Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Tirukoyilur

Coordinates: 11°58′01″N 79°12′7″E / 11.96694°N 79.20194°E / 11.96694; 79.20194
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Ulagalantha Perumal Temple
South Indian architecture

Ulagalantha Perumal Temple or Trivikrama Temple is a

Madurai Nayaks
. The temple covers an area of 5 acres (20,000 m2) and has a temple tower that is the third tallest in Tamil Nadu, measuring 192 ft (59 m) in height.

According to Hindu myths,

Peyalvar attained salvation. The temple is one of the Panchakanna (Krishnaranya) Kshetrams, the five holy temples associated with Krishna
, an avatar of Vishnu.

Ulagalantha Perumal is believed to have appeared to King Mahabali and the Alvars. Six daily rituals, and a dozen yearly festivals, are held at the temple, out of which the chariot festival, celebrated during the Tamil month of panguniபங்குனி (March–April), is the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Legend

Legend showing Ulagalantha Perumal measuring earth and sky

The

Sukracharya. Vamana then revealed his identity and enlarged to gigantic proportions to stride over the three worlds. He stepped from heaven to earth with the first step, from earth to the netherworld with the second. King Mahabali, unable to fulfill his promise, offered his head for the third. Vamana then placed His Foot and gave the king immortality for his humility. In worshiping Mahabali and his ancestor Prahláda, he conceded sovereignty of Pátála, the netherworld. Some texts also report that Vamana did not step into the netherworld, and instead gave its rule to Bali. In giant form, Vamana is known as Trivikrama. The legend is associated with Thrikkakara Temple in Kerala, but also with this temple and Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram.[2][3][4]

As per another legend, the temple is believed to have originally been a Krishna temple. The temple name, Kovilur, refers to the original deity Gopalan, indicating

Mrikandu heard about Vamana avatar of Vishnu and wanted to have a view of it. Brahma directed him to visit the place and perform penance. The sage came to the place along with his wife Mithravathi to start the penance. The pair used to feed Brahmanas in their hermitage. To test their devotion, Vishnu appeared as a Brahmana and sought food from the pair. Since all food for the day were already given, Mithravathi was worried and prayed to Vishnu. All the vessels were full with food and she was able to feed the Brahman. Pleased by their devotion, Vishnu reappeared as Vamana - Thrivikrama form.[5]

Architecture

3rd Tallest goupuram in Tamil nadu
Image of the second gateway tower

The temple has an eleven-tiered raja

saligrama stone and is housed in a separate shrine. There are separate shrines in the first precinct for Venugopala, Lakshmi Narayana, Lakshmi Raghava, Lakshmi Narasimha, Rama, Veera Anjaneya, Andal and Shukracharya, the guru of the asuras.[6] Vishnudurga is housed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, which is one of the unique features of the temple.[7]

There are sixteen temple tanks associated with the temple, with Chakra Theertham located outside the temple being the most prominent.

Pennar, which flows nearby the temple. Chank Theertha, located in the east, Akasha Ganga, Varava Theertha and Kalava Theertha are the various other temple tanks in the temple.[4]

History

It was originally under the rule of Malayaman Malayarayan chieftains

Nammmalvar in the temple.[11]

The temple was originally made of bricks, but during the period of

Vijayanagara rulers like Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya (1485–1491) and Sadasiva Raya (1542–1570) as seen from the inscriptions in the temple. The temple was expanded during the rule of the Vijayanagar kings and Nayaks. The temple was the fortress to the British during the Carnatic wars. It was also attacked during the days of the period of Hyder Ali.[12]

Festivals and religious practices

Image of the Thayar shrine
Ulagalantha Perumal Temple

The temple priests perform the

tavil (percussion instrument) are played, religious instructions in the Vedas (sacred text) are recited by priests, and worshippers prostrate themselves in front of the temple mast. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals performed in the temple.[4]

Various festivals are celebrated in the temple, with the 15-day Panguni Brahmmotsavam in March–April with Sri Pushpavalli Thayar Oonjal, being the most prominent one. During the Masi Magam festival celebrated in February–March, the festive deity is carried on the shoulders of devotees to

Vaikunta Ekadashi in December–January.[4]

Religious significance

This temple is one of the Pancha Krishna kshethram and Krishna showers his blessings with Rukmini and Sathyabama

The temple is revered in the

Sirkali.[13]

Pancha Kannan Temples
Loganatha Perumal Temple Thirukannangudi
Gajendra Varadha Temple Kabisthalam
Neelamegha Perumal Temple Thirukannapuram
Bhaktavatsala Perumal Temple Thirukannamangai
Ulagalantha Perumal Temple
Thirukkovilur

This temple is one of the Panchakanna (Krishnaranya) Kshetrams. Kannan refers to Krishna, the avatar of Vishnu, while pancha means five and Kshetrams refers to holy places. Four of the five temples are situated in Chola Nadu, in modern times, in the region surrounding Kumbakonam and Nagapattinam and one of them in Nadu Nadu. Krishna is not the presiding deity in any of the temples. The processional deity, Krishna, led to the derivation of the names of these places. There are five similar temples located in North India, called Pancha-dvarakas.[12][14]

Literature

Eight of such pillared structures are found from the main entrance tower to the second

As per Hindu legend, Vishnu appeared to the mutal Alvars (first three Alvars) at Thirukkoilur. It was day time, but it darkened and started raining heavily. The wandering Poigai Alvar found out a small hide out, which has a space for one person to lie down. Bhootath Alvar arrived there looking for a hiding place and Poigai accommodated him, with both sitting together. In the meanwhile, Pey Alvar also came to the same place as all the three preferred to stand because of lack of space. The darkness became dense and inside the small room, they were not able to see each other. In the meanwhile, they felt a fourth person also forced his way among them. The three Alvars realised from the light of the lightning that the fourth one had a charming face that was sublime and divine. The trio could immediately realize that it was Vishnu who was huddling among them. Poigai wished to see Vishnu's face continuously but could view only from the simmering light of the lightning. With a view to maintain the continuity of light, he instantly composed hundred songs wishing the earth to be a big pot full of ghee like an ocean where the Sun could be the burning wick.[12][15][16][17]

Deeming in the world as lamp; the full sea as ghee, the fierce-rayed sun as a luminous wick, I have twined a garland of speech for the feet of Him who wields the red flaming discus so that there may be freedom from the ocean of misery.[18]

The song is also interpreted as the Alvar praying to god to remove the darkness and ask for his unlimited knowledge and power.

Pey Alvar sang another 100 songs where he described the enchanting charm of the divine face and the association of Narayana equipped with chakra and sankha, and his divine consort goddess Lakshmi.[15][19]

The temple plays a special part in Sri Vaishnavism as it is where the first three Alvars sang the first three Thiruvandadhis compiled in Naalayira Divya Prabandam, the Vaishnava canon.

Thirumangai Alvar, another Alvar saint also revered the deity in his verses compiled in Naalayira Divya Prabandam.[12]

The temple finds mention in

Kurunthogai have mention about the temple. Malayaman Tirumudikari, the ruler of Thirukovilur, was lavished praise in the texts for his charitable disposition to the institutions. It is believed that Avvaiyar, the celebrated Sangam period poet, arranged marriage for two chieftains at this place. Poet Kapilar is believed to have found suitable grooms for king Pari's daughter Angavai and Sangavai at this place and set himself up in fire. The event is commemorated every year in a huge rock called Kapilar Kal, where a small shrine exists even in modern times.[12]

Notes

  1. ^ M. S., Ramesh. 108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams: Divya desams in Pandya Nadu. Tirumalai-Tirupati Devasthanam.
  2. ^ Parmeshwaranand, p. 1337
  3. ^ Hoiberg 2001, p. 217
  4. ^ a b c d e "Sri Thiruvikrama swamy temple". Dinamalar. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  5. ^ R., Dr. Vijayalakshmy (2001). An introduction to religion and Philosophy - Tévarám and Tivviyappirapantam (1st ed.). Chennai: International Institute of Tamil Studies. pp. 485–6.
  6. ^ Madhavan 2014, p. 137
  7. ISBN 978-81-88661-42-8
    .
  8. ^ Madhavan 2014, p. 139
  9. ^ Alvar, Thirumangai. Thirunedunthandakam.
  10. ^ Madhavan 2014, p. 134
  11. ^ Madhavan 2014, p. 140-1
  12. ^ a b c d e M., Rajagopalan (1993). 15 Vaishnava Temples of Tamil Nadu. Chennai, India: Govindaswamy Printers. pp. 57–65.
  13. ^ Madhavan 2014, p. 136
  14. ISBN 81-7017-398-1
    .
  15. ^
    ISBN 9780823931804
    .
  16. ISBN 9788170223757
    .
  17. ^ Dalal 2011, p. 308
  18. ISBN 9788125018711
    .
  19. ^ Chari 1997, pp. 16-17
  20. ^ V., Meena (1974). Temples in South India (1st ed.). Kanniyakumari: Harikumar Arts. p. 41.

References

External links

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