CHENNAI: The historic village of Kuram is famous as it is home to the Adikesava Perumal (Vishnu) temple and also because it is the birthplace of Kurattazhvan or Kuresha (1008-1127 AD), a famous Vaishnava preceptor (Acharya).
The beautiful stone image of Adikesava Perumal is in a standing posture flanked by Goddesses Sridevi and Bhudevi.
Goddess Lakshmi is enshrined in this temple as Pankajavalli Thayar. The main image of Andal is unique as this deity holds a lotus in the left hand while usually depicted as holding this flower in the right hand. There is a separate shrine for Kurattazhvan wherein the main and professional images of Kurattazhvan are seen seated with the right hand in Abhaya hasta and left hand resting on the lap. Images of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman worshipped by Kuresha are here too.
Kurattazhvan, a wealthy landowner in Kuram became a disciple of the illustrious Vaishnava philosopher, Ramanujacharya. He went with him to Kashmir in search of the manuscript called Bodhayana Vritti, a treatise on the Brahma Sutras.
Kuresha, endowed with a phenomenal memory, absorbed this text in his mind as they could not procure the manuscript. Subsequently, Kuresha wrote down the Sri Bhashya, a commentary on the Brahma Sutra as Ramanujacharya was dictating it. He was also instrumental in saving the life of Ramanujacharya when the latter was persecuted by a Chola king. Panchasthavam is one of Kuresha’s famous literary works.
The oldest inscription found in this temple, dated 808 AD belongs to the reign of Dantivarman Pallava. There are many other epigraphs, some of the Pallava age of the 9th century AD which describe the functioning of the administrative organisation called ‘Sabha’ in this village.
Important festival
There is a special festival for Kurattazhvan during the Tamil month of Thai in Hastam asterism
Ancient territory
The village Kura was situated in the ancient territorial sub-division called Nirvelur in Urukkattu Kottam
Epigraphs
Inscriptions found here reveal that this temple was in existence as early as the 9th century AD
Chithra Madhavan
cityexpresschn@gmail.com
The writer is a historian who focuses on temple architecture