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{{Short description|Vishnu temple in Kanchipuram}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox temple
| name = Vijayaraghava Perumal temple
| image = Tirupukuzhi1.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|12|52|21|N|79|37|08|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| other_names =
| proper_name =
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Kanchipuram district|Kanchipuram]]
| location = [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = Vijayaraghavaswamy ([[Vishnu]])
Margathavalli Thayar ([[Lakshmi]])

| Direction_posture =
| Pushakarani =
| Vimanam =
| Poets =
| Prathyaksham =
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}

'''Vijayaraghava Perumal temple''' is a [[Vishnu]] temple in [[Thiruputkuzhi|Thiruputkuli]], a village in [[Kanchipuram district]] in [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. It is situated about 7 miles west of [[Kanchipuram]] and half a kilometre from Baluchetti Chattiram, which lies on the [[Chennai]] - [[Vellore]] highway. Constructed in [[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–9th centuries CE. It is counted as one among the 108 [[Divya Desams]] dedicated to Vishnu. Vishnu is worshiped as Vijayaraghava Perumal and his consort [[Lakshmi]] as Maragathavalli Thayar.

The temple is believed to be of significant antiquity and is believed to be initiated by the [[Pandyas]], with later contributions at different times from [[Cholas]] and [[Thanjavur Nayak kingdom|Thanjavur Nayaks]]. The temple has three inscriptions dating from the Chola period. The temple has a five-tiered ''rajagopuram'' (gateway tower) and enshrined within a granite wall. The complex contains all the shrines while the temple tank, is located to the west of the temple. The Brahmotsavam festival celebrated in the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil month]] of ''Masi'' (February - March), Theppotsavam (float festival) in ''Thai'' (January - February) are the major festivals celebrated in the temple.

==Architecture ==
The temple is believed to have been built by the [[Pandya]] kings during the 13th century, as seen from the stone inscriptions in the temple.<ref name=census/> The temple here is one among the 108 [[Divya Desams]] and is dedicated to Vijayaraghavaswamy ([[Moolavar|Mulavar]]). There is a separate temple for Thayar in the form of Margathavalli Thayar and a sannidhi for [[Ramanuja|Sri Ramanuja]]. The central shrine houses the image of the presiding deity, Vijayaraghava sported with four hands. He is seen in a posture holding the demigod bird [[Jatayu]] and performing the last rites. [[Lakshmi|Sridevi]] and [[Bhumi (goddess)|Bhudevi]] are sported along with their head facing earth. It is believed that the image is sported to indicate sorrow on the faces. Sridevi who is usually sported on the right side of Perumal is located to his left in this temple probably because of the sorrow created by the death of Jatayu. [[Ramanuja]], the preceptor of [[Visishtadvaita]] philosophy had his early education at this temple.<ref name=MS>{{cite book|title=108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams: Volume 1|last= M. S. |first=Ramesh|publisher= Tirumalai-Tirupati Devasthanam|year=1993|page=109}}</ref>

== Legend ==
[[File:Tirupukuzhi2.jpg| [[Theertham|Temple Tank]]|250px|left|thumb]]
[[Jatayu]], the demigod bird of the [[Ramayana]], was killed by the [[rakshasa]] king [[Ravana]], while trying to save [[Sita]] during the abduction. [[Rama]], the [[avatar]] of Vishnu and the hero of the Ramayana, who was in search of his wife Sita, are regarded to have arrived at this place. When Rama and Lakshmana went there in search of Sita, they find Jatayu mortally wounded in the forest.<ref name="epic">{{cite book |title= Indian Epic Values: Rāmāyaṇa and Its Impact : Proceedings of the 8th International Rāmāyaạ Conference |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=EVnK3q48dL0C&dq=Vijayaraghava+perumal+temple&pg=PA86|publisher=Peeters Publishers |year=1995 |last1=K.V. |first1=Raman |last2=T. |first2= Padmaja |isbn= 978-9068317015 |origyear= 1991 |ref=K.V. |page=86}}</ref> The eagle Jatayu narrated these events to Rama before breathing his last. The presiding deity, Vijayaraghava Perumal, is believed to have performed the last rites of Jatayu at this place. The water body where Jatayu fell is called Jatayu Tirtham.<ref name=census>{{cite book|title=Temples of Tamil Nadu Kancheepuram District|publisher= Directorate of Census Operations, Tamil Nadu|year=2003|last=C.|first=Chandramouli}}</ref> Jatayu belongs to the ''Pul'' (a separate family of eagle) family and was buried in a pit ([[Tamil language|Tamil]]: ''kuli''), and hence this site is called ''Thiruputkuḻi''. The same legend is also associated with [[Thirupullabhoothangudi Temple]].<ref name=R>{{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.|pages=530–1}}</ref>

==Religious importance==
[[File:Tirupukuzhi3.jpg| Temple [[Gopuram]]|250x250px|thumb]]
The temple is revered in ''[[Nalayira Divya Prabandham|Naalayira 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]]'', one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. Thiruputkuḻi is believed to be the birthplace of [[Yadava Prakaasa]], the teacher of Vaishanava saint [[Ramanuja]] and also that of Pinpaḻagiya Perumal Jeeyar. [[Vedanta Desika]] composed hymns praising the presiding deity. Thirumangai Alvar has also revered the temple in his verses.<ref name=census/> The temple follows Pancharaktha Agama and the worship practises are carried out by hereditary priests belonging to the Porakathi Bhattar sect.<ref name=census/>

==Festival and religious practices==
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]] [[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 Vijayaraghava Perumal and Maragathavalli. During the last step of worship, ''[[nagaswaram|nadasvaram]]'' (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 ''Masi'' (February - March), Theppotsavam (float festival) in ''Thai'' (January - February), Pavitrotsavam in ''Avani'' and [[Vaikunta Ekadasi|Vaikuntha Ekadashi]] celebrated during the Tamil month of ''Margaḻi'' (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">{{cite news|title=Sri Vijayaragahava Perumal temple|newspaper=Dinamalar|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/New.php?id=261|accessdate=2 November 2019}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External==
{{commons category|Thiruputkuzhi}}
* {{cite web |url=http://divyadesam.com/hindu/temples/tiruputkuzhi-temple.shtml |title=Thiruputkuzhi - Sri Vijayaraghava Perumal Temple, Tirupukuzhi |publisher=Divyadesam.com |accessdate=2010-02-14}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.trsiyengar.com/id220.shtml |title=Thiruputkuzhi Sri Vijayaraghava Perumal Temple |publisher=Sri Vaishnavam Practices |accessdate=2010-02-14}}

{{Famous Vishnu temples}}

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

Vijayaraghava Perumal temple - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article