WilheminaJanzen: New a location initial version

2026-01-24T03:37:03Z

New a location initial version

New page

{{Short description|Perumal temple in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Jagad Rakshaka Perumal Temple
| image = Aduthurai perumal1.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|10|55|31|N|79|12|12|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| native_name = Thirukkodaloor
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Thanjavur]]
| location = [[Vadakurangaduthurai]],<br>Kumbakonam
| elevation_m =
| deity = {{Plainlist|
* Jagad Rakshaka Perumal ([[Vishnu]])
* Pushpavalli Thayar ([[Lakshmi]])
}}
| facade_direction =
| tower = Suddha Satwa Vimanam
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}

The '''Jagad Rakshaka Perumal Temple''' or '''Thirukoodalur''' (locally called '''Aduthurai Perumal Temple''') in Vadakurangaduthurai, a village in the outskirts of [[Kumbakonam]] in the South Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]], is dedicated to the Hindu god [[Vishnu]]. Constructed in the [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian style of architecture]], the temple is glorified in the ''[[Divya Prabandha|Nalayira Divya Prabandham]]'', the early medieval [[Tamil literature|Tamil]] canon of the [[Alvars|Alvar]] saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 ''[[Divyadesam|Divya Desams]]'' dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Jakath Rakshaka and his consort [[Lakshmi]] as Pushpavalli.

The temple is believed to have been built by the [[Medieval Cholas]] of the late 8th century CE, with later contributions from [[Vijayanagar Empire|Vijayanagara kings]] and [[Madurai Nayaks]]. A brick wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines and bodies of water.

Jakath Rakshaka is believed to have appeared to sage Nandaka and King [[Ambarisha]]. Six daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the Brahmostvam, celebrated during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] month of ''Vaikasi'' (May–June), is the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].

==Etymology==
As per Hindu mythology, the [[asura]] [[Hiranyaksha]] abducted [[Bhumi (goddess)|Bhumi]], the goddess of the earth, and travelled to the netherworld, called ''[[Patala]]''. Vishnu assumed the incarnation of [[Varaha]], an [[avatar]] in the form of a boar to travel to Patala. He split the earth into two parts, and according to the region's [[sthala purana]], brought the two back at [[Srimushnam]]. [[Thirumangai]] [[Alvars|Alvar]] quotes the incident and calls the village as Pugunthaan Oor, meaning the place where Vishnu went inside the earth. Since Vishnu protected the world here, he is called Jagad Rakshaka Perumal (in Tamil as Vaiyam Katha Perumal). The gap seen in the sanctum close to the image of Jagad Rakshaka is believed to be the centre point of earth and all [[Deva (Hinduism)|devas]] came together to worship him. Since it brought all of them together, an act referred in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] as ''koodal'', the village is called Thirukoodalur.<ref name="dinamalar"/>

==Legend==
[[File:Thirukoodalur3.jpg|Temple ''[[Sthala Vriksham]]''(Temple tree)|200x200px|left|thumb]]
As per Hindu legend, King [[Ambarisha]] who immersed himself in the worship of Vishnu, failed to strengthen his army and lost his kingdom. While doing worship, he also did not observe the sage [[Durvasa]] who went along his way. The sage got irritated and cursed the king. The king went to Vishnu for rescue, who sent his discus to chase the sage. The sage surrendered to Vishnu and begged pardon. The king Ambarishan is believed to have built the temple and hence the presiding deity is also called Ambarisha Varadhar at this place.<ref name=R>[[#R.|R. 1997]], p. 481-2</ref>

As per another legend, all rivers come to river [[Kaveri]] for cleansing themselves. Kaveri wanted to cleanse herself and approached Hindu god [[Brahma]]. She is believed to have worshipped Vishnu at this place and got relieved. A parrot which was devoted to Vishnu was shot down in the nearby forest. Vishnu rescued the parrot and appeased him of his previous birth. Thus it is believed that Vishnu descends here for all forms of life. Vishnu is also believed to have appeared for sage Nandaka.<ref name="dinamalar">{{cite web|title=Sri Jakath Rakshaka Perumal temple|publisher=Dinamalar|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=383|access-date=2013-09-09}}</ref><ref name=Ayyar>[[#Ayyar|Ayyar 1982]], p. 533</ref> Since all sages came here and prayed to Vishnu, the place is called Koodalaur (''Koodal'' means group).<ref name=R/> The temple is called Vaiyam Katha Perumal as the presiding deity is believed to have saved the world.<ref name=Ayyar/>

==Architecture==
[[File:Aduthurai perumal2.jpg|200px|thumb|Image of Alvars and shrines]]
The temple is located four miles away from [[Ayyampettai, Thanjavur|Ayyampet]] and is located on Kumbakonam - Tiruvayyaru Road.<ref>{{cite book|title=Sri Vaishnava Divya Desams (108 Tiruppathis Sung by Azhwars): Along with a Selected List of Some Abhimana Sthalams in India|first=Lakshmipuram V. |last=Gopalan|publisher=Sri Visishtadvaitha Pracharini Sabha|year=1972}}</ref> The temple is believed to have been built by the [[Medieval Cholas]] of the late 8th century CE, with later contributions from [[Vijayanagar Empire|Vijayanagara kings]] and [[Madurai Nayaks]]. A brick wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines and bodies of water. The central shrine has the image of Jakath Rakshaka Perumal in standing posture. The shrine of the Pushpavalli faces South. The temple has a 3-tiered ''[[gopuram|rajagopuram]]'' (gateway tower). There are separate shrines for [[Ramanuja]], [[Azhwars|Alvars]], [[Andal]] and [[Garuda]]. The [[vimana (shrine)|vimana]], the tower above the sanctum, is called Suddha Satwa Vimana.<ref name="dinamalar"/> A chariot called Ambarisha Ratha, renovated by [[Rani Mangammal]], was in use until the 1940s, after which it was not used. There is a statue of the queen in the temple.<ref name=R/>

==Religious significance==
Jagad Rakshaka is considered the saviour deity and he is believed to descend for all forms of life in the planet. The temple is revered in ''[[Nalayira Divya Prabandham]]'', the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by [[Thirumangai Azhwar|Thirumangai Alvar]] in one hymn. The temple is classified as a ''[[Divyadesam|Divya Desam]]'',<ref>{{cite news|title=An NGO does its bit for god - and humanity|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1262149051.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414091637/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1262149051.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 April 2018|url-access=|publisher=Hindustan Times|location=New Delhi, India|date=29 April 2007|access-date=13 April 2018}}</ref> one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. The temple is associated with [[Ketu (mythology)|Ketu]], one of the [[Navagrahas]], the nine planet deities of Hinduism. While Vishnu sent his [[Sudarshana Chakra|discus]] to chase the sage [[Durvasa]], the other symbol of him, the conch, got prominence. The conch is believed to have appeared in the jack fruit tree behind the sanctum. Devotees worship the [[Shankha|conch]] in the tree in the temple and during festive occasions, perform special rituals.<ref name="dinamalar"/>

==Festival and religious practices==
[[File:Thirukoodalur2.jpg|''[[Vahana]]'', sacred vehicles in which deity is taken around during festivals|200px|right|thumb]]
The temple priests perform the ''[[puja (Hinduism)|pooja]]'' (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. As at other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavaite]] community, from the [[Brahmin]] [[Varna (Hinduism)|varna]]. The temple rituals are performed six times a day: ''Ushathkalam'' at 7 a.m., ''Kalasanthi'' at 8:00 a.m., ''Uchikalam'' at 12:00 p.m., ''Sayarakshai'' at 5:00 p.m., ''Irandamkalam'' at 6:00 p.m. and ''Ardha Jamam'' at 7:30 p.m. Each ritual has three steps: ''alangaram'' (decoration), ''neivethanam'' (food offering) and ''deepa aradanai'' (waving of lamps) for both Jakath Rakshaka and Pushpavalli. During the last step of worship, ''[[nagaswaram]]'' (pipe instrument) and ''[[tavil]]'' (percussion instrument) are played, religious instructions in the ''[[Vedas]]'' (sacred text) are recited by priests, and worshippers prostrate themselves in front of the [[Iconography of Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu#Dvajasthamba and Pali Peedam|temple mast]]. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals performed in the temple. The Brahmotsavam festival celebrated in the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil month]] of ''Vaikasi'' (May–June) and [[Vaikunta Ekadasi|Vaikuntha Ekadashi]] celebrated during the Tamil month of ''Margali'' (December–January) are the major festivals celebrated in the temple. Srisukta Homam, a religious practice, is performed in the temple with 108 lotus leaves on full moon days.<ref name="dinamalar"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{refbegin|2}}
* {{cite book|title=South Indian Shrines: Illustrated|publisher=Asian Educational Services|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NLSGFW1uZboC&q=govindaraja+perumal+temple&pg=PA242|last=Ayyar|first=P. V. Jagadisa|isbn=9788120601512|location=New Delhi|year=1982|ref=Ayyar}}
* {{cite book|title=An introduction to religion and Philosophy - Tévarám and Tivviyappirapantam|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.jZY9lup2kZl6TuXGlZQdjZY2lZpy.TVA_BOK_0006115|last=R.|first=Dr. Vijayalakshmy|publisher=International Institute of Tamil Studies| location=Chennai|year=2001|edition=1st|ref=R.}}
{{refend}}

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center">
File:Vayyamkatthaperumaltemple1.jpg|Rajagopura
File:Vayyamkatthaperumaltemple2.jpg|Vimana of the presiding deity
File:Vayyamkatthaperumaltemple3.jpg|Right prakara
File:Vayyamkatthaperumaltemple4.jpg|Left prakara
File:Vayyamkatthaperumaltemple5.jpg|Shrine of the goddess
File:Vayyamkatthaperumaltemple6.jpg|Shrine of Andal
File:Vayyamkatthaperumaltemple7.jpg|Outer wall of the temple
</gallery>

{{Famous Vishnu temples}}

[[Category:Divya Desams| ]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Thanjavur district]]

Jakath Rakshaka Perumal temple - Revision history

WilheminaJanzen: New a location initial version