Thiru Kannangudi Damodara Narayana Perumal

Four Interesting events mark Thirmangai Azhvaar’s stay at Thiru Kannangudi

Located about 8kms West of Nagapattinam, off the Nagapattinam- Thiruvarur Highway, is Damodara Narayanan Divya Desam in Thiru Kannangudi, which is also part of the Pancha Krishna Kshetram. This is the final point of Krishnaranya Kshetram, which begins at Naachiyar Koil in Thiru Naraiyur and passes through Thiru Cherai, Kannamangai and Kannapuram.

Sage Vashishta and Lord Krishna

The story goes that, Lord Krishna, pleased with Vashishta’s penance, appeared before the sage in the form of a kid. While the Sage was immersed in thoughts of the Lord, Kannan picked up the butter, swallowed it in one go and gave Vashishta the run.

With Vashishta giving him a chase, young Kannan runs through the Krishnaranya Kshetram until he came upon the rishis, who were undergoing penance here. Thrilled to see Kannan come their way, the rishis blocked him.

Explaining his hurry, Kannan wanted them to ask for one wish. By this time, Vashishta too had caught up with the Lord and he fell at his feet. The rishis wanted the Lord to provide darshan to other devotees in this same standing posture at this place. Hence this place came to be called Kannankudi.

4 Interesting stories relating to ThiruMangai’s experience at Thiru Kannangudi

 

1. Thirumangai’s praise of the Tamarind tree

Thirumangai Azhvaar who was to build the huge walls of Srirangam temple came to Nagai to pick up the golden statue of Buddha. On his way back, a tired Thirumangai wanted rest and lay under a Tamarind tree at Thiru Kannankudi. Placing the gold in the pit there, Thirumangai asked the tree to wake him up if someone came there. The next morning when the owner of the plot arrived to resume work, the tamarind tree dropped its leaves on Thirumangai to wake up the Azhvaar.

2. Pending cases at Kannangudi

Thirumangai and the owner of the plot argued about its ownership. Thirumangai defended himself saying his papers were in Srirangam and that he would come back in a day or two with the papers. Thirumangai never came back and the case is said to have remained pending. Disputes in ThiruKannangudi don’t see a quick decision.

3. Dry Wells at Thiru Kannangudi

A thirsty Thirumangai is said to have walked up to the ladies near the well and asked for water. Having heard about his arguments regarding the ownership of the plot, they were worried that he would fight with them on the ownership of the well and hence refused him a pot of water. An angry Thiru Mangai Azhvaar pronounced a curse stating that the water would not fill up in the well. To this day, wells in Thiru Kannankudi are seen dried up. Even when it fills up, it tastes salty.

4. Lord quenches Thirumangai’s thirst

The Lord of Thiru Kannankudi is said to have come and presented a tired and thirsty Thiru Mangai with food and water. With Thiru Mangai finishing his food, the Lord is said to have disappeared.

Left wondering, Thirumangai, on his way back, met a man who seemed like one with conch and chakra but disappeared almost immediately. It is believed that Thirumangai had earlier answered the Lord’s enquiry about his background saying he was a vagabond. Hence, the Lord is believed to have given him just one quick glimpse of his full vision and then disappeared.

Pancha Krishna Kshetram

Thiru Kannangudi is part of the Pancha Krishna Kshetram, the others being Kapisthalam, ThiruKovilur, Thiru Kannamangai and Thiru Kannapuram.

Garuda’s Posture at ThiruKannangudi
Unlike in other Divya Desams where Garuda is seen with folded hands, he is seen here with his hands around his body.

Another unique feature at this temple is the similarity of the Moolavar and Utsavar idols of Goddess, not seen in any other Divya Desam.

Quick Facts

Moolavar     : Loganathan East facing standing posture
Goddess      : Loganayaki
Utsavar       : Damodara Narayanan

Azhvaar      : Thirumangai Azhvaar (10 paasurams)
Temple Time : 6am-12noon and 5pm –8pm
Priest           : Prabhu Bhattar@ 99431 38591

How to reach ThiruKannangudi
One can take the Nagai-Thiruvarur bus (buses every 5-10 minutes) and get down at Aazhiyur, about 6 kms from Nagai. From there, one can take a mini bus to Kannangudi (South - about 5mts drive). An auto from Nagapattinam to Kannangudi and back would cost about Rs. 200/-. One can also reach Thiru Kannangudi from ThiruKannapuram (about 25 kms) by car.

Direct night train from Madras to Nagapattinam.

When here, also visit Thiru Nagai and Thiru Kannapuram

Thiru Kannapuram Sowri Raja Perumal

Eastern Gateway of the Lord
Vibheeshana was asked to come here to have darshan of the Lord's ‘walking beauty’
Along with Nachiyar Koil, Thiru Kannapuram is  one of the two Divya Desams where Thirumangai Azhvaar has praised the Lord with a century of verses

Located 20kms North West of Nagapattinam (20kms East of Tiruvarur, 30kms South of Kumbakonam and Mayavaram), this is one of the 5 Krishnaranya Kshetrams. Lord Narayana himself re-incarnated as Sowri Rajan at Kannapuram.

Walking Beauty of the Lord

This is the temple where the Lord showed Vibheeshana, brother of Ravana, his walking beauty. After seeing the sleeping beauty of Vishnu as Lord Ranganatha at Srirangam, Vibheeshna wanted to see the walking beauty of the Lord, upon which he was directed by the Lord to his “Keezh(akku) Veedu’ (Eastern Gateway of the Lord). 

Lord Vishnu displayed his ‘walking beauty’ to Vibheeshana here on the new moon day. To mark this event, on every Amavasya day at 12noon, Lord SowriRajan comes out of his sanctum and provides darshan to Vibheeshna.

Sowri Rajan- An extra growth of hair on the Lord

Once a garland of flowers sent by a king to the Lord did not reach the temple and hence the priest could not get the Lord ready in time for the King’s visit. To save himself from the King’s wrath, the temple priest quickly organized a garland of flowers from his house and placed it around the Lord. The king found that there was a hair in the garland and questioned the priest, who told him that this was the Lord’s own.

The priest told the king that he would show it(the Lord's hair) to him the next morning. Lord here is said to have saved the priest by displaying his long plait to the King. Hence, the lord here is called Sowri Rajan.

Special Pongal every night

A devotee who used to have his daily food only after presenting to the Lord was late one evening and found the temple closed. Hence, he presented the food to the Lord from outside the temple. It is believed that when the temple doors opened the next morning, the entire temple smelt of Sweet Pongal.

To mark this, every night, Pongal is served to the Lord - another feature at this temple.

கொங்கு மலி கருங் குவளை கண் ஆகத்

தென் கயங்கள்

செங்கமலமுகம் அலர்த்தும்

திரு கண்ணபுரத்  உறையும்

வங்கமலி தடங்  கடலுள் வரியரவின் அனைத்

துயின்ற செங்கமல நாபனுக்கு இழந்தேன்

என் செறி வளையே  - Periya Thirumozhi

Lord Narayana in 3 forms

On the 7th day of Vaikasi, Lord Narayana provides darshan in all his 3 forms (TriMoorthy Swaroopam)- Maha Vishnu in the day, Brahmaa in the night at around 11pm and Lord Shiva early next morning

Procession to the Sea Shore

Once a year, on the occasion of Maasi Magam, the Lord is taken on a procession to the sea shore near Karaikal, about 20 kms from here.

Quick Facts
Moolavar : Neelamegha Perumal- Standing Posture facing East
Utsavar   : Sowri Rajan
Goddess : Kannapura Naayaki

5 Azhvaars - Thirumangai Azhvaar, Nam Azhvaar, Kulasekara Azhvaar, Andaal and Periyazhvaar

Temple time: 7am –12noon and 5pm-830pm
Contact : S. Sowri Rajan Bhattar@ 04366 270718 / 95971 14670 / Raghava Bhattar @ 89034 70374
 

How to reach
Bus : Buses every 10 minutes on the Kumbakonam/ Mayavaram-Nagapattinam route
Auto : Auto will charge Rs. 50/- for a one way drop from Pugalur bus stop

Place to Stay : Best to stay in Kumbakonam

This is on the Kumbakonam / Mayavaram-Nannilam-Nagapattinam route. One has to get down at Thiru Pugalur and take auto (2kms). The temple can also be reached directly from Thiruvarur.

Kapisthalam Gajendra Varadar

Pancha Krishna Kshetram
Only Divya Desam that provides Moksham to two animals

Located about 15 kms from Kumbakonam on the Thiruvayaru road (about 5 kms East of Koodalur Divya Desam) is the Gajendra Varadhan temple at Kapisthalam where the Lord is seen in a reclining posture facing the East.

The temple is currently in a terrible condition- Quite a bad sight for devotees. At a time when several Divya Desams are being renovated in Tamil Nadu,( For eg. TVS Group has transformed the Nava Tirupathi temples near Tirunelveli) why this temple cannot be renovated is a question every devotee visiting this divya desam is asking today.

The priest gets a Salary of Rs. 16 per month!!!!

The Legend

Raja Indirajimnan, a staunch devotee of Vishnu was so immersed in his prayers that he would forget the world around him. Once he incurred the wrath of Sage Durvasa known for his instant anger by continuing to be in his prayers and making the Sage wait outside. He was cursed thus- “The fact that you are a great devotee has made you arrogant and you have disrespected a Sage, who has come to meet you. May you turn into a mad elephant.”

Realising his folly, Indrajimnan begged for forgiveness. The Sage who is also know for showing sympathy agreed to reduce the impact of the curse stating that he would continue to be devoted to the Lord as ‘Elephant Gajendra’ and that he would one day be relieved of his curse by Vishnu himself.

Another story goes that Asura Guhu once playfully pulled the legs of Sage Agastyar while he was having bath. Angered at this act, the Sage cursed him instantly turning the Asura into a Crocodile.

Vishnu, on his Garuda Vahana rescued Elephant (King) Gajendra from the clutches of the Crocodile (the Asura) on the banks of the river by hurling his Chakra at the crocodile and killing it. Thus the king was rid of his curse and attained Moksham. This Gajendra Moksham episode is enacted here every year in Panguni (March-April). This is the only Divya Desam where the Lord provides Darshan to two animals.

It is a Praarthana Sthalam for Rahu.

Thiru Mazhisai Azhvaar’s only Paasuram:

கூற்றமும் சாரா கொடுவினையும் சாரா 
தீ மாற்றமும் சாரா 

வகை அறிந்தேன் 

ஆற்றங்கரை கிடக்கும் கண்ணன்

கடல் கிடக்கும் மாயன் 

உரை கிடக்கும் உள்ளது எனக்கு 

This is one of the ‘Pancha Krishna Kshetrams’.

(the other four are – Thiru Kannapuram, Thiru Kannamangai, Thiruvazhandur and ThiruKannangudi)

The temple is open between 630am - 12noon and 5pm - 730pm.
Contact: O.S. Seshadri Bhattar- 04374 225434/95850 85619/81487 76727

Buses every 15 minutes between Kumbakonam and Thiruvayaru. Papanasam Railway Station is 2 kms South of Kapisthalam