Adikesava Perumal Temple, Kanyakumari

Coordinates: 8°19′47″N 77°15′57″E / 8.32972°N 77.26583°E / 8.32972; 77.26583
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Adikesava Perumal Temple, Thiruvattar
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DistrictKanyakumari
Deity
Location
LocationThiruvattar
StateTamil Nadu
CountryIndia
Adikesava Perumal Temple, Kanyakumari is located in Tamil Nadu
Adikesava Perumal Temple, Kanyakumari
Location in Tamil Nadu
Geographic coordinates8°19′47″N 77°15′57″E / 8.32972°N 77.26583°E / 8.32972; 77.26583
Architecture
TypeDravidian architecture Kerala Style

The Adikesava Perumal Temple is a

Thamirabarani) It was the Rajya Temple and Bharadevatha shrine of Erstwhile Travancore. After state reorganisation, the temple handed over to Tamilnadu H&RCE Dept. The presiding Vishnu in the form of Ananthapadmabhan/Adikeshavaperumal is believed to be older than Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. Since Vishnu resides here in a reclining position, and is surrounded by rivers, the temple is called as "The Srirangam
of Chera Kingdom".

The temple was consecrated by

Gaudiya Vaishnava movement, discovered the lost manuscript of the Brahma Samhita.[citation needed
]

Architecture and history

An old view of the temple

The temple architecture is

Deepalakshmis
are many but none resembles the other. The Otraikkal Mandapam (single stone hall) made of a single stone 3 feet thick, is a marvel. Oorthuva Thandavam, Venugopala, Rathi, Manmatha, Lakshmana and Indrajit are excellently carved. The temple is also renowned for its murals.

The composite columns of

Srivaikuntam, Avudayarkovil, Vaishnava Nambi and Thirukurungudivalli Nachiar temple at Thirukkurungudi.[1]

The temple complex includes a

Rajendra Chola
.

Sculptures of

Manmadan is found opposite Udaya Marthanda Mandapam. The epic scenes Vinayaka Kalyanam, Bharata War and deities Varuna, Niriyati, Yama, Kubera, Indra, Agni, Brahma
and Monks in penance are sculpted in a row above the Mandapam. A variety of mural painting are found along the walls of the inner prakarams. A secret passage leading to the Palace is found beneath the west of the inner prakarams which is covered with a large stone slab.

Going by extant legends, the temple is closely associated with the famous

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
, Srirangam is Ananthapadmanabhaswamy Temple or Anantha Lake Temple near Kumbla in Manjeshwaram Taluk of Kasaragod District of Kerala, South India.

Treasures and connections

Pillared halls around the second precinct

The entire present day Kanyakumari District formed part of erstwhile

Kanyakumari District
. Marthanda Varma was a staunch devotee of Lord Adikesava and used to worship at the temple before all the major war campaigns undertaken by him.

The presiding Deities of Thiruvattar, Thiruvananthapuram and Thiruvalla had a three-cornered connection which reflects in the quantitative measurement of commodities utilised etc. The Perumals of Thiruvattar and Thiruvananthapuram remain closely bound to each other with this closeness being mirrored not only in festivals which coincide, special days and many rituals but also in the structural pattern including the Ottakkal Mandapam. In both cases the Moola Vigrahas are of Katu-Sarkara and are containing Salagramas. The strong affiliation of the

Venad kings
to both Thiruvattar and Thiruvananthapuram temples in their privileges and responsibilities provide ample evidence of enduring interconnections. Many ceremonies had to be initially performed at Sree AdiKesava Temple before being conducted at the Padmanabha Swamy Temple.

Legend

The Lord AdiKesavaSwamy means 'Foremost Friend'. Legend says that Lord AdiKesavaSwamy defeated the demon Kesi. The demon's wife prayed to the River

Thamirabarani and created a destruction. But it was in vain and she surrendered to the Lord. Thus, the formation of the rivers made in a circle came to be known as Thiruvattaru.[2]

On 10 June 1741, Anizham Tirunal

yataghan
, and silk on the feet of Lord Adikesava and prayed for victory.

Festivals and prasadhams

Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram
.

References

  • Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi (1995), Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kulapati Munshi Marg, Mumbai.
  • K.V. Ramachandran Nair (2011), Thiruvattar Adikesava Perumal Kshethra Mahathmiyam, Published by Author, Thiruvattar.

Citations

  1. JSTOR 20619601
    .
  2. ^ M., Rajagopalan (1993). 15 Vaishnava Temples of Tamil Nadu. Chennai, India: Govindaswamy Printers. pp. 164–172.

External links

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