Thiru Parameswara Vinnagaram, Kanchipuram

Introduction

Thiru Parameswara Vinnagaram is a famous Vishnu temple of the temple town of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu. Here the Lord is worshipped as Vaikunta Nathan or Vaikunta Perumal, and his consort is Goddess Vaikunthavalli Thayar. The Azhwar saints have glorified this Lord and the temple in their Divyaprabhandham compositions, and hence, this temple remains as one of the 108 Divya Desams, the abodes of Vishnu that are regarded particularly sacred. This temple is well-known, as much for its religious importance as for its artistic grandeur.

Temple Legends

As per the legend, the place where the temple stands now was once part of the Vidarbha country, ruled by king Virochana. As a result of his karma, the past misdeeds, he had no issues, and he prayed to Shiva of the Kailasanathar temple here, for progeny blessing. The Lord was pleased and gave him the boon that the Dwarapalas, the guards of the heavenly abode of Vishnu, will be born to him. Accordingly, he got 2 sons, Pallavan and Villalan. The boys were brilliant and virtuous and were very devoted to Lord Vishnu, and they also performed sacrifices and austerities for the welfare of the people. Vishnu was impressed with their sincerity and devotion and appeared before them here as Vaikuntanatha. The same form of the Lord is said to be enshrined and worshipped in this temple, now.

According to another story, once, sage Bharathwaja was doing penance here, when he had a liaison with a celestial damsel. Their union produced a son, and subsequently, the sage and the damsel returned to their original vocations. And the child began growing, thanks to the grace of Lords Shiva and Vishnu. Meanwhile, a Pallava king was praying to Vishnu for progeny blessing. The Lord is said to have given the child to the king, and the boy, named Parameswara, later ascended the Pallava throne. The temple is said to be named after him.

The History and Architecture of Thiru Parameswara Vinnagaram, Kanchipuram

Thiru Parameswara Vinnagaram is a grand structure made principally of sandstone and stands as a remarkable testimony of the ancient Pallava architecture. The Pallava King Nandivarman II built this temple, and it is widely believed to belong to the 8th century CE. ‘Parameswara’ was said to be the king’s title, and this is believed to have given the temple its name, Parameswara Vinnagaram. The temple is enclosed within the granite compound wall, while its entrance is without a tower. The main shrine is a 3-tier structure, and its roof, the Vimana, is pyramidal in shape, resembling a Vihara. The Lord can be worshipped in all the 3 postures here, sitting at the ground level, reclining at the next higher level, and standing at the top level. The main deity Lord Vaikunta Perumal or Paramapatha Natha is seated in the sanctum sanctorum facing West, at the ground level. Lord Ranganatha, who is reclining in the first level, can be worshipped only on Ekadasi days, while the standing Lord at the top is not accessible to the public. Goddess Vaikunthavalli Thayar is in a separate shrine. The pillared hall surrounding the sanctum is replete with panels consisting of beautiful sculptures and carvings depicting divine images on one level, and the history of the Pallava dynasty at the other level. The Pallava history includes battle scenes and vignettes of royal life, which are life-like and memorable. There is also an image of an elderly Chinese man, who is widely believed to be the Buddhist scholar and traveler Hsuan-Tsang, who visited Kanchipuram and stayed here for a few years.

Temple Festivals

Vaikasi Brahmmotsavam of May-June and Vaikunta Ekadasi of Margazhi (December-January) are prominent among the festivals celebrated in this temple.

Benefits of worshipping the Lord of Thiru Parameswara Vinnagaram

As per the belief, praying to the Lord with sincerity can cleanse the devotees of their sins. People also worship in this temple for early marriage to suitable partners and progeny blessing.