Pandava Thoothar Perumal Temple (Thirupadagam),
Kanchipuram – The Temple
Pandava
Thoothar Perumal Temple, also known as Thirupadagam, is a unique shrine
dedicated to Bhagavan Sri Krishna in Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu. The temple is
located in Big Kanchipuram near the Ekambareswarar Temple. The primary entrance of the temple faces east and the
temple has a rectangular plan. The temple has a four-tiered Rajagopuram and a single precinct enclosed in the walls. The
Maha mandapa is believed to have been built by the Cholas,
while the adjacent hall during the period of Vijayanagara Empire.
The
majestic and unusually large images of Lord Vishnu at Paadagam, Ooragam and
Tiruvekka seen in the sitting, standing and reclining postures respectively are
of stucco (sudhai) and not of stone as usually seen in most temples. According
to scholars, these images were probably set up for worship even in the
pre-Pallava times, i.e., in the sangam age.
The
central shrine of the temple has a large image of the presiding deity Pandava
Thoothar, which has a height of 25 ft. (7.6 m). The 25 feet murti of
Bhagavan Sri Krishna faces east and it is in this form that he appeared before
Janamejaya. No temple in India has so tall a Perumal in a sitting form. The
tower above Lord Krishna – Pandava Dhoodha Perumal – is called Badra Vimana.
The
deity is seen seated in Arda Padmasana posture with his right leg bent to the
basement. Since Krishna appeared as human form, there are only two hands to the
deity, unlike other temples, where the presiding deities have four or more
hands. The right palm depicts the Abhaya Mudra for protection and the left arm depicts Varada
Mudra for giving boon.
The
preceding hall to the main sanctum, Mukha Mandapa, has bronze images of the
festival deities of the temple and Azhwars. The most prominent of them is of Arulala Perumal Emberumaanar,
the disciple of Ramanuja, whose image is rarely found in other Vishnu
temples. The Shrine of Rukmini is located to the south of the main shrine and has
the image of Rukmini. There are modern additions like Chakrathaazhwar with an
image of Narasimha on it reverse located behind the main shrine.
Matsya
Theertham, the temple tank, is located on the north eastern side of the temple. Consort
worshiped here is Satyabama and Rukmini. The tirtha associated with the temple
is Matsya Tirtha. The present structure, which is in Dravidian style of
architecture, is believed to be more than 1000 years old. The processional
deity (Utsava-murti), in this shrine, is a four-armed Vishnu flanked by Sridevi
and Bhudevi.
Inscriptions:
A few
historic inscriptions are found etched on the walls of this temple, which
provide information about the benefactions made to this shrine in the ancient
days. The earliest of these epigraphs, found on the Northern wall of this
temple, is dated 1075 A.D. and belongs to the reign of the Chola ruler Kulottunga
(1071-1122 A. D.). This inscription states that a merchant named Arulaladevan,
living in Kanchipuram, provided the temple of Thirupadagam with a flower-garden
and purchased some land from the assembly of the village of Orirukkai (near Kanchipuram)
to support the gardeners and their families.
Another
inscription, of the reign of the same ruler dated 1109 A.D. found on the Southern
wall of this temple registers an undertaking given by Dutakari Tiruvaranga Mani
Bhattan and Ninra Narayana Bhattan who were performing worship in the temple of
Thirupadagam, to supply daily a certain amount of curd for the offerings to God
in lieu of interest on the gift money received by them. The gift of two kalanju
and two manjadi of gold were made by a merchant of Kanchipuram. It is possible
that Dutakari, the name of the priest of this temple mentioned in this
inscription, could be after Krishna, the messenger of the Pandavas.
The
third epigraph inscribed on the western wall of the central shrine of this
temple is dated 1167 AD and belongs to the time of Rajadhiraja Chola (1163/66-
1179/82 A.D.). This inscription speaks of the gift of thirty-two cows for
maintaining a perpetual lamp to Lord Thirupaadagattazhvar by a person named Nirainindraan.
Interestingly,
a Sanskrit epigraph of the Pallava age of the 8th century A.D. found in the Sundaravarada
Perumal temple at Uthiramerur near Chengalpattu (Kanchipuram District) provides
some information about the talented architect, named Parameswara, who
constructed this outstanding Vishnu temple. He is mentioned as an expert among
architects who hailed from Pataka (Paadagam) in Kanchipuram. It is possible
that this architect may have contributed to the Pandava Doota Perumal temple at
Paadagam also.
Moolavar and Thaayar:
The Moolavar of this
sthalam is Sri Pandava Thoothar. He is found in Irundha (sitting) Thirukkolam,
facing East direction. Prathyaksham is given for Janamejaya and Hareetha
Munivar.
Thaayar: Rukmini
and Sathya Bama.
Sannadhis:
·
Arulalaperumal
·
Emperumaanar
·
Chakarathalwar
·
Narasimha
Pushkarani:
·
Matheesya
Theertham.
Vimanam:
·
Bathra Vimanam
·
Vetha
Kodi Vimanam.
