Thiru Vanpurushothamam

Thiru Vanpurushothamam
Thiru Vanpurushothamam
Location in Tamil Nadu
Name
Other names Purushotama Perumal Temple
Proper name Thiru Vanpurushothamam
Geography
Coordinates 11°10′39″N 79°46′45″E / 11.17750°N 79.77917°ECoordinates: 11°10′39″N 79°46′45″E / 11.17750°N 79.77917°E
Country India
State Tamil Nadu
District Nagapatnam
Location Thirunangur
Culture
Primary deity Purushotama Perumal
(Vishnu)
Consort Pusushottama Nayaki
(Lakshmi)
Poets Thirumangai Alvar
Architecture
Architectural styles Dravidian architecture

Thiru Vanpurushothamam or Purushotama Perumal Temple is dedicated to Hindu god Vishnu located in Thirunangur, a village in the outskirts of Tiruchirappalli in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Purushottaman and his consort Lakshmi as Purushottamavalli.

It is one among the eleven divyadesams of Thirunangur Tirupathis and is closely associated with Thirumangai Alvar. The temple is open from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m and has four daily rituals at various times of the day. The Thirumangai Azhwar Mangalasasana Utsavam celebrated annually during the Tamil month of Thai is the major festival of the temple during which the festival images of the eleven Thirunangur Tirupathis are brought on mount designed like Garuda, called Garuda Vahana, to Thirunangur.

Legend

The legend of all the eleven temples of Thirunangur are closely associated with each other. As per legend, the Hindu god Shiva started dancing in fury at this place after the death of his consort Uma due to the yagna (sacrifice) of Daksha. Each time his lock of hair touched the ground, there were eleven other forms of Shiva who appeared. The celestial deities were worried that if the dance continues, it would result in decimation of entire creations. They prayed to Vishnu for help, who appeared at this place. On seeing Vishnu, Shiva's anger was reduced and he requested Vishnu to appear in eleven forms like he did. On his request, Vishnu appeared in eleven different forms at Tirunangur. The eleven places where Vishnu appeared are believed to be where the eleven temples in Tirunangur are located.[1] It is believed that the child Upamanu cried for milk during the absence of his father Vyagrapadha and Vishnu brought the ocean of milk for the child. As per another legend, Rama, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu agreed to descend here as Purushottaman at the request of Shiva.[2]

The Temple

The temple has a small shrine with Vimanam and only one sanctum. It is surrounded by paddy fields and is located in Thirunangur, a small village, 10 km away from Sirkali en route to Thiruvenkadu. The temple tank is located north of the temple.

Worship practices and festivals

The temple is open from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. As at other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Vaishnavaite community, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals are performed four times a day: Ushathkalam at 8 a.m., Kalasanthi at 10:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 5:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 7:00 p.m. Each ritual has three steps: alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Purushottaman and his consort Purushottamavalli. During the worship, 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.

During the new moon day of the Tamil month Thai, the festival deity of Thirumangai Azhwar is brought to the temple from Thiruvali-Thirunagari.[3] The Thirumangai Azhwar Mangalasasana Utsavam is celebrated in the Tamil month of Thai (January–February). The highlight of the festival is Garudasevai, an event in which the festival images of the eleven Thirunangur Tirupathis are brought on mount designed like Garuda, called Garuda Vahana, to Thirunangur. The festive image of Thirumangai Azhwar is also brought on a Hamsa Vahanam (palaquin) and his paasurams (verses) dedicated to each of these eleven temples are recited during the occasion. The festival images of Thirumangai Alvar and his consort Kumudavalli Naachiyar are taken in a palanquin to each of the eleven temples. The verses dedicated to each of the eleven temples are chanted in the respective shrines. This is one of the most important festivals in the region which draws thousands of visitors.[3][4]

Notes

  1. ↑ R. 2001, pp. 470-1
  2. ↑ R. 2001, pp. 542-3
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 S., Prabhu (12 July 2012). "Shrine dedicated to Arjuna". The Hindu. Retrieved 2013-09-09.
  4. ↑ "Garuda Sevai" (PDF). Ramanuja.org. Retrieved 2011-08-19.

References

  • R., Dr. Vijayalakshmy (2001). An introduction to religion and Philosophy - Tévarám and Tivviyappirapantam (1st ed.). Chennai: International Institute of Tamil Studies.