lord Shiva, trying to make Vishnu calm down. It was getting difficult to handle this form of Vishnu, and that is when Lord Shiva turned himself into an even bigger to beat Sarabha; this was a fusion of a lion, a bird, and a human, which eventually brought down the fury of Lord Vishnu.

Since then, Lord Sarabeshwara has been the protector and the destroyer of evil. He is a unique God to whom people come to take blessings in the form of strength and fearlessness.

People visit the lord before surgery. They worship the Lord Sarabeswarar, especially on Sundays during the Rahu Kalam. They chant his mantras at least 21 times. This makes people brave that they undergo any surgery without anxiety and suffering. This also lets them recover fast after the surgery.

The Architecture of Kampaheswarar Temple

The Temple speaks of the architecture of the Dravidian era, but here the Vimana exists very high. In other South Indian temples, the Vimana is not usually much high.

The Vimana is taller than the overall structure, and hence it is taller than the gateway tower. This is an unusual feature, which also keeps the Temple distinct from other temples. Here there is a separate shrine for the deity; in the sanctum, the same deity is made of metal.

In the Temple, there is also a creation of the Chola kingdom; the mythical creature Yali has been built here, which is the face of a lion. This is believed to be built in the 13th century.

Festivals of Kampaheswarar Temple

The Panguni Brammotsavam is one of the most important festivals conducted in this Temple. It is an 18-day celebration that is done in March-April. The Saraba Utsava is conducted on a Sunday after the Brammotsavam. The Lord is taken out in a silver car in procession.

The auspicious days for doing pooja in this Temple are Sundays, Fridays, Saturdays, and the eighth day of the full or new moon.

There are special poojas conducted on Karthika star day for Lord Muruga. The Chaturthi Pooja for Lord Ganesha is also performed here. Navaratri and Shivaratri are other auspicious days in this Temple. Special poojas are performed during Pongal and English New Year.

Benefits of Kampaheswarar Temple

A visit to the Kampaheswarar Temple is believed to bring relief from many worries of life. It can reduce the ill effect of witchcraft, hidden enemies, and also the effects of bad planetary movements. Praying to this god is known to bring relief from many health problems and also financial problems. Devotees can also get promoted in jobs, get freed from debt, have good children, and lead a life of their wishes. There is also a belief that those praying to Kampaheswarar get complete relief from fear in their mind, lack of brain development, neurology problems, and other such illnesses. The sins of the devotees are reduced, couples lead a contented life, get children boon and have a healthy and long life.