Saturday, 29 April 2023

Vaikunda Vasa Perumal Temple / Vaikunta Vasa Perumal Temple / வைகுண்ட வாச பெருமாள் கோவில், Old Pallavaram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Vaikunta Vasa Perumal temple was a part of the “Shiva, Vishnu Temples, and Heritage Monuments Visit”, in Old Pallavaram, Pammal, and Pozhichalur areas, on Good Friday ie 7th April 2023. During my earlier Visit, this Perumal temple was not open and this time, it was open and had the darshan of Sri Vaikunta Vasa Perumal.


Moolavar  : Sri Vaikunta Vasa Perumal
Thayar     : Sri Kanakavalli Thayar

Some of the salient features of this temple are...
The temple faces east with an entrance arch. Thiruman, Changu, and Chakra reliefs are on the top of the entrance arch. Deepa Sthambam, balipeedam, and Garudan are immediately after the entrance. Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum. Moolavar Vaikunda Vasa Perumal is with Sridevi and Bhudevi. Utsava murtis are in front of Moolavar. There are no images in the koshtas.

Kanakavalli Thayar is in the mandapam on the left side in sitting posture with abhaya varada hastam. A lizard and a snake bas-relief are on the ceiling in front of Thayar sannidhi. 
 

ARCHITECTURE
The temple was constructed about 2 feet higher than the ground level. The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and maha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, threepatta kumudam, and pattikai. The Bhitti starts with Vedika and the pilasters are of Brahma kantha pilaster, square base with naga bandha, kalasam, thadi, kudam, lotus petals mandi, palakai and poomottu pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi, kapotam with nasi kudus and Vyyalavari. The Koshtas are of sala type. A two-tier brick nagara Vimanam is on the Bhumi Desam. Stucco images of Maha Vishnu’s avatars are on the Vimana Koshtams. The Mandapam wall was supported by masonry construction on both sides, to avoid falling down.





HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
The original temple may belong to the Pallava / Chozha period but the present structure belongs to the Vijayanagara period considering the style of construction. The front mandapam was constructed/reconstructed during the 20th Century. Chozha and Vijayanagara period inscriptions are found on the adhistanam and pattikai of the mukha mandapa adhistanam. The Chozha period fragment inscription stone is placed upside down during reconstruction. As per the Bhattar, the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department inspected and told that the inscriptions are irrelevant to this temple, hence the stones with inscriptions  might have been brought from elsewhere and used for reconstruction. There is no other evidence found in this temple to prove that the temple was built during the Chozha or Pallava period.

Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 2nd May 2004.

Since the inscription is upside down, the photo is up-loaded to match the same. 



LEGENDS
A lizard and a snake bas-reliefs are on the ceiling in front of Thayar sannidhi. The legend behind this is very much similar to Kanchipuram Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple.  The Snake with the Moon / Sun signifies the Solar and Lunar eclipse.

As per the legend the disciples of Gautama were cursed to become lizards. They worshipped Maha Vishnu and were relieved from the curse.

In Hinduism, it is believed that if a lizard falls on a human’s body, it is a dosha, ie it is the indication that bad things will happen in their life. The degree of the bad things depends on the place of the body where it falls. For example, if it falls on the head means death will happen to that person. Devotees believed that, by touching the Lizard relief and worshiping will get relieve them from Lizard dosha.
 

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular poojas special poojas are conducted on, Vaikunta Ekadasi, Rama Navami, Margazhi Saturdays, Krishna Jayanthi, etc,.

TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept open between 08.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS

HOW TO REACH
This temple is about 100 meters off from Darga Rd- PV Vaithyalingam Rd- Kambar St.. which joins with GST Road at Pallavaram.
The temple is 2.9 KM from Pallavaram Bus Stand & Railway Station, 10 KM from Tambaram Railway Station, and 25 KM from Central Railway Station.
Nearest Railway Station is Pallavaram.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE




--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

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