Sri Bhaktavatsala Perumal Temple (Thirukkannamangai)
Thirucherai and Thirukkannamangai divya desams are approximately 110 km east of Srirangam and just south and southeast of the temple town of Kumbakonam. Both are located in small villages about 20km apart.
Location
Another 20km south and east of Thirucherai is the small village of Thirukkannamangai.
Sri Bhaktavatsala Perumal Temple – Google Maps Location.
Sthalapuranam
The Lord is ‘Baktavatsala Perumal’ and the universal mother is ‘Kannamangai Nayaki’. When the ocean of milk was churned by Devas and Asuras supported by Lord Vishnu, many things and divine beings emerged from it.
The last to emerge was Mahalakshmi. She went away to do tapas to win the hand of Lord Vishnu in marriage. Thirukkannamangai was the place where Lord Vishnu came to marry Mahalakshmi.
Consequently, everything here has a Lakshmi association. For instance, the forest is called Lakshmi vanam.
Special features
This is one of the Panchakanna kshetrams associated with Krishna (Kanna) even though Krishna is not the primary deity in the temple. The temple tank is believed to contain a drop that fell from Vamana’s feet when Brahma worshipped him during that avatar.
Sapthamrutha kshetram
Because seven things (Vimana, Mandapam, forest, river, sthalam, the town, and theertham) have come together to form the temple, it is known as ‘Sapthamrutha kshetram’. Chandra was released from his curse after he bathed in the pond and had the darshan of the Lord.
River Kaveri runs both north and south of the village like a garland to the Lord. There is a beehive near the Universal Mother’s shrine. It is believed that Rishis are there in the form of bees to obtain continuous darshan. Special pujas are offered to it.
Mangalasasanam
As in quite a few cases, it is Thirumangai Alwar is the only one who has done mangalasasanam of this temple.
In Peria Thirumoli, Thirumangai Alwar compares the Lord to a boundless ocean and a powerful bull. He is strong-willed as a man, controlled as a woman, the giver of the benefit of tapas to yogis, sweet as a string of pearls, and finally the life of every bhakta.
The Lord is fresh as a newborn leaf, young as a blossomed flower, the resident of all his desires, and sweet as sugarcane juice. Alwar says I searched for you all over and found you in Thirukkannamangai. He goes on in this decade to compare the Lord to everything good. Only a sample of fourteen pasurams is presented here.
CLICK HERE for the list of 108 Divya Desams.
