Thirukkavalampadi Temple, Thirunangur

Introduction

Thirukkavalampadi Temple is a place of worship dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is located in Thirunangur, near Sirkazi town in the Mayiladuthurai district of Tamil Nadu. The Lord is worshipped here as Sri Gopalakrishna, and hence, this temple is also known as Sri Gopalakrishna Perumal Temple. Azhwars, the Vaishnava saints have sung hymns in praise of this Lord, and this temple is counted among the Divyadesams, the chosen abodes of Vishnu. Besides, there are as many as 11 such Divyadesams in the Thirunangur region, and together, these are known as Thirunangur Tirupathi. The Thirukkavalampadi Temple, too, remains one of the shrines of that 'Thirupathi,' and is also regarded as the first among those 11. All these temples are closely associated with the saint-poet Thirumangaiazhwar, who has sung hymns glorifying these deities. Lord Gopalakrishna presides over this shrine and is present there along with his consorts Rukmini and Satyabhama. As Krishna is enshrined with both his chief consorts, this temple is regarded equivalent to Dwaraka, in its holiness.

Temple Legends

'Kavalam' is a classical Tamil word that denotes an elephant. Thirumangai Azhwar has described how the Lord saved an elephant here, and this is said to be the reason for this place getting the name 'Thiru Kavalam Padi.' It is also said that Krishna and his wife Satyabhama chose this place to set up their garden, as it resembled the palace of Indra, the Lord of the heavens. And they did so by bringing and planting some exotic flowers here.

Besides, all the 11 temples of Thirunangur Tirupathi have close links and a common legend. Goddess Sati, Lord Shiva's consort, killed herself in her father Daksha's sacrifice. Driven by extreme grief and fury, Shiva began dancing wildly in this place. This resulted in his hair locks touching the ground, and every time it happened, it gave rise to 11 new Shiva aspects. The celestials got alarmed by this development; for, Shiva was the God destruction, and the presence of his many forms may spell the doom of the living things on earth. They sought refuge in Vishnu, who appeared in front of Shiva and pacified him, at this place. It is also said that similar to Shiva's 11 aspects, Vishnu, too decided to reside at 11 places in this belt on Shiva's request. The 11 Thirunangur Tirupathi temples are said to be those abodes of Lord Vishnu.

The Architecture of Thirukkavalampadi Temple, Thirunangur

This is a small temple. Here, Lord Gopalakrishna can be worshipped in the sanctum in a standing posture along with his spouses, Rukmini and Satyabhama, facing East. True to the name 'Go Pala Krishna,' the Krishna, who tends to the cow, the Lord is also seen holding a cow tied to a rope in his left hand. His consort Sengamala Nachiyar or Madavaragal Mangai, is in a separate shrine. The festival deity is called Rajagopalan. The roof above the main shrine is Swayambhu Vimana, and the temple tank is Tadamalarpoigai.

Temple Festivals

The most significant festival of this temple is Thirumangai Azhwar Mangalaasaasana Utsavam, which is common to all the temples of the Thirunangur Tirupathi cluster. The processional deities of these temples are carried in Garuda Sevai, that is, on their Garuda mounts, to Thirunangur during the occasion. Saint Thirumangai Azhwar, too, comes there in a palanquin from the temple of Thiruvali-Thirunagari. The hymns that he has composed in praise of these deities are recited with devotion. This festival is celebrated in the Tamil month of Thai (January-February), when devotees in their thousands from many places, assemble at this place and worship the deities.

Benefits of worshipping the Lord in Thirukkavalampadi Temple

It is believed that the Lord can fulfill the wishes of devotees in respect to their studies, careers, marriage, suitable life partners, and progeny. People experiencing marital discords and family feuds also worship in this temple, to find a sense of peace and joy.