Sathyamurthi Perumal Temple, Thirumayam

Introduction

Sathyamurthi Perumal Temple is a Kudavarai Kovil, the rock-cut shrine dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The Azhwar saints have sung about the greatness of the Lord of this temple, and this remains a Divyadesam, one of the 108 special abodes of Vishnu. This is situated in Thirumayam in the Pudukottai district of Tamil Nadu. The principal deity is Sathyamurthi Perumal, and his consort is Ujeevana Thayar. Vishnu is said to have appeared before sage Satya Maharishi in this temple, which is located adjacent to the Sathyagiriswara Shiva temple. The temple is a virtual architectural marvel of the Pandya vintage and remains an important tourist attraction of Tamil Nadu.

Temple Legends

When Lord Vishnu was reclining on Adisesha, the king of serpents in his heavenly abode, two demons Madhu and Kaidaba, tried to abduct Goddesses Mahalakshmi and Bhoodevi. While Lakshmi took shelter in the Lord's chest, and Bhoodevi in his feet, Adisesha spit venom to chase away the demons. But still, he was a little hesitant, as he acted on his own without his Lord's permission. However, Vishnu was moved by his devotion and showered his blessings on him. Adisesha's diffidence is reflected in his posture here, which appears somewhat shrunk.

The History and Architecture of Sathyamurthi Perumal Temple, Thirumayam

This aesthetically appealing temple is built in solid granite by the Pandyas in the 9th century CE and remains part of a fort. This fort spread across 40 acres was erected by Vijaya Ragunatha Sethupathi, the Ramanathapuram ruler in 1687 CE. It is in this very same fort that Veerapandiya Kattabomman's brother Oomathurai was captured and imprisoned during the British time. The 7-foot tall idol of Sathyamurthi Perumal is in standing posture on a rock, while a reclining Mahavishnu can be worshipped in an adjacent shrine, along with his consorts and other divinities. This Lord is said to be in Ari Thuyil, that is, sleeping with full consciousness about what is going on around him. This image is one of the largest of its kind in India. This reclining Lord is called Thiru Meyyar, and this place got its name as Thirumayam, only after this Lord. The Rajagopuram, the temple tower is five-tiered, while the sacred tank is located within the temple complex. The roof above the sanctum is called 'Somachandra Vimanam.'

Temple Festivals

The car festival Vaikasi (May-June), Aadi Pooram of July-August, and Krishna Jayanti of Aavani (August-September) are some of the important festivals celebrated in this temple.

Benefits of worshipping Sathyamurthi Perumal

The divine couple here is said to be very benevolent. People worship the Goddess Ujeevana Thayar for early marriage to suitable partners, progeny blessing, and relief from evil spells and witchcraft, mental disabilities, and nervous problems. They offer silk cloth to the Goddess along with auspicious items like bangles and garlands and light oil and ghee lamps, seeking her grace.