Thiruppukuzhi / Tiruputkuzhi – Introduction
Approximately seventy-five km due west and a little south of Chennai on the Chennai–Bengaluru national highway lies a small hamlet called Thiruppukuzhi / Tiruputkuzhi. According to the local legend, it is intimately connected with Jatayu and the Adhi Kavya, the Ramayana.
Depending on the source of information available, Jatayu is either an eagle or a vulture. Many places in South India connect with Jatayu and the Ramayana. The relevant point is that Lord Rama had respect for someone who was his father’s friend and showed His gratitude for the service rendered by Jatayu.
All our ‘Ithihasas’, Puranas and long-standing stories are more relevant for the morals and values they convey rather than their physical reality.
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Arulmigu Sri Vijayaraghava Swamy – Sthalapuranam
In Aranya Kanda, one reads about Lord Rama and Lakshmana who begin their search for Sita after her abduction. They come across what appeared to be the signs of battle. They also encounter a huge bird, an eagle or vulture, lying on the ground bleeding because its wings have been chopped off. Lord Rama goes forward to end the bird because He is certain that the bird is a Rakshasa in disguise and has devoured Sita.
Going closer, they realize that it is Jatayu. The bird tells Lord Rama that it is Ravana, the son of the sage Vishrava who has taken the Princess of Videha by force and was heading towards the South.
Jatayu had tried to stop Ravana from carrying out this evil deed but in vain. Ravana has struck a mortal blow and cuts Jatayu’s wings off. After giving all this information in detail, Jatayu dies. Lord Rama proceeds to follow the necessary rituals for cremation. To Him, Jatayu, the ruler of the feathered kingdom is as venerable as King Dasharatha, his father. (Valmiki Ramayana 3-68-26).
Many thousand years later, when Periya Nambi, a Brahmin, was about to do the last rites for Maraner Nambi, a Dalit, the people of Srirangam asked how such a thing could be justified. Periya Nambi replied that if Lord Rama Himself could perform the last rites for a bird and grant Jatayu moksha, then Maraner Nambi fully deserved it in the same lines.
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Arulmigu Sri Vijayaraghava Swamy – Special Features
Jatayu Theertham
The temple precincts are now fairly close to the highway and the temple Vimana is visible from the national highway. Thiru refers to auspiciousness, put is bird and kuzhi is pit. This is where Lord Rama did the last rites for the bird and the temple tank is ‘grudra-saras’ or ‘Jatayu Theertham.’ A shrine to Jatayu and a huge statue are seen facing the tank.
It may be noted that the ‘Bali Peetam’ and the ‘dwajastambham’ are located outside the temple walls. The temple is spacious and quiet. It is filled with the coos of pigeons fluttering around the Veerakoti Vimanam today. Lord Rama gives ‘darshan’ in the Narayana form, as Lord Vijaya Raghavan, as He has granted salvation to Jatayu. He is seen seated with Jatayu cradling in His lap. Sridevi and Bhudevi are there by the side of the Lord.
Goddess Andal
Sridevi who normally is seen to the Lord’s right is unable to handle the ‘Jwala’ emanating from the cremation of Jatayu and so moves to the Lord’s left, slightly tilting her face away. Likewise, Goddess Thayar’s shrine is located to the left of the Lord and the shrine to Goddess Andal is located to the right of the Lord in the temple.
As one comes down the steps after the ‘darshan,’ one notices the handholds along the steps beautifully carved out of stone. They are very helpful because the steps are a little bit steep.
Vahana Mandapams
At the back of the temple are the Vahana ‘mandapas’. The various ‘Vahanas’ is used during the Brahmotsavams when the ‘utsava murti’ is taken out in a grand procession. The speciality is the wooden horse ‘vahana’ which is sprung in such a way that it rocks like a real galloping horse while being carried during festivals.
The carpenter who made the ‘vahana’ is honoured even today. When the Lord emerges on the horse in procession, He still stops in front of the house of the carpenter.
Goddess Maragathavalli Thayar
Amavasya days are special for the temple. Goddess Maragathavalli Thayar is worshipped especially by those desiring progeny. Childless women bathe in the temple tank and tie a handful of roasted green gram in their sari end and perform ‘vrata’ on New Moon night.
The green-gram sprouts indicate that they will have children with the Mother’s blessing. The temple is also important for a child’s first tonsure. A more recent relevance of Tiruputkuzhi is that Bhagavad Ramanuja as a young boy started his education in the school run by Yadavaprakasa.
This was run in the temple precincts. There is a small plaque commemorating this in the hall next to the shrine of the goddess Andal.
Mangalasasanam
In fact, Thirumangai Alwar has written the ‘mangalasasanam’ for the temple. He refers to Tiruputkuzhi as the place where the lush greenery with plenty of water attracts our senses and where the Lord Sri Vijayaragahava resides. The majestic appearance of Sri Vijaya Raghava Perumal made Swami Desikan compose ‘Paramarthastuti.’
In the very first sloka, he refers to the destroyer of Ravana, seated by the ‘grudra-saras’ giving His worshippers ‘darshan’ like the Parijata tree in Indra’s garden. He is only saying what the sage Bhrugu said in the Vamana Purana. Nothing more needs to be said than bathing in the ‘Grudra- Pushkarini’ or the auspicious Eagle Tank and prostrating before the Lord and worshipping Him devoutly.
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