Sri Saranatha Perumal Temple

Sri Saranatha Perumal Temple is a Hindu temple located in the village of Tirucherai near Kudavasal, Tiruvarur district. The presiding deity is Vishnu who is known as “Saranathan”. The temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams where Lord Vishnu is seen with five Goddesses: Sridevi, Boomidevi, Neela devi, Mahalakshmi and Sara Naayagi gives away his heartfelt blessings. The presiding deity is Vishnu who is known as “Saranathan”.

Architecture:

The length of the Sri Saranatha Perumal Temple,Tamil Nadu is 380 feet and the width 234 feet.  The Rajagopuram is 90 feet tall.  There are shrines for Sage Agasthya, Lord Brahmma and Mother Cauvery on the western bank of Sara Pushkarini opposite the temple.  Shrines for Lord Srinivasa Perumal, Azhwars, Nammazhwar, Udayavar Acharya Sri Ramanuja, Lords Sri Rama and Rajagopala, Sri Anjaneya, Sri Andal, Mothers Rukmini and Satyabama and Lords Narasimha and Balasaranatha are in the inner prakara of the temple.

History and Significance:

After the fall of the Vijayanagar Empire in Tanjore, Azhagiya Manavala Naicker who ruled Tanjore planned to erect a temple for Rajagopala swamy in Mannarkudi. He appointed his minister Narasa Boopalan for this job. He was to get Blackstones from all possible places.

This minister was a great worshipper of Saranatha Perumal of Thirucherai and wanted to erect a temple for him too. So he ordered his men to unload one stone from each cart which passed Thirucherai. A spy of the king caught hold of this and informed the king. The angered king came for an inspection. But before that in overnight Narasa Boopalan constructed this temple and to please the king he added a sannathi for Rajagopala swamy too and his plan worked and he was away from kings anger after that the king ordered to complete the temple with his money.

When time came to destroy the world and finish the yugam, Brahma was worried a lot. He pleaded Lord Vishnu to tell him a way to keep the tools necessary for Srishti and all vedas safely. Lord ordered him to put all these things in a strong mud pot and after trying mud from all places Brahma finally made a pot out of the sand taken from Thirucherai and saved all vedhas and all necessary aids for srishti. Hence as this placed gave the magical mud which held a lead role this place became the reason for all living things to live even after the Maha pralaya so this place is called “Sara Shetram”.

Festivals:

Sri Saranatha Perumal Temple celebrates Thai Poosam in January-February for 10 days. Car festival takes place on the final day.

Info on the deity – Specific to the temple deity:

The Moolavar of this kshetram is Saranathan Perumal. The Moolavar is giving his seva in standing posture with his face facing the east direction. Prathyaksham for River Cauvery and Markandeya Maharishi.

Temple Pooja Daily Schedule:

The temple remains opened from 07.00 am to 12.00 noon and 04.00 pm to 07.00 pm

How to reach:

Sri Saranatha Perumal Temple is about 24 km from Kumbakonam on the way to Thiruvarur and 10 km from Nachchiar Koil. Frequent buses are available from Kumbakonam and Thiruvarur. The temple is in between the banks of river Mudikondan and Kudamurittiyaru.

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