Thiruvellarai - Must for vaishnavites

Thiruvellarai - Sri Pundarikashan perumal temple

Significances:

• There are two cave temples, one of them belongs to the period of Nandivarman II and another belongs to the period of Rajaraja I.

• Inscriptions and the architecture at this temple point to periods of Pallava, Hoysala and Vijayanagara kings.

• One of 108 Divya desams.

• This is the place where the famous verse “Om pavitra pavitro va…” had its origin. This temple has been sung by Periyalwar (11 hymns) and Thirumangai Alwar (13 hymns). Vedantha Desikar in his Hamsa Sandesam has done Mangalaasasanam.

• Situated in a sprawling 14 acres site and resembles an old fort; surrounded on all sides by 36-feet-high massive compound walls; there are 5 praharams for the temple. 

Thiruvellarai - Sri Pundarikashan perumal temple - Unfinished Gopuram

• Rajagopuram is unfinished due to a mishap that occurred when it was being constructed. The completion process has not been initiated from that incident.

• This temple is constructed on a small white granite rock. Vellarai means white rock hence the name Vellarai with a prefix Thiru denoting respect.

• Swastik kulam is maintained by Archeological survey of India. This tank is in Swastik shape makes possible that people bathing in one ghat can not view any other ghat.

• There is Aadhi Jambukeswarar temple, a pallava period rock cut temple, is 500 meters from the Vishnu Temple.

• There is a small view point on the wall through which you could see Malaikottai and Srirangam.

Deities:

• The main deity is of Lord Pundarikashan perumal.

• Goddess is Shenbagavalli, also called as “Periya Piraattiyaar Lakshmi Devi.

• This temple has been dedicated to Lord Varaha. So this temple is also called as Swedha varaha kshetharam.

• Here Thayar gets the first rights over Perumal. Only in three divya-desam temples does the Goddess get the first rights over the Lord – Nachiyar temple in Thiru Naraiyur, Aandal temple in Srivilliputhur and here at Thiruvellarai.

• Only a handful of temples have been dedicated to Lord Varaha and this one is called Swedha Varaha Kshethram

Thiruvellarai - Sri Pundarikashan perumal temple - Swastik kulam

Legend:

• The temple is considered the oldest of the Vaishnavaite temples of South, older than Srirangam. This is a very beautiful temple, built by great king Shibi 7 generations before Lord Rama. This is also called Aadhi Vellarai. According to the Puranas, 64 `Chathuryugas’ have passed since the Lord was enshrined here.

• Pundarikan, a great devotee established a garden here and worshipped the Lord with Tulsi leaves grown here. The Lord pleased with his worship gave darshan to him and came to be known as Pundarikaksham.

• Another belief is that no Sri Vaishnava can achieve perfection without visiting Thiruvellarai. Hence, there is this tradition at the temple to call Thiruvellarai Kandeero- Thiruvellarai Kanden Aiyyaa (the devotees informing the Lord that they have seen Thiruvellarai and that they are now ready/eligible for going back to Godhead), a voice that is said to echo to the Lord up there in Vaikuntha.

Location:

• Thiruvellarai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, INDIA
• Trichy to Thuraiyur, 27 kilometers from Trichy.

Temple Timing:            9am-1pm and 3.45pm- 7.45pm

Near by Attractions:

• Uttamar kovil alias pichandar kovil.
• Thirupaingili
• Srirangam
• Samayapuram Mariamman temple
• Tiruvanaikaval.
• Malaikottai
• Vekkaliamman temple
• Vayalur murugan temple