Friday, February 3, 2017

Vedarajan Temple, Thirunagari – The Temple

Vedarajan Temple, Thirunagari – The Temple
Vedarajan temple covers an area of about 2 acres (0.81 hectares) and has a seven-tiered gopuram (gateway tower) rising to a height of 125 ft (38 m). This Temple has Sanctum, Ardhamandapam, Mahamandapam and 4 inner prakarams. It has three Gopurams with 7, 5 and 3 stages respectively. The temple in enclosed in a rectangular enclosure with huge granite walls. The sanctum is approached through a second gateway tower. There are a series of pillared structure around the basement of the first enclosure.






The central shrine has an elevated structure (Maadakovil) and houses the image of the presiding deity, Vedarajan (Vayalali Manavalan) with Sridevi and Bhudevi. The image is made of granite is sported in sitting posture facing west. The festival deity is named Kalyana Ranganathar and the image is also housed in the sanctum. This is the only Divya Desam where one can see ‘Kalyana Ranganathar’ in a sitting posture.





The vimana, the shrine over the sanctum is Ashtanga in architecture, which has eight parts. The outer parts of the vimana has stucco images of sages, Dasavatara, Lakshmi Narasimha, Lakshmi Narayana and other Avatars of Vishnu. Two of the Narasimhar images, Yoga Narasimha and Hiranya Narasimha, worshipped by Thirumangai Azhwar are located in this temple, one behind the main shrine and the other in one of the prakarams.






It is believed that these two images of Narasimhar in the temple are among the five original images of Narasimha worshipped by Thirumangai Azhwar. Thirumangai Azhwar is seen with the vel he won from Thirugnana Sambandhar in a separate shrine with a separate Dwajasthambam (apart from the main Dwajasthambam opposite the Perumal shrine). Thirumangai Azhwar is depicted as a hunter, which he originally was; adjacent to him is a small image of Vishnu (Sindanaikkiniyaan, which he had held in worship during his lifetime).





The shrine of Amruthavalli is located in the basement, in the diagonal corner of the first enclosure. Theertham of this Temple is Ilaakshani Pushkarini. The other deities of the temple are Andal, Azhwars, Udayavar, Kannan, Nadha Munigal, Desikar, Poornamaharishi, Aalinganapureeswarar Manavala Mamunigal, Thiruvaali Nagaraalan, and Allathi Nikanchama Prajapathi.