Pandava Thoothar Perumal Temple

Pandava Thoothar Perumal Temple has a four-tiered rajagopuram and a single precinct enclosed in the walls. The primary entrance of the temple faces east and the temple has a rectangular plan. The Maha mandapa is believed to have been built by the Cholas, while the adjacent hall during the period of Vijayanagara Empire. The central shrine of the temple has a large image of the presiding deity Pandava Thoothar, which has a height of 25 ft (7.6 m). The deity is seen seated in Arda Padmasana posture with his right leg bent to the basement. Since Krishna appeared as human form, there are only two hands to the deity, unlike other temples, where the presiding deities have four or more hands. The right palm depicts the Abhaya Mudra for protection and the left arm depicts Varada Mudra for giving boon. The preceding hall to the main sanctum , Mukha Mandapa, has bronze images of the festival deities of the temple and Azhwars. The most prominent of them is of Arulala Permula Emburamanar, the disciple of Ramanuja, whose image is rarely found in other Vishnu temples. The Shrine of Rukmini is located to the South of the main shrine and has the image of Rukmini. There are modern additions like Chakrathazhwar with an image of Narasimha on it reverse located behind the main shrine. Matsya Theertham, the temple tank, is located on the north eastern side of the temple.

Info on the deity – Specific to the temple deity

The Moolavar of this sthalam is Sri Pandava Thoodhar. He is found in Irundha (sitting) thirukkolam, facing East direction. Prathyaksham is for Janamejayan and Hareetha Munivar. Thaayars  are Rukmani and Sathya Bama.

The  history  of this Pandava Thoothar Perumal Temple is associated with an interesting episode found in the Mahabharatha. When Krishna went to the Kauravas as a missive to the Pandavas. Duryodhana, the king of the Kouravas, had a paln to arrest and kill Krishna while he was in Hastinapura. He dug a deep pit and covered it with a carpet and a chair studded with gems. He had wrestlers hidden in the pit to wrangle Krishna. Krishna, being the avatar of Vishnu portrayed Vishwaroopa, a giant form to all the courtment and also to Dhritarashtra, the blind king and father of Duryodana. When Krishna offered a boon to Dhritarashtra, he requested Krishna to make him blind again as he did not want to see anything after seeing the Vishwaroopa. Krishna also appeared in the same form to Janamajeya, the great-grandson of Arjuna, who was doing penance to view god in Viswaroopa. Pada means big and Agam means residence, signifying Thirupadagam as the place where Vishnu resides with his giant form.

The temple is considered one of three oldest temples in Kanchipuram, the other two being Ulagalantha Perumal Temple and Yathothkari Perumal Temple. The temple is originally believed to be built during the period of Pallavas. The temple has a set of inscriptions associated with Cholas. A record of the Chola king, Rajakesari Varaman alais Kulothunga Chola I, dated in his fifth year. Records that a merchant provided the temple with a flower garden and purchased from the village of Ovirukkai some lands for the benefit of the gardeners. The cost of the 2,000 kulis(tax-free) was 11 kalanjus equal in finesse of Madhuranthaka madai and the assembly could not levy in consequences vellikasu, nirallai, silvari, sorumattu etc. The south wall of the temple has inscriptions of Kulothunga Chola I, dated in his 39th year. Records gift of two kalanjus and two manjadi by a merchant to the pujari(temple priest) who were to supply two malis of curd daily. There are inscriptions on the base of the western wall of the central shrine from the period of Rajadhiraja Chola II (1166-78 CE) indicating gifts of 32 cows for lighting lamps of the temple. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.