Skip to main content

VAIKUNTHA PERUMAL TEMPLE OR THIRU PARAMESHWARA VINNAGARAM KANCHIPURAM

 THIRU PARAMESHWARA VINNAGARAM OR VAIKUNTHA PERUMAL TEMPLE KANCHIPURAM



Thiru Parameswara (The greatest Lord) Vinnagaram (temple) or Vaikunta Perumal Temple is a temple dedicated to Vishnu & his concert Vaikundavalli located in Kanchipuram.
Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple finds mention in the Divya Prabhanda the early medieval tamil literature of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is one among the 108 temples dedicated to Vishnu.
The temple is considered the second oldest extant temples in Kanchipuram after the Kailasanathar temple & is in a straight line facing each other, though seperated by 3.5 KMs.
The temple is believed to have been built by the Pallava king Nandivarman (720-796 CE), with later contributions from Chola's and Vijayanagara Kings.
The temple is surrounded by a granite wall enclosing all the shrines and a pond of the temple. The outer walls of the inner praharam is full of Kalakrithis related to the lord. And what seems to be like a small moat in between the praharams with a walking corridor. The corridor wallls are also a treasure of sculpture's of Puranic lore.
Nandivarman Pallavamallan was a worshipper of Vishnu. One amongst the many temple he built is the Parameswara Vinnagaram or the Vaikunta Perumal temple. which contains inscribed panels of sculpture portraying the events leading up to the accession of Nandivarman Pallavamalla to the throne.
The temple has a rectangular plan and approached through a flat granite gateway tower. The Tower over the sanctum has a stepped pyramidal roof and it resembles a Vihara.
Three levels host the image of Vishnu in different postures in the Tower.
1. Seated posture (ground floor),
2. Sleeping posture (first floor)
3. Standing Posture (second floor)
Only two postures are accessible to people. The sitting posture is the Moolavar and can be seen every day. VISHNU in a sitting posture is rare or (unique) phenomena.
The reclining posture or the sleeping posture can be seen only on the Ekadashi day.
The standing Posture is inaccessible, as the steps reaching the shrine has collapsed, as informed to me by a local.
4. The Vaikundavalli shrine is on the outer praharam on the left side facing the lord.
5. The sculpture on the walls around the sanctum show Vishnu in his Avatars.
6. In the inner praharam is the sculpture of a miniature of the tower & what seems to be the sculpture of a Chinese traveller.(see photos)

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DHARBHARANYESHWARAR TEMPLE - SHANI ( SATURN) - TIRUNALLAR

Dharbharanyeswarar Temple,Tirunallar –Shani(Saturn) Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple  or  Dharbharanyeswarar Temple  is a Shiva temple dedicated to Lord Dharbharanyeswar. There is a shrine dedicated to Shani (saturn) located in the Temple in Tirunallar town in Karaikal district of Pondicherry. The presiding deity is Lord Shiva, ( Dharbaranyeswar)  and the place Tirunallar  was historically called Dharbaranyam. The presiding deity, Lord Shiva in the form of   a swayambhu lingam coming out of Darbha grass hence known as Dharbaranyeswarar. His consort is Praneshwari. The worship is also centered around the icon of planet saturn, called Shani, originally treated as the door keeper of the shrine. According to Hinduism, saturn resides in each  rasi (zodiac) for two and half years. The tradition is to worship Shani before entering the inner sanctum of Lo...
Post a Comment
Read more

KAMAKSHI AMMAN TEMPLE - THE NAVEL OF GODDESS SHAKTHI - KANCHIPURAM

  Sri Kanchi Kamakshi Amman Temple - The Navel of Goddess Shakthi. Bhandasura the evil Asura was tormenting Indra and the devas. The devas prayed to Shakti in the form of a Parrot, residing on a Champaka Vriksha (Magnolia Champaka) at Kanchi. Hearing the plea of the devas, the goddess Kamakshi appeared from the Bila Dwara and destroyed the evil asura in this place. The bila dvara leading to bilakasha or Mahameru can be seen today in front of the tapomagna kamakshI sannidhi inside the garbhagriha of the Kamkshi Temple. The Kamakshi AmmanTemple is an ancient Temple dedicated to Goddess Kamakshi, the ultimate form of Shakthi. It is located in the historic city of Kanchipuram The Temple in all probability was built by the Pallava Kings, whose capital was Kanchipuram. The temple is one of the 51 Shakthi Peetham and is associated with the Navel of the Goddess, the Goddess was prayed to by Adi Shankara. Kamakshi, Meenakshi & Akilandeswari from Kanchipuram, Madurai & Thiruvanaikoi...
Post a Comment
Read more

ELEPHANTA CAVES PART 3 - THE CELESTIAL MARRIAGE - SHIVA - GHARAPURI -

GHARAPURI  - ELEPHANTA CAVES 3 THE MARRIAGE OF SHIVA AND PARVATHI - attended by relatives, Gana’s, Rishi’s and Deva’s. SHIVA's marriage to PARVATHI, who is standing to his right. SATI who is reborn as PARVATHI to a father who  adores her, does penance to LORD SHIVA to attain him, SHIVA is pleased with the Penance of Parvathi and decides to marry her King HIMAVAN the father, who loves UMA or PARVATHI his daughter, gives her in marriage to SHIVA as SUNDARA. Parvathi Stands on the right hand side of Shiva before marriage. HIMAVAN along with his wife MENA ( MAINA)  placing Uma’s hand in the hands of the LORD SUNDARA.  PARVATHI’s brother MT. MAINAK   with a Kalash (Pot) in his hand and CHANDRA (MOON) behind him. Parvathi is bedecked in Jewels and even Shiva  is crowned and jeweled with necklace and he is holding the sash of his garment which is flowing up to his ankle. A coy PARVATHI bedecked with jewels,SHIVA with a beautiful crown,neckl...
Post a Comment
Read more