Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Tirukoyilur

Ulagalantha Perumal Temple
Ulagalantha Perumal Temple
Location in Tamil Nadu
Coordinates:
Location
Country: India
State: Tamil Nadu
District: Tiruvannamalai
Location: Tirukkoyilur
Temple Details
Primary Deity: Ulagalantha Perumal, Trivikrama(Vishnu)
Consort: Poongothai Nachiyar(Lakshmi)
Festival Deity: Aaaynar, Gopalan(Vishnu)
Temple Tank: Pennar, Krishan
Shrine: Sreekara
Poets: Tirumangai Alvar
Poigai Alvar
Bhoothathalvar
Architecture and culture
Architectural styles: Dravidian architecture

Ulagalantha Perumal Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Tirukkoyilur, Tamilnadu, India. It is one of the "Divya Desams", the 108 temples of Vishnu reverred by the 12 poet saints, or Alwars.[1]

Contents

The Temple

The temple[2] has a 5-tier rajagopuram and a vast temple complex. The prime deity, Ulagalantha Perumal has an imposing image with foot raised. The temple tank is situated right opposite to the temple.

Legend

This shrine represents the physical meeting point of the first of the three Alwars, Tirumangai Alvar, Poigai Alvar and Bhoothathalvar. The three Alwars are believed to have taken shelter in the hermitage of Mrugangu munivar (sage) in cramped quarters in a stormy night. They felt an overwhelming fourth person, none other than Lord Vishnu himself.

Pancha Kannan Shetram

This temple is one of the Panchakanna (Krishnaranya) Kshetrams. Kannan literally means Lord Krishna (pancha: five; Kshetrams: holy places). These five temples are situated in Tamilnadu, south India. Interestingly none of these temples has the main deity as Krishna, an avatar (incarnationa) of Vishnu. The processional deity might have led to the derivation of the names of these places.[3]

The following constitute Panchakannan Kshetrams:

Temple Location
Loganatha Perumal Temple Thirukkannagudi
Gajendra Varadha Temple Thirukabisthalam
Neelamegha Perumal Temple Thirukannapuram
Bhaktavatsala Perumal Temple Thirukannamangai
Ulagalantha Perumal Temple Thirukkovilur

See also

Divya Desams

References

  1. ^ 108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams: Divya desams in Pandya Nadu . M. S. Ramesh, Tirumalai-Tirupati Devasthanam.
  2. ^ Tourist Guide to Tamil Nadu. Sura books.
  3. ^ Temples of Krishna in South India: history, art, and traditions in Tamilnadu. T. Padmaja.
Vishnu temples