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

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Ulagalantha Perumal Temple
| image = Kanchipuram-temple-ulagalandar.jpg
| alt = The three tiered Raja Gopuram of Ulagalantha Perumal Temple
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|12|50|21|N|79|42|18|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Kanchipuram district|Kanchipuram]]
| location = [[Kanchipuram]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = [[Vamana|Trivikraman]], Ulagalantha Perumal ([[Vishnu]])<br>Amuthavalli ([[Lakshmi]])
| facade_direction = West
| temple_tank = Naga Tirtham, Shesha Tirtham
| tower = Śrīkara Vimanam
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}

'''Ulagalandha Perumal Temple''' is a [[Hindu temple|temple]] dedicated to [[Vishnu]] located in [[Kancheepuram|Kanchipuram]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. Constructed in the [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian style of architecture]], the temple is glorified in the ''[[Divya Prabandha|Naalayira Divya Prabandham]]'', the early medieval [[Tamil literature|Tamil]] canon of the [[Alvars|Alvar]] saints from the 6th through 9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 ''[[Divyadesam|Divya Desams]]'' dedicated to [[Vishnu]], who is worshipped as Ulagalantha Perumal, and his consort [[Lakshmi]] as Amuthavalli. The temple is believed to have been built by the [[Pallavas]], with later contributions from the [[medieval Cholas]], [[Vijayanagar Empire|Vijayanagara kings]], and [[Madurai Nayaks]].

The temple is found in Big Kanchipuram, and situated close to [[Kamakshi Amman Temple]]. The temple complex actually houses four Divya Desams in its different precincts, namely, Tirukkaravanam, Tirukarakam, Tiruneerakam, and Tiruürakam, that last of which is present within the sanctum sanctorum of the main temple.

[[Vamana]], the [[Brahmin]] dwarf, and one of the [[Dashavatar|ten avatars of Vishnu]], is held to have appeared here to quell the pride of the [[asura]] king [[Mahabali]]. As Ulagalantha Perumal, he is believed to have appeared before king Mahabali and later to the Alvars. Six daily rituals and a dozen yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the chariot festival, celebrated during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] month of ''Chittirai'' (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==
[[File:Ulagalantha perumal Kanchipuram1.jpg|A view of the temple from the street preceding it and the temple tank|thumb|left|250px]]
''The [[Bhagavata Purana]]'' describes that Vishnu descended as the [[Vamana]] avatar to restore the authority of [[Indra]] over [[Svarga]], as it had been taken by [[Mahabali]], a benevolent [[asura]] King. [[Lakshmi|Bali]] was the grandson of [[Prahlada]]. King Mahabali was generous, and engaged in severe austerities, winning the praise of the world. With the praise from his courtiers and others, he regarded himself as the most powerful being in the world. Vamana, in the guise of a short [[Brahmin]] carrying a wooden [[umbrella]], went to the king to request three paces of land. [[Mahabali]] consented, against the warning of his guru, [[Sukracharya|Shukracharya]]. 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. With all the dominions he held effectively under Vamana's strides. King [[Mahabali]], unable to fulfill his promise, offered his head for the third. Vamana then placed his foot upon the humbled monarch, banishing him to the netherworld. Some texts also report that Vamana did not step into the netherworld, and instead gave its rule to Mahabali.

In his giant form, Vamana is known as Trivikrama. The legend is associated with the [[Thrikkakara Temple]] in [[Kerala]] and also with this temple and [[Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Tirukoyilur]].<ref>[[#Parmeshwaranand|Parmeshwaranand]], p. 1337</ref><ref>[[#Hoiberg|Hoiberg 2001]], p. 217</ref><ref name="dinamalar">{{cite web|title=Sri Thiruvikrama swamy temple|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=605|publisher=Dinamalar|access-date=2014-01-01}}</ref><ref>[[#Madhavan|Madhavan 2007]], p. 73</ref>

==History and inscriptions==
[[File:Ulagalantha-perumal1.jpg|200x250px|thumb|View of the gopuram]]
According to the historian Nagaswamy, based on the inscriptions and the location of the temple, it is the oldest temple in Kanchipuram.<ref name=Naga>{{cite journal|title=Visnu Temples of Kancipuram|journal=Marg, A Magazine of the Arts|date=1 September 2013|access-date=26 April 2018|url-access=|first=Indira S|last=Aiyar|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-346532518.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180427044810/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-346532518.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 April 2018}}</ref> The earliest inscription is from 846 CE during the regime of [[Nandivarman III]] (846–869 CE). There is another account that the temple is developed further by [[Rajendra Chola I]] (1012–1044 CE).<ref name=Diwakar>{{cite book|title=Temples of South India|first=Macherla|last=Diwakar|location=Chennai|year=2011|edition=1st|page=139|isbn=978-93-83440-34-4|publisher=Techno Book House}}</ref> The temple has 15 inscriptions from various dynasties like [[Pallavas]], [[Chola]] and Sambuvarayars. There is a Chola inscription dated 1110 CE during the reign of [[Kulothunga Chola I]] (1070–1120 CE) indicating his visit to the temple and his gift of land to the temple whose income was to be used for the maintenance of the temple. Another similar inscription indicates the donation of a village by the king on behest of his queen Kampamadeviyar. There are inscriptions from later Chola kings like [[Rajadhiraja Chola II]] (1166–1178 CE) and [[Rajaraja Chola III]] (1216-1256 CE) indicating various records of gifts to the temple. There are also inscriptions from minor chieftains like Vijaya Gandagopala indicating gifts to the temple.<ref name=M75/>
The inscriptions refer the main deity by various names like Thiru Uragathu Ninru-arulina Paramaswamin, Tiru Uragathaḻvar and Tiru Uragathu Emberuman.<ref name=M75/><ref name=hindu>{{cite news|title=Chola temple with a Pallava surprise|date=22 June 2007|access-date=18 October 2014|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/06/22/stories/2007062250630300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020150759/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/06/22/stories/2007062250630300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 October 2007|last=Chakravarthy|work=[[The Hindu]]|first=Pradeep}}</ref> The Sambuvarayar rule of the 16th century records the gift of a pond and a grove in Sevvanmedu village. The temple still continues to possess this grove.<ref name=hindu/> The inscriptions in the temple also indicate increased trade and commerce during the Pallava period, with licenses provided to shops like oil, ghee, arecanut, vegetables, flowers, coconut, sugar, cloth and sandal.<ref>[[#N.|N. 2008]], pp. 41-2</ref> The temple has not received a single donation from the ruling [[Vijayanagar Empire|Vijayanagara Empire]], though the nearby temples received generous donations, indicating that the temple had sources of income. From those days Pancharatra Agama was followed in the temple, though all the surrounding people followed Vaikhanasa and Pancharatra Agama.<ref name=Naga/>

[[Parimelalhagar]], the 13th-century [[Ten medieval commentators|Tirukkural commentator]], belonged to the lineage of priests of the Ulagalantha Perumal temple.{{sfn|Gopalakrishnamachariyar, 2009|pp=26–29}}

==Architecture==
[[File:Ulagalantha perumal Kanchipuram2.jpg|250px|left|View of the ceiling of the temple|thumb]]
The temple is located in central Kanchipuram, a locality in the Central side of [[Kanchipuram]], a [[South Indian]] town in the state of [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Top Ten Temple Towns of India|publisher=Mark Age Publication|first=S.C.|last=Karkar|location=Kolkota|isbn=978-81-87952-12-1|year=2009|page=46}}</ref> The temple has an area of about {{convert|60000|sqft}} and has a three tiered ''raja[[gopuram]]'' (main towers) with seven kalasas. The temple houses four ''[[divya desam|Divya Desam]]s'' on its own – they are Tirukkaravanam, Tirukarakam, Tiruürakam, and Tiruneerakam.<ref>[[#Ayyar|Ayyar 1992]], p. 539</ref> It is believed that all the shrines were probably separate temples, but the circumstances which lead do these temples getting housed in the Ulagalantha Perumal temple is not known.<ref name=R452/> Thirumangai Alvar has sung praises of all the four temples in a single verse. The temple tank, Naga Tirtham, is located outside the main temple complex.<ref name=M74/>

The temple is revered by the verses of [[Tirumangai Alvar]] and [[Thirumazhisai Aazhwar|Thirumaḻisai Alvar]]. Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped as Amuthavalli (Amirthavalli) and the festival idol of the temple is Vishnu as Loganathan. The image of Ulagalantha Perumal is over {{convert|35|ft|m|abbr=on}} in height depicted with his left leg at a right angle to the body and parallel to the ground. The right leg is seen placed on the head of Mahabali with two fingers on his left hand stretched out referring to the two steps he took to measure the two worlds and the stretched finger on his right hand indicating the question the posted to Mahabali as to where he could place his third step. The roof of the sanctum, the [[vimana (shrine)|vimana]] has an elevated roof to accommodate the huge image of the presiding deity.<ref name=M72>[[#Madhavan|Madhavan 2007]], p. 72</ref>

=== Tiruoorakam ===
The central shrine of temple is most commonly referred as Peragam, while the smaller shrine where the image of the snake god [[Adisesha|Adishesha]] is houses is called Tiruoorakam. As per tradition, Mahabali at the foot of Vamana, could not view the deity's [[Viswaroopam|vishvarupam]], and requested him to manifest as a smaller form. Vishnu obliged, and appeared as a snake in a smaller shrine. The shrine is frequented by childless couple praying for offspring.<ref name=R452>R. 2001, p. 452</ref><ref name=M74/>

===Tirukkarakam===
The shrine is located on the third precinct of the temple. As per Hindu legend, sage Garga performed his penance at this temple and obtained knowledge. The place thus derived its name Garagaham, which later became Karakam. The presiding deity of the shrine is Karunakara Perumal facing north and seated on Adishesha and his consort Padmamani Nachiyar. The temple tank associated with it is called Agraya Tirtham, and the [[vimana (tower)|vimana]] is called Vamana Vimanam or Ramaya Vimanam.<ref name=M74/><ref>R. 2001, p. 469</ref>

===Tirukkaravanam===
The shrine is located in the second precinct. The presiding deity is called Kalvar and faces north, while his consort is Kamalvalli Thayar. Gauri Tatakam and Taratara Tatakam are the temple tanks associated with the temple and the vimana is called Puskala Vimana.<ref name=M74/><ref>R. 2001, p. 469-70</ref> There is a separate for Aranavalli Thayar.<ref name=M74>[[#Madhavan|Madhavan 2007]], p. 74</ref>

===Tiruneerakam===
The temple has no presiding deity, but just a festive image probably brought from other shrine. The images of the festival deity, Jagadishvara, facing the east and having four arms, is housed in a hall in the second precinct. The water body associated with the temple is Akrura Tirtham and the vimana is Jagadishvara Vimanam. According to Pillai Perumal Aiyangar in his ''Nurrettrutiruppatiyantati'', Vishnu revealed himself to a sage in the form of a child as a banyan leaf.<ref name=M74/><ref>R. 2001, p. 516</ref>

==Festivals and religious practices==
[[File:Ulagalantha Perumal Kanchipuram7.jpg|250px|thumb|View of the ceiling of Tiruneerakam]]
The temple priests perform the ''[[puja (Hinduism)|puja]]'' (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. As at other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavaite]] community, a Brahmin community. 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 6:00 p.m., ''Irandamkalam'' at 7:00 p.m. and ''Ardha Jamam'' at 10:00 p.m. Each ritual has three steps: ''alangaram'' (decoration), ''neivethanam'' (food offering) and ''deepa aradanai'' (waving of lamps) for both Ulagalantha Perumal and Amuthavalli. 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.<ref name="dinamalar1"/> There are two major festivals celebrated in the temple - Brahmotsavam during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil month]] of ''Thai'' (January–February) and Vamana Jayanthi during the Tamil month of ''Avani'' (August–September) on ''Sravanam'' star.<ref name=M75>[[#Madhavan|Madhavan 2007]], p. 75</ref>

==Religious significance==
The temple is revered in ''[[Nalayira Divya Prabandham|Naalayira Divya Prabandham]]'', the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by Thirumangai Alvar in one hymn of Thirunedunthandagam. The temple is classified as a ''[[Divyadesam|Divya Desam]]'', one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book.<ref name="dinamalar1">{{cite web|title=Sri Ulagalanda Perumal temple|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=1076|publisher=Dinamalar|access-date=2013-09-09}}</ref> The temple is unique among Divya Desams as it is the only temple complex that houses four different Divya Desams.<ref name=hindu/>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
{{refbegin|2}}
* {{cite book|title=Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Puranas, Volume 1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FdIkaccgneAC&q=vamana&pg=PA1337|last=Parmeshwaranand|first=Swami|publisher=Sarup & Sons|year=2001|isbn=9788176252263|ref=Parmeshwaranand}}
* {{cite book|title=Students' Britannica India, Volumes 1-5
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DPP7O3nb3g0C&q=vamana&pg=PA217|last1=Hoiberg|first1=Dale |last2=Ramchandani|first2=Indu |publisher=Popular Prakashan|year=2000|isbn=9780852297605|ref=Hoiberg}}
* {{cite book | last = Gopalakrishnamachariyar | first = V. M. | title = திருக்குறள் (மூலமும் பரிமேலழகர் உரையும்) [Tirukkural (Moolamum Perimelalhagar Uraiyum)] | publisher = Uma Padhippagam | edition= 1 | date = 2009 | location = Chennai | language = ta |ref={{sfnRef|Gopalakrishnamachariyar, 2009}} }}
* {{cite book|title=Vishnu Temples of South India Volume 1 (Tamil Nadu)|first=Chithra|publisher=Chithra Madhavan|last=Madhavan|isbn=978-81-908445-0-5|year=2007|ref=Madhavan}}
* {{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.}}
* {{cite book |last=Ayyar |first=P. V. Jagadisa |title=South Indian shrines: illustrated |year=1991 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-206-0151-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NLSGFW1uZboC&q=south+indian+shrines+illustrated+%2B+karvanam&pg=PA539|ref=Ayyar}}
* {{cite book|title=Economic History of India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TCKserudM2AC&q=ulagalantha+kanchipuram&pg=PA42|last=N.|first=Jayapalan|publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist|year=2008|ref=N.|isbn=9788126906970}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Vaishnavism}}
{{HinduMythology}}
{{Famous Vishnu temples}}
{{commonscat|Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram}}

[[Category:Perumal temples in Kanchipuram district]]
[[Category:Divya Desams| ]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Kanchipuram]]
[[Category:Vamana temples]]

Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram - Revision history

ShielaPaxton36: Made Basic Place More To Come