Thirumangai Azhwar’s close connection with this Vishnu temple
Thirukannangudi, close to Nagapattinam, has a Vishnu temple which is one of the 108 Divya Desams or places sacred to Vishnu, extolled by the Azhvars (important devotees of this deity). Thirumangai Azhvar, who, according to historians, lived in the 8th century CE, has composed ten Pasurams (Tamil verses) on the God here. It is said that there are three features in this temple connected with Thirumangai Azhvar taking the treasure from Nagapattinam and bringing it to Thirukannangudi. One is the ‘Kaaya Maram’, referring to the Mahizha maram, which is the Sthala Vriksham (sacred tree) of this temple, which never dries; ‘oora kinaru’ or the well, which is always dry; and the ‘theera vazhakku’, which refers to an unending and unresolved dispute between this Azhvar and the owner of the agricultural land where he had hidden the treasure.
This temple is one among the Pancha Krishna Kshetrams of Tamil Nadu, the others being the Bhaktavatsala Perumal temple, Thirukannamangai; Sowriraja Perumal temple, Thirukannapuram; Gajendra Varada Perumal temple, Kapisthalam; and the Ulagalanda Perumal temple, Thirukkovilur. The Lokanatha Perumal temple, Thirukannangudi, is also one among the Pancha Narayana Kshetrams in Tamil Nadu. The others are the Abharanadhari Perumal temple, Abharanadhari; the Yadava Narayana Perumal temple, Keezh Velur; the Varada Narayana Perumal temple, Vadakalattur; and the Devanarayana Perumal temple, Thevur.
The Sthala Puranam (traditional story) of the Thirukannangudi temple connects Sage Vasishta, who made an image of Krishna with butter at this place. The entrance to this temple is through a five-tier gopuram on the east side, which leads to the outer prakaram (enclosure). The wooden doors of this gopuram, with lotus designs, are beautiful. To the left is a sanctum for Ramanujacharya, the famous Srivaishnava preceptor. Goddess Lakshmi is enshrined as Lokanayaki in the same prakaram, facing east. The utsava murti or processional image of this deity is called Aravinda Nayaki.
The presiding deity of the Thirukannangudi temple enshrined in the main sanctum is Lokanatha Perumal in a standing posture flanked by Goddesses Sridevi and Bhudevi and facing east under the Uthpala Vimanam. He holds the sankha and chakra in the upper hands, with the lower right hand in abhaya hasta (blessing) and the lower left hand in kati hasta (resting on the hip). The utsava murti is Damodara Perumal, also with Goddesses Sridevi and Bhudevi. He has a sengol (sceptre) with a parrot atop it.
The temple tank, which is to the rear of the temple, is called Sravana Pushkarini. The festivals and rituals of this temple are done according to the Vaikhanasa Agama.