Vedarajan Temple, Thirunagari – The Temple
Vedarajan
temple covers an area of about 2 acres (0.81 hectares) and has a
seven-tiered gopuram (gateway tower) rising to a height of 125 ft
(38 m). This Temple has Sanctum, Ardhamandapam, Mahamandapam and 4 inner
prakarams. It has three Gopurams with 7, 5 and 3 stages respectively. The
temple in enclosed in a rectangular enclosure with huge granite walls. The
sanctum is approached through a second gateway tower. There are a series of
pillared structure around the basement of the first enclosure.
The
central shrine has an elevated structure (Maadakovil) and houses the image of
the presiding deity, Vedarajan (Vayalali Manavalan) with Sridevi and Bhudevi.
The image is made of granite is sported in sitting posture facing west. The
festival deity is named Kalyana Ranganathar and the image is also housed in the
sanctum. This is the only Divya Desam where one can see ‘Kalyana Ranganathar’
in a sitting posture.
The vimana, the shrine over the sanctum is Ashtanga in
architecture, which has eight parts. The outer parts of the vimana has stucco
images of sages, Dasavatara, Lakshmi Narasimha, Lakshmi Narayana and other Avatars
of Vishnu. Two of the Narasimhar images, Yoga Narasimha and Hiranya Narasimha,
worshipped by Thirumangai Azhwar are located in this temple, one behind the
main shrine and the other in one of the prakarams.
It is
believed that these two images of Narasimhar in the temple are among the five original images
of Narasimha worshipped by Thirumangai Azhwar. Thirumangai Azhwar is seen with
the vel he won from Thirugnana Sambandhar in a separate shrine with a separate
Dwajasthambam (apart from the main Dwajasthambam opposite the Perumal shrine). Thirumangai
Azhwar is depicted as a hunter, which he originally was; adjacent to him is a
small image of Vishnu (Sindanaikkiniyaan, which he had held in worship during
his lifetime).
The
shrine of Amruthavalli is located in the basement, in the diagonal corner of
the first enclosure. Theertham of this Temple is Ilaakshani Pushkarini. The
other deities of the temple are Andal, Azhwars, Udayavar, Kannan, Nadha
Munigal, Desikar, Poornamaharishi, Aalinganapureeswarar Manavala Mamunigal,
Thiruvaali Nagaraalan, and Allathi Nikanchama Prajapathi.
