Sunday 4 August 2019

Sri Vaikuntanathan Perumal Temple / வைகுண்டநாதர் கோவில், ஸ்ரீவைகுண்டம் / Srivaikuntam, Thoothukudi District, Tamil Nadu.

29th June 2019.
The Nine Vishnu temples on the banks of river Thamirabarani in Thoothukudi district are called as  Nava Tirupati. Nammalwar  has sung  pasurams on Lord Vishnu of these temples. Hence these 9 Vishnu temples are  classified under 108 Divya Desams. These nine Vishnu temples are associated with the Vishnu’s ten incarnations  and the  planets.  Srivaikuntam Temple is associated with Rama Avatar and the planet Suryan ( Sun ).

( Photo taken in 2019 )
( Photo taken 2024 )

Mangalasasanam of this temple was done by Nammalvar. He praises Maha Vishnu and this place Srivaikuntam in Thiruvaimozhi of Nalayira divya prabandham. In that he mentions Maha Vishnu's three postures of Puliyangudi, Varagunamangai and Srivaikuntam and gave darshan to him.

புளிங்குடி கிடந்து வரகுணமங்கை இருந்து வைகுந்தத்துள் நின்று
தெளிந்த என் சிந்தை அகங்கழியாதே என்னை ஆள்வாய் எனக்கு அருளி,
நலிந்த சீர் உலகம் மூன்றுடன் வியப்ப நாங்கள் கூத்தாடி (நின்(று) ஆர்ப்ப,
பலிங்கு நீர் முகிலின் பவளம் போல் கனிவாய் சிவப்ப நீ காண வாராயே.
.... நம்மாழ்வார் திருவாய்மொழி

Moolavar  : Sri Vaikuntanathan Perumal
Utsavar    : Sri Kallapiran
Thayar     : Sri Vaikuntavalli, Vaikunta Nachiyar

Some of the salient features of this temple are…
The temple is facing east with a 9 tier Rajagopuram. A Nayak period Mandapa with a 4 pillar mandapa is in front of the Rajagopuram. Balipeedam and Dwajasthambam are in a mandapam before 2nd stage 5 tier Rajagopuram. Moolavar Sri Vaikuntanathar is in standing posture with Maha Lakshmi on his chest. Utsavar Sri Kallapiran is with Sri Devi and Bhudevi. The sanctum walls do not have separate Koshtas, but reliefs of Vishnu’s various avatars with SriDevi and Bhudevi.

In prakaram Anjaneyar, Narasimhar, Sri Vaikunta Nachirar, Chora Nachiyar, Thiruvenkatamudaiyaan Sannidhi on the right and Ramar Sannidhi on the left of Dwajasthambam. Paramapatha vassal Rajagopuram is of 3 tiers on the north side.



Dasavathara Sannidhi
Dasavathara Sannidhi
Dasavathara Sannidhi
Dasavathara Sannidhi

ARCHITECTURE
The Temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam and maha mandapam. The Sanctum sanctorum is on a kapota bandha adhisthana. The koshtas are formed by the Pilasters protruding outside and kumba pancharas are in between two koshtas. The prastaram has valapi and Kapota with nasikoodu and reliefs of deities. The Vimana is called as Chandra Vimana.



  


The Thiruvenkatamudaiyaan mukha mandapa is supported with yazhi pillars with sculptures. There are various sculptors on the adhisthana too. The Sculptures on the 4 pillars are given below. 

Thiruvenkatamudaiyan muka mandapa - Veerabhadra sculptures - like Dwarabalaka



 Thiruvenkatamudaiyan muka mandapa - Sculptures 
 Thiruvenkatamudaiyan muka mandapa - sculptures
 Thiruvenkatamudaiyan muka mandapa - Yazhi's back  design
 Thiruvenkatamudaiyan muka mandapa Yazhi pillars
Thiruvenkatamudaiyan muka mandapa- Pothyal - a monkey sculpture



HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
It is believed that the temple was built during Chandra kula Pandya kings period and latter expanded by the Vijayanagaras and Madurai Nayaks. Dwajasthambam was installed during Veerappa Nayakkar. Mandapam was built by Santhana Sabapathy.

Vijayanagara King Sadasivaraya's inscription on the mandapam wall records the gift of lands  for burning a lamps at this temple. For meeting the continuous expenses for poojas, the income from the six Villages. The six villages are Ariyakulam, Kodikkulam, Kuththukaval, Bhudhaneri, Pottukalam, Sri Ramakulam and Allikudi. A Village was setup to settle 108 Brahmin families.  

விஜயநகரப் பேரரசின் சதாசிவ ராயனின் கோயிலின் மண்டப சுவரில் உள்ள கல்வெட்டு விளக்கெரிய வயல்களை மானியமாக விடப்பட்டதைக் குறிக்கின்றன. கோயிலின் தொடர் செலவுகளுக்காக ஆறு கிராமங்களில் இருந்து வரும் வருவாய் வழங்கப்பட்டது. அரியகுளம், கொடிக்குளம், குத்துகாவல், புதனேரி, பொட்டுகலம், ஸ்ரீராமாகுளம், அலிக்குடி ஆகிய கிராமங்கள் கோயிலின் தினசரி பூசைகளுக்காக கோயிலுக்கு மானியமாக விடப்பட்டன. வேதங்கள் மற்றும் அகமங்களை நன்கு அறிந்த 108 பிராமணக் குடும்பங்களை குடியமர்த்த ஒரு அக்ரகாரம் நிறுவப்பட்டது.

This place was called as Thiruvazhuthi (vala) nattu Srivaikuntam and Maha Vishnu is called as Kallapiran.

Thiribhuvana Chakravarti Konerimai Kondan’s period inscription ( No 741, AR No 177 of 1895 ) records the gift of 5 Ma Land as irayili after deducting the taxes at  Vallanadu alias Jayangonda Pandyanallur to Srivaishnavas of Kallapiran Temple Thirupati. This was gifted as per the direct order of the King through palmleaf written message.  

The Komaravarman alias Thirubhuvanachakravati Thirunelveli Perumal Sri Virapandiyan’s 2+17th year reign inscription ( No 742, AR No 78 of 1895 ), records that Vaikasi festival was stopped. To Continue the festival from Sathayam to the Kings birth star of Thiruvathirai and the Ucha kala pooja was name after the king Virapandiyan sandhi. For the poojas and naivedyam land was gifted as thiruvidaiyattam.

Ref
South Indian Inscriptions 14 and 41.
 

LEGENDS
There is pinch mark on the cheek of urchavar. As per the legend  the sculptor was very much happy over the Perumal’s beautiful face, so the sculptor pinched Perumal’s cheeks. An another legend, During Pandya period, a cow was showering milk at a particular place. When the place was excavated  and found the old sanctum of the temple. Then the present sanctum was built  on the same place.

Perumal is also called as Kallapiran ( A Thief ). The story behind this goes like this... 

Kaladhoosukan was the son of a famous merchant called Virakupthan. He used to steel material, gold, money, etc., from the rich people. Of that he used to give 50% to the temple and the balance 50% he gives to poor. One day he stole from the treasury of the Pandya King. In the process his friends were caught. When the king came to know that Kaladhoosukan was their leader and ordered to arrest. Kaladhoosukan prayed Perumal and promised to give away the 100% share to the temple. 

So Perumal took the form of Kaladhoosukan and went to the palace. On seeing Perumal’s beautiful and innocent face the King asked him who he is ?. Perumal explained that the wealth of the treasury belongs to the people and is being  misused by the king and the people around him. It is the Kings duty to follow the dharma. So the King is not following the dharma, Perumal taught a lesson through Kaladhoosukan. Since the Perumal saved the thief – Kallan, Perumal is called as Kallapiran.

Birugu Chakravarthy and Indiran worshiped Lord Sri Vaikuntathan Perumal.


TEMPLE TIMINGS:
The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 12.30 Hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 Hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:
Ramesh Bhattar or Srinivasa Bhattar or Vaikuntanathan Bhattar may be contacted on the mobiles 9865628681 and 99521 62359 for further details.

HOW TO REACH:
Srivaikundam is on the way to Tiruchendur from Tirunelveli. All the buses will stop near the temple.
34 KM from Thiruchendur, 30 KM from Tirunelveli and 194 KM from Madurai.
Nearest Railway station is Srivaikuntam and Tirunelveli.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE














---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

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