Saturday, March 5, 2011

Poonamallee Varadaraja Perumal



Located 25kms from Madras on the Bangalore Highway is the 1100year old Varadaraja Perumal temple in Poonamallee. This place is also referred to as Pushpaporu Kshetram and Poovirantha Kshetram.

Construction
The temple is believed to have been built in the 10th Century AD during the reign of the great Chozha King Paranthaka Chozha ( 907-954AD). Inscriptions dating back to this period refer to this place as Puliyur Kottam Poonthamallee and Nedunchezhiya Vinnagaram.

Story
This is the avathara sthalam of Thirukachi Nambi, the Guru of Ramanuja. Thirukachi Nambi used to walk to Kanchipuram and present flowers in the morning to Lord Varadarajan. Given his special devotion , Lord Varadarajan would engage in conversations with Nambi.

Once when Nambi fell ill and could not walk to Kanchipuiram to present his flowers, Lord Varadarajan himself came here in the morning and provided darshan to Nambi with the Sun’s chakra behind him, a special feature at this temple.

Thirukachi Nambi also had darshan of Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam and Lord Srinivasa of Tirupathi at this place. Ranganatha is seen in a handsome sleeping posture with four hands.

This place came to known as 'Poovirintha mallee'after the Thaayar 'Poovirintha Thaayar'.

Avathara Sthalam of Thirukachi Nambi


Festivals
Thirukachi Nambi Avathara Utsavam in Maasi
Ranganatha Utsavam in Chitrai
Varadaraja Utsavam in Vaikasi
Srinivasa Utsavam in Puratasi

In Panguni (on April 10, 2011), Garuda Seva with all the three Lords


Quick Facts

Moolavar: Devaraja Perumal in a standing posture facing West
Thaayar : Pushpavalli thaayar (separate sannidhi)
Temple Time: 7am-1130am and 430pm-830pm
Contact : S. Gopalakrishna Bhattar/Sriram Bhattar @ 97911 42968 or Sowriraja Bhattar@ 98401 22515

How to reach
This is on the Madras- Porur-Poonamallee-Sriperumbudur highway. The temple is a 5minute walk from the Poonamallee bus stand.
Number of buses ply between Parrys/Broadway and Poonamallee.

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