Mahalingaswamy Temple – Thiruvidaimaruthur

If you are at Bhopal, then visiting this place is a must. This temple is one among the most frequently talked about places of Bhopal. The unique location of the temple, its inclusions, and the beautiful carvings make this place a favorite tourist destination. The temple worships God Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi and so also known by the name Lakshmi Narayan Temple. The name Birla temple came into popularity because of its constructors, the Birla Family, a renowned industrialist family of the state. The temple has a premise of over 7.5 acres, with lots of inclusions. Deriving its authentic beauty from the Arera hills and the surrounding city of Bhopal, the lawn, garden and the fountains add to the beauty of the place. The temple is very well maintained and don’t ever fails to disappoint any of its devotees. The sandy yellow color of the temple fits perfectly over the lush green background. There are lots of finely crafted sculptures in the temple premises to appreciate. There is even a museum on the premises. You can easily spend 4-5 hours enjoying the beauty of the place and finding the peace of mind. Travel for 9 km from Kumbakonam Railway Station, to visit a sacred Hindu temple of Mahalingaswamy. The temple worships Lord Shiva.
The temple complex is so huge that it ranks among the largest temple complexes in Tamil Nadu. The temple is thought to be built by the Chola dynasty in the 9th century, later, the Thanjavur Nayaks during the 16th century made some additions to the temple.
The temple holds 149 inscriptions depiction the contribution from Pandyas, Cholas, Thanjavur Nayaks, and Thanjavur Maratha kingdom. The temple flaunts a five-tiered Rajagopuram and three precincts. The temple is rectangular having four entrances in each of the four directions.
The three precincts which the temple holds are known as Aswametha Pradakshina, Kodumudi and Pranava. Among which, Pranava precinct is the center of tourists attraction as it holds a lot of sculptures dating back to the Nayak period of the 16th century. The presiding deity of the temple is Jyothirmaya Mahalingam and his consort Parvati is worshipped as Pirguchuntaragujambigai. The temple is depicted as Madhyarjuna Kshetram.
The temple additionally holds 5 temple tanks within, particularly Karunyamirdha Theertham, Soma Theertham, Kanaga Theertham, Kalyana Theertham, and Iravatha Theertham. Also, there are 27 other water bodies associated with the temple. Festivals- The temple commences annual celebrations during Thaipoosam for ten days during the Tamil month of Thai and during the Tamil month of Vaikasi, other festivals as Tirukalyanam (sacred marriage), Ambal Tapas (the penance of Ambal), Ambal Thannai Thaane are celebrated.