Kumbakonam is a town in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, India. This town is the headquarters of the Kumbakonam taluk of Thanjavur district. The town is surrounded by two rivers, the Kaveri River to the north and Arasalar River to the south. Kumbakonam is known as a "temple town". This is because more numbers of Hindu Temples are built in Kumbakonam. The Mahamaham festival held (celebrated) in this town is famous throughout the country. In history, Kumbakonam was ruled by the Early Cholas, Pallavas, Medieval Cholas, Later Cholas, Pandyas, the Vijayanagar Empire, Madurai Nayaks, Thanjavur Nayaks and the Thanjavur Marathas. This town served as a capital of the Medieval Cholas.