15th September 2019.
The visit to this Vanamutti Perumal Temple was a
part of the Temple Visit, in and around Sirkazhi, on 15th
September. After Sri Parimala
Ranganathar’s darsan, our next destination was Kozhikuthi, one of the Vishnu
temples on the banks of the River Kaveri in a Village called Kozhikuthi, a part of
Sholampettai. It was said that Kodihathi Vimochana Puram was turned into
Kozhikuthi. After Kanchipuram, Athi Varadar’s vaibhavam, the Vanamutti Perumal also became
popular, and this temple attracts devotees from far-off places.
Moolavar : Sri Vanamutti Perumal, Sri Srinivasa
Perumal,
Sri Bhakthapriyan, Sri Varadharajan.
Thayar :
Sri Lakshmi.
Urchavars : Sri Sridevi, Bhudevi Sametha Srinivasa
Perumal.
Some of the important features of this temple
are…
The temple faces east with a 3-tier
Rajagopuram, and a Temple tank called Vishwa pushkarani is in front. The
newly reconstructed temple has a sanctum
sanctorum, artha mandapam, and a mukha mandapam. In Sanctum, moolavar is made of a Fig tree, and the roots of the tree hold Lord Srinivasa Perumal’s feet, and he cannot see. Moolavar is 14 feet high with four hands. The upper hand holds the shankha/Conch and Chakra. The lower left hand holds a Gadha, and the right hand is in abhaya hastham. The Thulasi beads, ornaments, and Yajnopavita are carved very
nicely. Sri Dhaya Lakshmi is on this chest, and Bhoodevi is on his left.
Garudan, Dwajasthambam, and balipeedam are after
the Rajagopuram under the mukha mandapam. Chakrathalwar, Narthana Krishna, and
Yoga Narasimhar are in the ardha mandapam. In the prakaram and mandapam, Saptha Swara
Vishwaroopa Anjaneyar, Vishwaksena, Ramanuja, and Pippala Maharishi. Sri
Varadharaja Perumal is on the sanctum sanctorum wall.
HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE
The Temple is believed to have been built during the Chozha
Period (Kulothunga Chozha I) with 7 prakaras. After Chozha's patron, no
maintenance was carried out. The dilapidated temple was reconstructed to the present shape with a single prakara in recent years. There is no separate sannadhi for Thayar. The present temple has with sanctum sanctorum.
The vimana is like an umbrella, called the Chathra Vimana. Niches or the Deva Koshtas are empty.
LEGEND
As per the legend, this place was called Kodihathi Pavam (sin) vimochana Puram. Pippala Maharishi, who was a king in his previous birth, was suffering from a skin disease. Lord
Vishnu came in his dream and said that
this was due to his previous birth king’s karma (sin). To get rid of the skin
disease, Vishnu directed him to the Sri Markasahayeswarar temple on the banks of the river Kaveri. Lord Shiva showed him the north direction. (Since Shiva showed
the way – கோடி காட்டியதால்
– this place was
called Kodihathi, and hathi means a sin caused due to killing). After some distance, Lord Vishnu gave Vishwaroopa
darshan from a big fig tree, and Pippala Maharishi was cured of skin disease.
After hearing the legend, a Chozha King (believed
to be Kulothunga Chozha-I) also came to this place where Pippala Maharishi had
done the dhabas. The Chozha king also did dhabas, to get rid of the sin
caused by to killing of many people in
the wars (hathi dosha). Lord Vishnu gave Vishwaroopa darshan from the same
fig tree. The Chozha king made this moolavar from the same fig wood through
skilled sculptors. Since the Chozha King constructed this temple, this place has been called Sholampettai.
TEMPLE
TIMINGS:
The temple will be kept open between 08.30 hrs
to 12.00 hrs, and 17.30 hrs to 20.00 hrs.
CONTACT
DETAILS:
Sri Varadharaja Bhattacharya may be contacted
on his mobile number 9787213226 for further details.
HOW
TO REACH:
Kozhikuthi is a part of Sholampettai, on the
Kallanai to Poompuhar road, and the temple is 1 km away from the main road.
The temple is about 5 km from Mayiladuthurai and 26 km from Sirkazhi.
The nearest Railway Station is Mayiladuthurai.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
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