VIJAYARAGHAVA PERUMAL TEMPLE – BALUCHETTY CHATHIRAM - VISHNU - THE BIRD SAVER

THIRUPUTKUZHI – VIJAYARAGHAVA PERUMAL TEMPLE – BALUCHETTY CHATHIRAM - KANCHIPURAM – TAMILNADU.

Vijayaraghava Temple - Tiruputkuzhi

Jatayu belonged to the PUL family of the Vulture bird. He and his elder brother Sampathi were born to Aruna a demigod and were as strong as Garuda himself. Both the brothers in their enthusiasm tried to race towards the SUN God. In spite of the warning from Sampathi, Jatayu kept on flying, his feathers were getting singed by the heat of the sun. So much were they in love with each other that sampathi covered Jatayu with his own wings spanned and in turn burnt his feather’s and was grounded permanently,in order to protect Jatayu. 

Garuda

Jatayu, hearing the cries of Sita, went to her rescue, but was overpowered by Ravana the king of Lanka, who cut of his wings and threw him to the earth. Lord Ram coming in search of Sita saw Jatayu mortally wounded. Jatayu tells him that Sita was abducted by Ravana then collapses & dies. Jatayu is creamted with honours by Rama, who also performs his last rites. 

Lord Mahavishnu’s presence in this Temple is as desired by Jatayu, in a sitting posture performing his last rites, with Jatayu on his lap. Being a noble bird from the PUL family, his ashes were buried in a pit (Kuzhi in Tamil) and hence the place came to be known as Thirupulkuzhi. Thiru (mark of respect like Shri ,in tamil) Pul ( family of Jatayu) Kuzhi (Pit) and later became Thiruputkuzhi. In this place is the temple of Mahavishnu known as Vijaya Raghava Perumal along with his consort Lakshmi known as Maragathavalli. The temple is about 7 KM’s from the town of Kanchipuram and half a KM from Balu chetti chathiram.

Ananthashayana on a small cubical hollow

In the sanctum facing east is Lord Mahavishnu with his consorts Shridevi and Bhoodevi. The unique part of this temple is Goddess Shridevi is on the left side of Perumal, which is very rare. Her head is also tilted towards lord Vishnu, trying to avoid the heat from the funeral pyre of Jatayu. There is a separate sanctum in a separate Mandapam for Goddess Lakshmi as Maragathavalli, which again very unique is to the left of Lord Vishnu & the shrine of Andaal is on the right of the lord. As a mark of respect to jatayu the Dhwaja Sthambam or flag post and the Balipeetham are outside the temple compound. There is also a shrine dedicated to Jatayu outside the temple, next to the Jatayu teertham (Pond) created by lord Rama’s arrow sent into the earth to get water for ablutions to Jatayu.

Paavai Vilakku or Lady with the lamp

Entering through a three-tiered Rajagopuram, one enters into a compound, which has a multi pillared Mukhamandapam on a raised platform with stairs both from the south and north. The mukhamandapam leads to a narrow Ardhamandapam, which in turn leads to the Garbhagriha where the lord Vijayaraghava sits in all his majesty with Jatayu on his thighs, with his consorts Shridevi and Bhoodevi interchanging their seating place. The vimana on top of the Garbhagriha is a Chaturanga Vimana or Square one known as Vijaya Koti vimanam.

Coming out of the Garbhgriha, on circumambulation towards the south western side of the compound is the place where the Vaishnavite Saint Shri Ramanujam’s guru Shri Yadavaprakash had lived and from whom Shri Ramanujam had received his education. There is a separate shrine for Shri Ramanujacharya. Making a full circle, one reaches the separate temple of Goddess Lakshmi as Maragathavalli. The elongated mandapam is also in a raised platform at the end of which is the Shrine of the goddess. The sculptures on the Pillars all around the temple are exquisite artwork. 

Lord Varaha with Bhoodevi and Adishesha under his leg

The temple was renovated in the 13th century by Sundara Pandyan of the Pandya dynasty, and later came under the influence of the Vijayanagara Kingdom. 

Temple timings : 7.00 AM to 12.00 Noon – 4.00 PM to 7.00 PM.

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