Arulmigu Ranganatha Perumal Temple /அருள்மிகு ரங்கநாதா பெருமாள் டெம்பிள்/ ஸ்ரீ ரங்கநாதர் பெருமாள் கோவில் "கீழரெங்கம்", கீழையூர் / Keelaiyur, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu.

The Heritage visit to this Sri Ranganatha Perumal Temple at Keelaiyur in Nagapattinam District was a part of the “Mada Temples Heritage Walk in Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai Districts”, organized by “Chozha Mandala Varalatru Thedal Kuzhu – GCHRG, on 05^th and 6^th March 2022.   Thanks to V Ramachandran, Tahasildar of Nagapattinam, who took us to all these Temples. Apart from Shiva temples, Ko Chengat Chozha built a mada temple to Maha Vishnu also and this is one of them.

 

Moolavar  : Sri Ranganatha Perumal

Thayar     : Sri Ranga Nayaki / Athiroopavalli

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple faces South with a three-tier Rajagopuram. Balipeedam and Kodimaram are after the Rajagopuram on a platform, and mukha mandapam is 3 steps from the front platform. Thiruman, Sangu, and Chakra are at the top of the entrance to mukha mandapam. At the lower level, Alwars Thirumangai Alwar, Vedanta Desika, and Alwars are in the vavval nethi mandapam / vandi koodu mandapam. Hauman, Chakkarathalwar & Narasimhar, Thumbikai Alwar, and Vishwaksenar are in Praharam.  

On the upper level, Arulmigu Sri Sesha Sayana Perumal, Thayar Ranganayagi, and Andal.  Moolavar Ranganatha Perumal is in sayana kolam on Adhiseshan. Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of the ardha mandapam. Thayar Ranganayagi is in a standing posture facing east.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple is of mada style with an empty floor/ வெற்று தளம் raised to a height of 2.64 meters supported by Brahmakantha pilasters & vettu tharanga pothyals, prastaram, and a parapet wall. The main temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, maha mandapam, and mukha mandapam. The maha mandapam and mukha mandapam are of Vavval nethi mandapams / vandi koodu may be built during the Maratha period. Garudan is at the centre of the 3 entrances of mukha mandapam. 

The sanctum sanctorum is in rectangular shape, measuring  5.83 meters in the South-North direction and 7.38 meters in the east-west direction. This is to accommodate Sri Ranganatha Perumal in Sayana Kolam, keeping the head on the west side. Moolavar is wearing  a silk dress, Mahara kundalas. Bhudevi is in a sitting posture near Perumal’s feet. On the floor is Markandeyar in Ardha Padmasana. Adhiseshan’s head and tail are shown on the east side. Utsava murti is with Sridevi and Bhudevi. Andal is holding a flower in the right hand.  

The koshtas are empty now. A 3-tier salakara Vimanam with 5 kalasams is in the sanctum sanctorum. From base to prastaram was built with stone, and the superstructure vimanam was built the bricks. The vimanam does not have stucco images except on the koshtas.      

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

It is believed that the original temple was constructed by the Chozha King Ko Chenkat Chozha.  Since Chozha’s capital, Kavipoompattinam, was destroyed due to the Tsunami – azhi peralai-to save from the tsunami, the temples along the sea shore were built as mada Temples. Later received contributions from Pallavas, Chozhas, and Vijayanagaras. No old inscriptions are found in this temple.

Jeernodhara Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 14^th July 1968.

Thirupani to Moolavar and other sannidhi Vimanams, mandapams, madapalli, and inner compound wall were carried out, and maha Samprokshanam was carried out on 14^th June 1971.

Again, Maha Samprokshanam was carried out on 27^th August 2015 after forming the KSRP Trust. During that time, renovation and reconstruction of Yagasalai and mandapam were done by Sri K S Srinivasan, his Son, Rama Sreenivasan, daughter-in-law,  S Kumar Srivatsan, grandson son Sri Kumar Srikanthan, grandson, in loving memory of   Late Sri Paravasthu K R Sowrirajan Iyengar and late Smt Rajalakshmi Sowrirajan.  Thirupani to Vishwaksenar  Vimanam was done by Dr Sa. Parthasarathy from Raja Annamalaipuram, Chennai. Electrification of the Complete temple was done by Sankaran Ramamurthy from Nagapattinam, Thayar Sannidhi Vimanam thirupani was done by Smt Manjula and Sri Nagarajan family of Abu Dhabi, Chennai, Thirupani to Ranganayagi Thayar Vimanam was done by Smt Poongavanam (Singapore), and Kodimaram thirupani was done by G Kumaradevan Nagapattinam.

நள வருசம் சித்திரை (புலைசு) படைவீடு அம்பாசய்ய(ன்) இரங்கப்பராசா வேங்கடாத்திரி 106 உத்திராபதி ராசா ரெங்கப்பராசா தன்மம் (வா)வரதயா சதா சேர்வை 

ஸ்வஸ்திஸ்ரீ சகர வருசம் (1540) மேல் ஸ்ரீ சித்திரை புலை (6...) (அச்சம்?) மயிலவேங்கப்பைய.. வேங்கடாத்திரி ராசா அய்யாவு ராசா (2) லிங்கராசா தன்மம் க்ருஷ்ணந் சதாசேர்வை

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from oru kala pooja, special poojas are conducted on Tamil and English New Year's, Vaikunta Ekadasi, Rama Navami, Hanuman Jayanthi, and all important functions related to Maha Vishnu.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs, and from 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The Mobile no of Bhattar +91 9786962538 may be contacted for darshan.

HOW TO REACH

This place, Keelaiyur, is on the Nagapattinam – Velankanni- Thiruthuraipoondi bus route.

This temple is about 22.7 km from Nagapattinam Railway Station, 41 km from Karaikal,  30 km from Thiruvarur,  41 km from Mannargudi, and 324 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway Station is Nagapattinam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---