Sri Vaikuntanatha Perumal Temple - Srivaikuntam

Introduction

Srivaikuntanatha Perumal Temple is a Divyadesam, the holy abode of Lord Vishnu that has been glorified in the Divyaprabhandham hymns of the Azhwar saints. It is also one of the Navatirupathi, the nine temples dedicated to Vishnu situated on the banks of river Tamiraparani. This temple is located in the Srivaikuntam village, in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu. Lord Vaikuntanathan is the main deity here, and his consort is Goddess Vaikunta Nayaki. This temple is also associated with Surya, the Sun God, and it is believed worshipping in this temple can mitigate the malefic effects of the Sun.

Temple Legends

According to the temple legend, once the demon Somukasura snatched the sacred Vedas from Lord Brahma. Brahma prayed to Vishnu and did severe penance in Tamiraparani banks seeking his favor to retrieve the Vedas. Pleased with Brahma's devotion, Vishnu took the form of 'Matsya,' the giant fish, destroyed the demon, and restored the Vedas to him. He is also said to have stayed here itself as Vaikuntanatha, and his abode came to be called Srivaikuntam.

It is also said that over time, the idol of Vaikunatha got submerged under the sea, due to disuse. Much later, it was found that a cow was coming to a particular spot and started discharging milk on its own. The news reached the king, who became curious, got the earth dug at that place, and found the image of Vaikuntanatha, there. Then the king is said to have erected the shrine for the Lord. As the milk of the cow helped to identify the Lord, he has also come to be called Pal Pandiyan. 'Pal' means milk in Tamil, and the place was part of the Pandya territory.

The History and Architecture of Srivaikuntanatha Perumal Temple, Srivaikuntam

This temple is believed to be a Pandyan construction. Many rulers of that dynasty and also the Vijayanagar and Nayak kings have contributed to its expansion and improvement, subsequently. This is a large structure spread across 5 acres, built in the Dravidian style of architecture, enclosed by the granite wall and has an imposing 9-tiered Rajagopuram, the temple tower 110 feet tall. Lord Srivaikunanathan can be worshipped in a standing posture with a club in hand, in the sanctum. Adisesha, the great serpent, is spreading his hoods like an umbrella over the standing Lord's head, which is a rare phenomenon. This image is sculpted out of the sacred Saligrama stone, and the holy bath is generally given to the deity with milk. The processional deity is Kallapiran. There are many paintings of the Vijayanagar and Nayak times in this temple, while the Thiruvengadamudayan hall contains some exquisite life-size granite sculptures. Many inscriptions are also available in the temple. There are separate shrines for Goddesses Vaikunta Nayaki and Choranatha Nayaki, and deities like Vishvaksena, Venugopala, Yoga Narasimha, etc. The temple has five precincts and has Brighu Theertha and Tamiraparani river as its water bodies.

Temple Festivals

The Garuda Sevai, common to all the 9 Navatirupathi temples, remains the grandest festival of this temple. The processional deities of all these temples are taken in the Garuda mount, including the Lord of Srivaikuntam. Saint Nammazhwar's idol is also carried in a palanquin, and the Pasurams, the sacred hymns that he sang in praise of these deities, are recited in this festival with devotion. The float festival is also one of the many other important festivals celebrated in this temple.

Benefits of worshipping Srivaikuntanatha Perumal

Devotees worship this Lord for a successful marriage to suitable partners, progeny blessing, and academic excellence. Surya, the Sun God, is the eternal provider of natural light and energy to mother earth. This temple is dedicated to him, and by praying to Surya in this shrine, it is believed that the malefic effects of this mighty planet will come down and that the devotees can also be blessed with his beneficial blessings.