Vijayaraghava Perumal Temple (Thiruputkuzhi),
Kanchipuram – Legends
Jatayu Moksham:
Legend
says that Sri
Rama left all of his properties and went to the forest
as ordered by his father. While in the forest, Sita spots a golden deer and requests Rama to catch it
for her. The deer however is a demon sent by Ravana to lure Rama and Lakshmana, so that he could carry away Sita. With Rama and
Lakshmana out in search of the deer, Ravana abducts Sita and takes her along
with him to Lanka.
On the
way to Lanka,Jatayu the vulture stops Ravana and fights with him to
release Sita, but Ravana cuts Jatayu's wings and he falls down to the earth. When
Rama and Lakshmana go there in search of Sita, they find Jatayu mortally
wounded in the forest. Jatayu tells them about Ravana and Sita, and then dies.
Sri Rama then performs the last rites for Jatayu. As suggested by Jatayu, the Perumal here gives his Seva in the form in which he
performed the final funeral of Jatayu.
Jatayu
belongs to the Pul (a separate family of eagle) family and was buried
in a pit (Tamil kuzhi), hence this sthalam is called Thiruputkuzhi.
The eagle Jatayu narrated the events to Rama before breathing his last. The
presiding deity, Vijayaraghava Perumal is believed to have performed the last
rites of Jatayu at this place. The water body where Jatayu fell is called
Jatayu Theertham.
Horse Vahana- A Special Feature:
On
certain festive occasions, Lord Vijaya Raghavan goes on street processions
mounted on his ‘Horse Vahanam’. For a moment, one almost feels that this is a
real Horse, with its jumping stride and movements. The man who created this
horse specifically for Lord Vijaya Raghava was asked to make another horse. He
refused to recreate his magic for anyone other than the Lord.
To this
day, when the Lord is taken on a street procession on the Horse Vahanam, he
visits the place where the horse maker lived to pay regards the creator.
Ramanuja learning Advaitha lessons from Yaadava
Prakaasar:
Ramanuja
learnt the Advaitha lessons from Yaadava Prakaasar at this place. The mandapam
where he learnt his lessons still exist here.
Sri Devi to the Left of the Lord- A unique feature:
Vijaya
Raghava Perumal is seen in a sitting posture, having the bird (Jataayu) on his
thigh. Not able to bear the smell caused by the final rites and because of the
flames that arose out of the cremation of Jatayu, Sri Devi Thaayar is said to
have moved to the other side of the Lord.
At this
temple, the Goddess is seen to the left of the Lord Vijayaraghava with her head
slightly turned in the Lord’s direction (in all Divya Desams, Sri Devi Thaayar
is seen to the right of the Lord). Also, the Thaayar Sannidhi is to the left of
the Lord. In all Divya Desams, the Thaayar Sannidhi is always to the right of
the Lord.
2 Divya Desams with the same story:
While
each Divya Desam has its own unique story, the Vijayaraghava temple at Thiruputkuzhi
shares the same story as another. Jataayu Moksham is a story that relates to
Pulla Bhoothangudi Divya Desam (about 10 kms West of Kumbakonam). The question
arises as to how two Divya Desams can have the same event connected to it.
There
are many reasons to believe that Pullabhoothangudi is more likely to be
connected with Jataayu Moksham and not Thiruputkuzhi. Thirumangai Azhvaar in
his praise of the Lord at Pulla Bhoothangudi refers specifically to Raama with
a bow (called Valvil Rama) while in his praise of Thiruputkuzhi Lord,
Thirumangai does not refer directly to Raama.
Also, in
several of his Paasurams relating to Pullabhoothangudi, Thirumangai refers to
the Ramayana. Raama is said to have taken the Chola route to Thirupullani and
then to Lanka and is unlikely to have passed through Kanchipuram.
Childless Couple and Unmarried girls:
Sincere
prayers to Maragathavalli Thaayar at this temple, on 'No Moon' day, by
observing fast, is said to yield immediate results for childless couples and
unmarried girls.
Sthalapuranam as per Temple Management:
“Jataayu
wanted darshan of Lord Vishnu as seen in Paramapadham. Acceding to his prayers,
the Lord is said to have appeared here as Paramapadha Nathan in a sitting
posture. There must have been a definitive reason as to why the historians/our
predecessors left behind this story for the Thiruputkuzhi Divya Desam.”
The
commonality to Pullabhoothangudi and Thiruputkuzhi Divya Desams does not stop
with the story alone. The Bhattars in both the temples are quite ‘devotee
friendly’ and explain the temple history in loud and clear voice, that sends
positive vibrations to the devotees.