Loganatha Perumal Temple, Thirukannangudi – Legends
Thirukannangudi:
As per legend, Sage Vasishta made an idol
of Lord Krishna out of butter. The butter idol did not melt for many
years. The sage continued worshipping the butter idol of Lord Krishna.
Pleased with his devotion, Lord Krishna appeared before the sage in the form of
kid. Sage Vasishta was in deep meditation thinking about Lord Krishna during
that time. Lord Krishna took the butter idol and swallowed it. Sage Vasishta
got angry and started chasing the kid.
The kid ran into the Magizha forest and entered into an
ashram in the forest. The sages in the ashram found the child is none other
than Lord Krishan through their yogic powers. The sages got hold of the kid.
The child Krishna explained the sages that Sage Vasishta was chasing him for
swallowing his butter idol. Further, he asked them their wish if any so that he
could bless them and could escape from Sage Vasishta. Sage Vasishta also
reached Lord Krishna by that time and tied Lord Krishna in a Magizha tree.
This tree can be seen even today behind the
temple and it is said that the tree would never die. The sages along
with Vasishta requested Lord Krishna to provide darshan to other devotees in
this same standing posture at this place. The Utsava idol Damodara Narayana is
depicted as if Lord Krishna is tied to the tree with a rope. As Lord Krishna
took residence here on the request of the sages, this
place came to be called as Thirukannangudi.
Kaya Magizh - Urangapuli - Thola Vazhaku – Oorakinaru:
There is a famous old saying about this
place namely Kaya Magizh – Urangapuli – Thola Vazhaku – Oorakinaru.
Urangapuli:
Thirumangai Azhwar wished to construct a compound wall
for the Srirangam
Temple. He did not have enough money for the construction activity
and started to steal. Meanwhile, he came to know about a golden idol of Buddha
in Nagapattinam. He came to Nagapattinam to steal the idol. When he tried to
steal the idol, he found a wheel was rotating above the Buddha idol and the
wheel was connected to the idol.
He realized it was impossible to steal the idol without
stopping the wheel. He also came to know about the person in Lanka who made
this arrangement. He went to Lanka and learnt the technique to stop the wheel.
He returned back and successfully robbed the golden idol of Buddha. He took the
idol and started his journey back to Srirangam.
He was tired during journey and decided to take rest under
a Tamarind tree at Thirukannangudi.
He placed the golden idol under a pit near the tree. Thirumangai asked the tree
to wake him up if someone came there. The next morning when the owner of the field
arrived to resume his agricultural work, the tamarind tree dropped its leaves
on Thirumangai Azhwar to wake him up. Thirumangai Azhwar praised the tamarind
tree as Urangapuli.
Thola Vazhaku:
Thirumangai Azhwar and the owner of the field argued
about the ownership of the land and went to village panchayat for solution. The
owner of the field showed his land documents to support his claim. However, Thirumangai
Azhwar defended himself stating that his documents were in Srirangam
if panchayat allowed to him to go to Srirangam,
he could come back in a day with the documents to support his claim. The
panchayat allowed him to go to Srirangam
but Thirumangai Azhwar never came back and the case is said to have remained
pending (Thola Vazhaku). It is said that the disputes in Thirukannangudi
would not see a quick decision due to this incident.
Oorakinaru:
After the panchayat, a thirsty Thirumangai Azhwar went
to a nearby well and asked the ladies near the well for water to quench his
thirst. As they heard about his arguments over the ownership of the field, they
thought he would fight with them for the ownership of the well too. Hence, they
refused him water. Thirumangai Azhwar got angered by their action and cursed
that the water would never fill up in the well. It is said that the wells in Thirukannangudi
are in dry condition to this day. Even, if the well gets filled up, it tastes
salty.
Kaya Magizh:
Thirumangai Azhwar was refused water and was hungry too.
He was not able to walk due to the hunger. He decided to take rest under the
Magizha Tree. Lord Krishna himself woke up Thirumangai Azhwar and gave him
water and food. After finishing his food, he looked up for the person who gave
him the food and found none, except the Magizha tree. He blessed the Magizha
Tree to be ever green and never die (Kaya). This tree lives even today behind the
temple.
People worshipped Lord
Vishnu here:
It is believed that Sage
Vasishta, Brighu Maharishi, King Uparisaravasu of Sethi Kingdom, Gowthama Maharishi
and Thirumangai Azhwar had worshipped Lord Vishnu here.