CHENNAI : Thiruppullingudi, a village in Thoothukudi District, situated on the north bank of River Tamraparani has a temple for Vishnu where the deity is worshipped as Kaichinavenda Perumal. This temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams or places wherein the Azhvars (12 important Vaishnava devotees) have sung the praise of Vishnu. Nammazhvar has sung twelve verses on this deity. This temple is one among the nine Vishnu temples in a group called Nava Thirupati.
There is a gopuram completed only up to the entranceway in this temple with weatherworn sculptures of the Nayak era at the base. The principal deity, Kaisinavenda Perumal is a beautiful image (Sayana Perumal), reclining on the serpent Adisesha. Brahma is seen on a lotus whose stalk emanates from the navel of Vishnu while Goddesses Sri Devi and Bhu Devi are at the feet. The processional image (Utsava-murti) is known as Bhoomi Palar. Goddess Lakshmi here is worshipped as Malarmakal Nachiyar and Pulingudi Valli though there is no separate sanctum for this deity here.
There is an interesting incident connecting this village with Ramanujacharya, the famous Srivaishnava philosopher and preceptor (Acharya). It is said that when this great scholar was on his way to Kurugur (Azhwar Thirunagari), he stayed at Thiruppullingudi and asked the daughter of the temple priest for directions. The young girl is said to have repeated the verses of Nammazhvar to Ramanujacharya and then said Kurugur was closeby. Hearing the verses of Nammazhvar, Ramanujacharya is said to have fallen at her feet.
While having a Darshan of the main deity, worshippers cannot see both Perumal’s feet clearly as only one foot can be viewed from outside the sanctum. While going around the enclosure (prakaram) of the temple, devotees can see both the feet of Perumal through a stone window in the wall. This temple is one of the Navagraha Sthalam for Budha (Mercury).