The Ulagalanda Perumal temple in Kanchipuram, dedicated to Vishnu’s fifth incarnation as Trivikrama, is a unique temple complex as it houses many sanctums, all which are Divya Desams (sacred places praised in the Tamil hymns of the Azhvars or important Vaishnava devotees). Tirumazhisai Azhvar and Tirumangai Azhvar have praised the deities here.
The main deity is a colossal image of Trivikrama, about 35 feet tall made of stucco, worshipped as Peragathan. His two hands are spread sideways with two fingers of the left hand and one finger of the right hand pointing upwards. His left leg is lifted high while the right foot rests on the head of Mahabali. Closeby is a small sanctum called Ooragam in which the deity is seen as the serpent Adisesha.
It is believed that when Mahabali was under Vishnu’s foot, he could not look up to view the gigantic image of Trivikrama, so the God assumed this form to give him darshan. Another Divya Desam shrine for Neeragathan also known as Jagadishvara is enshrined under the Jagadisvara Vimana. Goddess Lakshmi here is Nilamangaivalli or Nilamangai Nachiyar. Kaaragam is yet another Divya Desam and the deity here is called Karunakara, seated on Adisesha under the Ramya Vimana. His consort is Goddess Padmamani. Another Divyadesam is called Kaarvanam, wherein Karvana Perumal is standing under the Pushpaka Vimana. His consort is called Goddess Komalavalli. There is also a separate sanctum for Goddess Aranavalli Thayar in this temple.
Many inscriptions are seen in this temple complex. The most ancient is dated 864 AD and belongs to the reign of the Pallava king Nandivarman III. An epigraph of Kulottunga Chola I (1070-1122 AD) mentions that this king gifted a village at the request of his queen Kampamadeviyar. The income from that village was to be used for conducting certain festivals in this temple. Inscriptions of later ages are also etched here.
Chithra Madhavan
cityexpresschn@gmail.com
The writer is a historian who focuses on temple architecture