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

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Sowmyanarayana Perumal Temple
| image = Sowmyanarayana Perumal (7).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Image of the temple gopuram
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in Tamil Nadu
| coordinates = {{coord|10|03|39|N|78|33|36|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Sivaganga district]]
| location = [[Thirukoshtiyur]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = {{Plainlist|
* Sowmyanarayana Perumal ([[Vishnu]])
* Thirumaamagal Thayar ([[Lakshmi]])
}}
| facade_direction =
| temple_tank =
| tower = Ashtanga Vimanam
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}
'''Sowmyanarayana Perumal Temple''' is an ancient temple located in [[Thirukoshtiyur]], a village in the South Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]], 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 Sowmyanarayana Perumal and his consort [[Lakshmi]] as Thirumamagal.<ref>{{cite book|title=108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams: Divya desams in Pandya Nadu|last= M. S. |first=Ramesh|publisher= Tirumalai-Tirupati Devasthanam|year=1993}}</ref> The temple is known as the place where [[Ramanuja]], the expounder of Vishishtadvaita philosophy preached the holy ashtakshara "[[Om Namo Narayanaya]]" to all people, irrespective of their varna.

A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines. The temple features a five-tiered raja[[gopuram|gopuram or]], the gateway tower and an impressive Ashtanga Vimana, which is even taller than the gopuram itself.The temple tank is located opposite to the temple, outside the main entrance.

Sowmyanarayana Perumal is believed to have appeared as [[Narasimha]] avatar to the [[Deva (Hinduism)|devas]], the celestial deities. The temple follows [[Thenkalai|Tenkalai]] tradition of worship. Six daily rituals and many yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the float festival during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] month of ''Masi'' (February–March), [[Navrathri]] during September–October and [[Vaikunta Ekadasi]] during ''Margali'' (December–January) being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by Sivaganga Devasthanam.

==Legend==
[[File:Sowmyanarayana Perumal (3).jpg|thumb|left|Shrines in the temple]]
[[Hiranyakshipu]], the [[asura]] king, got arrogant after he got boons from [[Brahma]], which nearly made him invincible. He troubled the [[Deva (Hinduism)|devas]] (celestial deities) and they prayed to Vishnu for rescue. Vishnu was ready to take the [[Narasimha]] avatar to slay the asura king. The devas pleaded with Vishnu to assume the form before he could take it. Vishnu showed them the avatar, but not satisfied merely one vision, the devas and sages pleaded with him to show it again. Vishnu appeared in three forms of himself standing, sitting, and resting posture at Thirukoshtiur. Since, Vishnu showed his form after hardship (called ''Thirukkai'' in Tamil) of Devas, the place came to be known as Thirukoshtiur.<ref name="dinamalar"/>

==Architecture==
[[File:Thirukkottiyoor.jpg|left|thumb|[[Pushkarni|Temple tank]] outside the temple]]
Sowmyanarayana Perumal temple covers an area of about {{convert|2|acre|hectare|abbr=on}} and has a five-tiered ''[[gopuram]]'' (gateway tower). The temple in enclosed in a rectangular enclosure with huge granite walls. The central shrine houses the image of the presiding deity, Uragamellayan Perumal in reclining posture on a snake bed similar to that of [[Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple]]. The images of Sridevi and [[Bhudevi]] are also housed in the sanctum. There two life size images of [[Narasimha]], the avatar of Vishnu. One of them is shown holding the asura Hiranyakshipu and other slaying him. Though it is a Vishnu temple, the temple has image of [[Shiva]] in the form of [[Lingam]], [[Vinayaka]] and [[Murugan|Subramanya]].<ref name=Rao>{{cite book|title=Temples of Tamil Nadu|last=Rao|first=A.V.Shankaranarayana|publisher=Vasan Publications|isbn=978-81-8468-112-3|year=2012|page=229–31|ref=Rao}}</ref> The festival deity is named Sowmya Narayana Perumal made of [[panchaloha]].

The [[vimana (tower)|vimana]], the shrine over the sanctum is Ashtanga in architecture, which has eight parts, namely, ''Adhistana'' (base), three ''Pada''s (struct), Prashthana (limb), Griva (leading struct), [[Shikhara|Shikara]] (cylindrical holder) and Stupi (top portion). The outer parts of the vimana has various stucco images of Narasimha, sages, [[Dasavatara]] and other mythical stories. The Ashtanga Vimana is found in only three places, namely, the [[Uthiramerur]], [[Koodal Azhagar Temple|Koodal alagar Temple]] and [[Cheranmadevi]] temples.<ref name=M>{{cite book|title=15 Vaishnava Temples of Tamil Nadu|last=M.|first=Rajagopalan|pages=119–128|publisher=Govindaswamy Printers|location=Chennai, India|year=1993}}</ref> The ashtanga vimana raising to a height of {{convert|25|m|ft|abbr=on}}, is taller than the gopuram of the temple, which is not a common feature in Dravidian temples.<ref name="dinamalar"/>

The shrine of the consort of Sowmyanarayana Perumal, Thirumamagal, is located to the south of the main shrine. There are smaller shrines of Lakshmi Narasimha, [[Rama]], Lakshmi Narayana and [[Krishna]] located close to the sanctum. The shrines of [[Andal]], Narasimha and [[Manavala Mamunigal]] are found in separate shrines around the first precinct. The shrines of [[Garuda]], [[Anjaneya]], [[Ramanuja]], [[Vedanta Desika]] and [[Azhwars|Alvars]] are found in the second precinct.<ref name="dinamalar"/> According to historian K.V. Soundararajan, the Rangantha temples in South India built during the 9th and 10th centuries have a systematic arrangement of subsidiary deities as seen in this temple along with the [[Appakkudathaan Perumal Temple]] at Koviladi, [[Veeraraghava Swami Temple (Thiruevvul)|Veeraraghava Perumal temple]] at [[Thiruvallur]], [[Rajagopalaswamy Temple, Mannargudi|Rajagopalaswamy temple]] at [[Mannargudi]] and [[Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangapatna|Rangantha temple]] at [[Srirangapatna]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Typology of the Anantaśayī Icon|page=80|jstor=3250291|last=K. V. |first=Soundara Rajan|journal=Artibus Asiae|volume=29|issue=1|year=1967|doi=10.2307/3250291}}</ref>

==Religious significance==
Sowmyanarayana Perumal temple is revered in ''[[Nalayira Divya Prabhandam|Naalayira Divya Prabhandam]]'', the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by [[Periazhwar|Perialvar]], [[Thirumalisai Alvar]], [[Bhoothathazhwar|Bhoothathalvar]], and [[Peyazhwar|Peyalvar]]. The temple is classified as a ''[[Divyadesam|Divya Desam]]'', one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the temple finds mention in several works like ''108 Tirupathi Anthathi'' by Divya Kavi Pillai Perumal Aiyangar.<ref name=M/>

The temple is known as the place where [[Ramanuja]], the expounder of Vaishnavadatta philosophy preached the holy ashtakshara "Om Namo Narayana" to all people. The place was the birthplace of Thirukoshtiyur Nambigal, the teacher of Ramanuja and who taught him the gospel and instructed him not to reveal it to anyone.<ref name=Meena>{{cite book|title=Temples in South India|last=V.|first=Meena|publisher=Harikumar Arts|location=Kanniyakumari|page=18}}</ref> Taking the risk of his life, Ramanuja climbed up the temple and revealed the verse to the whole world. Nambigal was pleased by the spirit of Ramanuja and named him Emperumanar (meaning my superior). Following the event, a life-size image of Ramanuja was housed in the Ashtanga Mandapam of the temple.<ref name=Rao/>

==Religious practices and festival==
The temple follows the traditions of the [[Thenkalai|Tenkalai]] sect of Vaishnavite tradition and follows ''Vaikanasa aagama''. In modern times, 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, of the Brahmin varna. Six daily rituals are held at various times of the day and many yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the float festival during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] month of ''Masi'' (February–March), [[Navrathri|Navaratri]] during September–October and [[Vaikunta Ekadasi|Vaikuntha Ekadashi]] during ''Margali'' (December–January) being the most prominent. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals performed in the temple.<ref name="dinamalar">{{cite web|title=Sowmyanarayana Perumal temple|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=421|publisher=Dinamalar|access-date=31 May 2014|year=2014}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}{{Famous Vishnu temples}}
{{commons|Category:Sowmya Narayana Perumal Temple}}
[[Category:Divya Desams| ]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Sivaganga district]]

Sowmya Narayana Perumal temple - Revision history

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