Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Thirukovilur – Religious Significance

Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Thirukovilur – Religious Significance

Pancha Kanna Kshetrams:

This temple is one of the Pancha Kanna Kshetrams. Kannan refers to Krishna, the avatar of Lord Vishnu, while pancha means five and Kshetrams refers to holy places. Four of the five temples are situated in Chola Nadu, in modern times, in the region surrounding Kumbakonam and Nagapattinam and one of them in Nadu Naadu. Krishna is not the presiding deity in any of the temples. The processional deity, Krishna, led to the derivation of the names of these places. There are five similar temples located in North India, called Pancha Dvarakas.

Pancha Kanna (Krishnaranya) Kshetrams are as follows;

·        Loganatha Perumal Temple, Thirukannangudi

·        Gajendra Varadha Temple, Kabisthalam

·        Neelamegha Perumal Temple, Thirukannapuram

·        Bhaktavatsala Perumal Temple, Thirukkannamangai

·        Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Thirukkovilur

Divya Desams:

The temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the 7^th – 9^th century Vaishnava canon, by Poigai Azhwar, Bhoothatazhwar, Pey Azhwar and Thirumangai Azhwar. Hence, the temple is classified as a Divyadesam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. This temple is said to be the place where the great canon Nalayira Divya Prabandham got initiated by the Azhwars.

Ulagalantha Perumal:

The temple is counted among the three Divyadesams that has Ulagalantha Perumal as the presiding deity, with the other two being Kanchipuram Ulagalantha Perumal temple and Kazheesirama Vinnagaram at Sirkali.