List of largest temple tanks facts for kids
Temple tanks are special ponds or reservoirs built near Hindu temples in India. People use these tanks for religious baths and ceremonies. They also help collect rainwater, which is important for the area.
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India's Biggest Temple Tanks
Haridra Nadhi (Mannargudi)
The Haridra Nadhi tank is the largest temple tank in India. It is located in Mannargudi, Tamil Nadu. This huge tank covers about 23 acres (which is about 9.3 hectares). It is sometimes called the "Daughter of Kaveri river."
The tank is part of the Rajagopalaswamy Temple. This temple is very important for followers of Vaishnavism, a branch of Hinduism. The temple complex is massive. It has 16 tall towers called gopurams and seven outer courtyards called prakarams. There are also 24 smaller shrines and many halls. Kings like Kulothunga Chola I and later Nayaks helped build and improve this temple.
Madurai Teppakulam
The Madurai Teppakulam is another very large temple tank. It is located in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. This tank covers about 16.2 acres (about 6.5 hectares).
This tank has an interesting history. King Thirumalai Naicker needed a lot of soil to build his palace, Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal. He dug up the soil from this spot. The big pit he created later became this large tank.
Kamalalayam Temple Tank
The Kamalalayam Temple Tank is in Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu. It is about 16 acres (about 6.5 hectares) in size. This makes it one of the biggest temple tanks in India.
It is next to the ancient Sri Thyagaraja temple. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple also has the largest temple chariot in Tamil Nadu.
Hritayathabhanasini Pushkarini (Tiruvallur)
This temple tank is located in Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu. It covers about 7.35 acres (about 2.9 hectares). It is part of the Veeraraghava Swamy Temple.
People believe that bathing in this tank can help cure diseases. Because of this, the main god, Veeraraghava Perumal, is also called "Vaithiya Veeraraghavan," meaning "the doctor Veeraraghavan." There is even a small shrine for Lord Shiva near the tank.
Kapaleswarar Temple Tank
The Kapaleswarar Temple Tank is in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It is about 6 acres (about 2.4 hectares) in size. This tank is next to the famous Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore.
The Kapaleeshwarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is known for its beautiful Dravidian architectural style. The temple has two main entrances. The eastern entrance has a very tall tower, about 40 meters high. The smaller western entrance faces this sacred tank.
Mahamaham Tank (Kumbakonam)
The Mahamaham Tank is in the heart of Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. It covers about 6.2 acres (about 2.5 hectares). This tank is not a perfect rectangle.
It is surrounded by 16 small halls called Mandapams. There is also a "Nava Kannika Temple" on the eastern side. People believe that all the holy rivers of India meet in this tank during the Mahamaham festival. This special festival happens once every 12 years. Taking a bath here on that day is considered very holy.
Trichy Teppakulam
The Trichy Teppakulam is in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu. It covers about 5 acres (about 2 hectares). This tank is located almost in the center of the city.
The historic Rockfort is very close to this tank. The Rock Fort temple stands 83 meters tall on top of a rock. The Pallava kings first started carving the rock. Later, the Nayaks of Madurai finished building the temples on the rock.
Tirukkanapuram Temple Tank
This temple tank is in Tirukannapuram, Tamil Nadu. It is about 4.5 acres (about 1.8 hectares) in size. The tank is right in front of the Neela Megha Perumal Temple. This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
The Neela Megha Perumal Temple is one of the "Divya Desams." These are 108 temples of Vishnu that are highly respected by 12 poet saints called Alwars.
See also
- List of large Hindu temples
- List of tallest Gopurams
- List of human stampedes in Hindu temples
- Lists of Hindu temples by country
