Thiruneeragam Temple, Kanchipuram

Introduction

Thiruneeragam is a Vishnu shrine. It forms part of the Ulagalantha Perumal temple of the ancient Kanchipuram town in Tamil Nadu state, where Vishnu is worshipped as Jagadiswara Perumal. The Azhwar saints have praised this Lord in their hymns as ‘Neeragaththan.’ Hence, this temple is counted as a Divya Desam, a particularly sacred abode of Vishnu. The deity here is also accordingly called as Neeragaththan, and the temple, Thiru Neeragam Divya Desam. Including Thiru Neeragam, there are as many as 4 Divya Desams, the Vishnu temples in this complex, and the other 3 are - Thiru Ooragam, Thiru Karagam, and Thiru Kaarvaanam. ‘Neer’ in Tamil denotes water. As water is one of the essentials, fundamental to existence, it is termed the elixir of life on earth. ‘Jagath’ is the world, and ‘Iswara’ is the Lord. And only to stress the significance of water to our very existence, the Lord is said to remain as Jagadiswara, or simply as ‘Neeragaththan.’ His consort is Goddess Nilamangaivalli.

Temple Legends

The Nuttriettu Thiruppati Antathi of Pillai Perumal Aiyangar gives the story of Vishnu revealing himself to a sage as a child lying on a banyan leaf, here.

But the legend of Ulagantha Perumal, in whose name the temple complex is generally referred to, is associated with the Vamana Avatar of Vishnu. Vishnu took the incarnation of dwarf Vamana, to get back the heavens from the demon king Mahabali and restore them to the celestials. After getting a promise from Mahabali that he will give the youngster the land measurable by 3 paces of his foot, Vishnu assumed the gigantic form of Trivikrama, measured heaven and earth by his 2 giant steps, and pushed Mahabali down to the netherworld. Still, the Lord blessed the generous Mahabali, and as per his wish, gave him the darshan as Trivikrama, that is, Ulagalantha Perumal, here.

Water rushes into any place or gets into any space, and all that it needs for this to happen is a little gap or possibility for it to flow. Likewise, the Lord here flows even into the hearts of the people who have some sincerity in them and fills their souls with Bhakti, the devotion. Hence this deity itself is called Thiru Neeragaththan and his abode, Thiruneeragam.

The Architecture of Thiruneeragam Temple, Kanchipuram

The Thiruneeragam temple is a simple structure. There is no presiding deity, and the processional deity is worshipped as Lord Jagadiswara. Also hailed as Neeragaththan, he is in a standing posture and has 4 hands and faces East. His consort is Nilamangaivalli Thayar. The roof above the shrine is Jagadiswara Vimanam, and the water body is Akrura Thirtham.

As the temple has only the festival deity, some are of the opinion that he might have been brought to this temple from somewhere else.

Temple Festivals

Vaikunta Ekadasi of Margazhi (December-January) and Brahmotsavam of Vaikasi (May-June) are important among the festivals celebrated here.

Benefits of worshipping the Lord of Thiruneeragam Temple

It is believed that the Lord values only the devotion of his devotees and can fill their lives and souls with the nectar of his love and blessings.