This  temple  is  an  ancient  and placed its name in Indian  history .  The  presiding  Deity  of  this  temple  is Lord  KUMBESWARA  and  the  presiding  Goddess  is  Sri  MANGALAMBIGAI.  

Tradition  goes  to  say  that  during  the  Mahapralaya  ( Great Floods )  after  DWABARAYUGA,   a  KUMBAM  ( Pot )  full  of  amirtham  and  seeds  for  creation  was  set  afloat  by  Siva .   It  was  proclaimed  by  Shiva  Himself  that  the  place  where  the  pot  touched  the  ground  and  had  its  rest  would  be  considered  as the holiest  places  in  the  world .  
       Since  the  said  Kumbam ,  as  announced  by  the  creator  of  the  world ,  had  its  rest  in  this  place ,  this  ancient  place  is  named  as  Kumbakonam  after  that  Kumbam .   Immediately  after  its  rest  Lord  Shiva  appeared  in  the  guise  of  a  hunter  and  broke  the  said  Kumbam  full  of  Amirtham  with  his  arrow.   The  spilt  amirtham  pooled  together  in  a  place  now  known  as  MAHAMAHAM  TANK  where  in  millions  of  pilgrims  have  their  Holy  Bath  during  Mahamaham.   Then Lord  Shiva  gathered  the  stand,  spread the remaining  Amirtham in that place  and  shaped  it  into  the  present  " MAHALINGAM " which  is  known  as "SRI  ADHIKUMBESWARA". It  is  to  be  noted  that  this  Mahalingam   unlike  other  Lingams  found  in  almost  other temples,   is  not  made  of  granite  stone  and  as  such  Abishekams  cannot  be  performed  with  watery  substances  lest  it  should  dissolve  the  shape  of  the  Lingam.   

The  idol  Kirathamoorthi  is  a  special  feature  in  the  temple  and  it  is  a  standing  monument  to  commemorate  the  incidence  that ,  Lord  Shiva  HIMSELF  has  created  the  present  Mahalingam.  
            The  Saivaite  Saints, Appar  and  Sambandhar who  flourished  prior  to 7 th century  A. D.  have sung  devotional  songs ( THEVARAMS )  in  praise  of  the  Presiding  Deities  of  the  temple .   The  temple  was built  by  a  Chola  King  and  the  temple  building  itself  would  seem  to  have  been  renovated  by  the  Nayak  King.  Some  of  the  old  images  like  Sri  Ambal ,  Sri  Durgaiamman  and  Sri  Kirathamoorthi  bear  the  impress  of  the  antiquity  about  them.

MAHAMAHAM

This Festival occurs when the sun is in the Zodiacal sign of Aquarius(Khumbha), Jupiter transists Leo(Simha) and the Moon is in conjunction with the constellation Maham. Generally all the these astronomical combination take place on a full moon day of the Tamil Month of Masi(Solar Kumbha Month) i.e. either in the latter half of February or in the first of March. The festival comes off once in 12 years.

Mahamaham bathing festival is concentrated on a single day, the concourse of pilgrims being all the more. The festival at Haridwar, Allahabad, Nasik and those in Andhra Pradesh happen to be bathing in river while the Mahamaham is bathing in a tank, generally followed or preceded by a dip in the River Cauvery at Kumbakonam.
The Centre of the Mahamaham festival is the Mahamaham Tank, a holy pool of nectar that followed out of Lord Brahma's Kumbha after it has been broken by Lord Siva's arrow shot. This Mahamaham tank is situated to SouthEast of the Adi Kumbheswarar Shrine, the principal ancient Lord Siva Shrine of the place. The Mahamaham tank, trapezoidal, (looking rectangular) in shape covers roughly an area of about five acres and a half with a full capacity depth of ten feet.

It is Holier than Varanasi(Kasi). There is an oft quoted popular saying in Sanskrit noting Kumbakonam as even as more sacred than Varanasi(Kasi).  A sin committed at some ordinary place is washed off by a visit to a holy place. Sin done in a sacred spot is washed off by going on a pilgrimage to Varanasi(Kasi). If one dares to commit a sin in that sacred city too, that sin is wiped off at Kumbakonam and any sinful act done at Kumbakonam is atoned for there itself.