Vilakkoli Perumal Temple (Tiruththanka or Thoopul),
Kanchipuram – Greatness of Temple
Vilakkoli
Perumal temple in Kancheepuram is one among the 108 Divya Desas of Lord Vishnu.
Perumal granted darshan to Mother Saraswathi in this temple. The place is
also known by the name Thoopul as it was dense with Dharba grass then. This
is the birth place of noted Vaishnava Acharya Sri Vedanta Maha Desika; hence
the Acharya is also praised as Thoopul Vedanta Desikan. Saint Tirumangai
Azhwar had sung his Mangalasasanam on the temple.
Sri Maha
Desikan is a gift to his mother who prayed to Lord seeking child
boon. Responding to her prayer, Lord of Tirupati – Lord Venkatachalapathi
asked the Bell in his hand to be born the son of the mother. Bell is
not used during pujas in Tirupati temple after this event. Born in the
year 1268, Sri Desika was centenarian plus till 1369. He was an
outstanding scholar of highest degree in the scriptures. He rendered a
large number of Sanskrit works in Tamil. He has also authored in Tamil the
Adaikala Pathu (Asylum 10) on Lord Varadaraja Perumal.
Desika’s
son Nayina Varadachari completed the construction of this temple, it is
said. There is a separate shrine for Sri Desika in the temple. Lord
Lakshmi Hayagriva idol worshipped by Sri Desika is still in the temple. His
Avatar Utsavam is celebrated in the temple on the Revathy star day in Chithirai
month-April-May.
