Saranathan Perumal Temple, Thirucherai

Introduction

Saranatha Perumal Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, who is enshrined here as Lord Saranatha, along with his consort Goddess Saranayaki. This is a Divyadesam special abode of Vishnu that has been sung about by the Azhwar saints in their Divyaprabhandham hymns. This is located in Thirucherai village, near the temple town of Kumbakonam. This is one of the sacred places that accord special status to the river Goddess Cauvery. Cauvery is said to have performed severe penance, and the Lord appeared before her, in deference to her wishes. This Perumal is also said to have blessed Sage Markandeya and Lord Indra in this shrine. Devotees in large numbers visit this temple from all over the state and the country.

Temple Legends

There are legends that speak about the greatness of this place. In the eternal cycle of creation and destruction, the time came for the great destruction of the universe and its recreation. A worried Brahma, the God of creation, requested Lord Vishnu to suggest to him the means of keeping the devices used for creation and the sacred Vedas, safe. Vishnu advised him to make a strong mud pot and to put all the vital things and the Vedas, in it. Brahma is said to have searched for mud everywhere, and finally found the right one at Thirucherai and made the sacred pot. He could keep all the crucial things safe in it and recreate the universe later, successfully. After the Mahapralayam, the great deluge that wiped out the worlds and the beings, the pot thus contributed to the origin of fresh creation. As the place of this temple played a major role in the genesis of living things, it has been hailed as Sara Kshetram.

There is another story regarding this temple. Once, Brahma declared river Ganga as the holiest of rivers, as it was touched by the feet of Lord Vishnu when he assumed the gigantic form of Vikrama and measured all the worlds. River Cauvery performed intense penance towards Vishnu, for becoming equal to Ganga in status. In order to test her devotion, Vishnu appeared before her as a child. Cauvery cared for the child with all love, even without knowing its true identity.

Moved by her sincerity and devotion, Vishnu revealed all his ten avatars to her, made her take a dip in the temple tank, and declared that she would be regarded even holier than Ganga in the month of Tula, that is October-November.

The History and Architecture of Saranathan Temple, Thirucherai

There is an interesting historical story about the origin of this temple. Azhagiya Manavala Naicker, the ruler of Thanjavur wanted to build a temple for Rajagopala Swamy in Mannargudi town and entrusted the task to his minister Narasa Boopalan. The minister, who was an ardent devotee of Thirucherai Saranatha Perumal, wanted to build a temple for him, too. So, he ordered to unload a stone in Thirucherai, from each of the carts that proceeded towards Mannargudi for the temple construction there. When the king got to know of this, he flew into a rage and wanted to punish his minister. But Narasa Boopalan managed to erect the temple at Thirucherai overnight and also added a Rajagopala Swamy shrine there. When the king visited the temple the next day, he was both surprised and happy to see what happened, and he ensured the completion of the temple with funds from the royal treasury.

This ancient temple has significant contributions from Medieval Cholas and Vijayanagar and Nayak kings. Its 5 tier Rajagopuram is 120 feet tall, while a granite compound wall runs around the complex, enclosing the shrines and water bodies. Saranatha, the presiding deity, stands 12 feet tall in the main shrine and has as many as 5 consorts. River Cauvery and Sage Markandeya also find a place in the sanctum. Goddess Saranayaki is housed in a separate shrine, close by. Rajagopalaswamy can also be worshipped in a separate shrine, along with consorts Rukmini and Sathyabama. Besides, Rama, Narasimha, Kaliyamardhana, and Bala Saranatha are some of the other deities housed in the temple complex. This temple is unique in having a separate shrine for Cauvery, where she is seen as a mother with a baby on her lap. Rivers Mudikondan and Kudamurutti flow around the temple, which is enriched with sculptures and carvings.

Temple Festivals

The temple Brahmotsavam is observed during the Tamil month Thai (January-February) when the chariot festival is also celebrated as part of it. It is a belief that Lord Vishnu came down only on the Pushya star day of the month to bless river Cauvery. Vaikunta Ekadasi, Sri Rama Navami, Krishna Jayanti, Deepavali, and Navaratri are some of the other festivals celebrated here.

Benefits of worshipping Saranatha Perumal

Devotees pray to Saranatha Perumal, seeking relief from the consequences of the sins they have committed. Cauvery is a sacred river, and a holy bath in it is said to bestow us, many blessings. It is believed that the worship of the Lord is equivalent to 100 such baths in Cauvery.