Sowmya Narayana Perumal temple

Coordinates: 10°03′39″N 78°33′36″E / 10.06083°N 78.56000°E / 10.06083; 78.56000
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Sowmyanarayana Perumal Temple
Image of the temple gopuram
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DistrictSivaganga district
Deity
Features
  • Tower: Ashtanga Vimanam
Location
LocationThirukoshtiyur
StateTamil Nadu
CountryIndia
Sowmya Narayana Perumal temple is located in Tamil Nadu
Sowmya Narayana Perumal temple
Location in Tamil Nadu
Geographic coordinates10°03′39″N 78°33′36″E / 10.06083°N 78.56000°E / 10.06083; 78.56000
Architecture
TypeDravidian architecture

Sowmyanarayana Perumal Temple is an ancient temple located in

Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Sowmyanarayana Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Thirumamagal.[1] The temple is known as the place where Ramanuja, the expounder of Vishishtadvaita philosophy preached the holy ashtakshara "Om Namo Narayanaya
" to all people, irrespective of their varna.

A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines. The temple features a five-tiered rajagopuram or, the gateway tower and an impressive Ashtanga Vimana, which is even taller than the gopuram itself.The temple tank is located opposite to the temple, outside the main entrance.

Sowmyanarayana Perumal is believed to have appeared as

Vaikunta Ekadasi
during Margali (December–January) being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by Sivaganga Devasthanam.

Legend

Shrines in the temple

Hiranyakshipu, the asura king, got arrogant after he got boons from Brahma, which nearly made him invincible. He troubled the devas (celestial deities) and they prayed to Vishnu for rescue. Vishnu was ready to take the Narasimha avatar to slay the asura king. The devas pleaded with Vishnu to assume the form before he could take it. Vishnu showed them the avatar, but not satisfied merely one vision, the devas and sages pleaded with him to show it again. Vishnu appeared in three forms of himself standing, sitting, and resting posture at Thirukoshtiur. Since, Vishnu showed his form after hardship (called Thirukkai in Tamil) of Devas, the place came to be known as Thirukoshtiur.[2]

Architecture

Temple tank
outside the temple

Sowmyanarayana Perumal temple covers an area of about 2 acres (0.81 hectares) and has a five-tiered

Subramanya.[3] The festival deity is named Sowmya Narayana Perumal made of panchaloha
.

The

Koodal alagar Temple and Cheranmadevi temples.[4] The ashtanga vimana raising to a height of 25 m (82 ft), is taller than the gopuram of the temple, which is not a common feature in Dravidian temples.[2]

The shrine of the consort of Sowmyanarayana Perumal, Thirumamagal, is located to the south of the main shrine. There are smaller shrines of Lakshmi Narasimha,

Thiruvallur, Rajagopalaswamy temple at Mannargudi and Rangantha temple at Srirangapatna.[5]

Religious significance

Ramanuja, the preceptor of Vaishnavadatta philosophy, revealed the gospel of Ashtakshara to the world in the temple

Sowmyanarayana Perumal temple is revered in

Divya Desam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the temple finds mention in several works like 108 Tirupathi Anthathi by Divya Kavi Pillai Perumal Aiyangar.[4]

The temple is known as the place where Ramanuja, the expounder of Vaishnavadatta philosophy preached the holy ashtakshara "Om Namo Narayana" to all people irrespective of their caste. The place was the birthplace of Thirukoshtiyur Nambigal, the teacher of Ramanuja and who taught him the gospel and instructed him not to reveal it to anyone.[6] Taking the risk of his life, Ramanuja climbed up the temple and revealed the verse to the whole world. Nambigal was pleased by the spirit of Ramanuja and named him Emperumanar (meaning my superior). Following the event, a life-size image of Ramanuja was housed in the Ashtanga Mandapam of the temple.[3]

Religious practices and festival

The temple follows the traditions of the

Vaikuntha Ekadashi during Margali (December–January) being the most prominent. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals performed in the temple.[2]

References

  1. ^ M. S., Ramesh (1993). 108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams: Divya desams in Pandya Nadu. Tirumalai-Tirupati Devasthanam.
  2. ^ a b c d "Sowmyanarayana Perumal temple". Dinamalar. 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-81-8468-112-3
    .
  4. ^ a b M., Rajagopalan (1993). 15 Vaishnava Temples of Tamil Nadu. Chennai, India: Govindaswamy Printers. pp. 119–128.
  5. JSTOR 3250291
    .
  6. ^ V., Meena. Temples in South India. Kanniyakumari: Harikumar Arts. p. 18.
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