This is one of the 5 divya dEsams in the ChengannUr area of
kEraLA, that are connected with the five pAndavA brothers of mahAbhArathA fame.
Location and Access:
ThiruppuliyUr is located 5 km West of the town of
ChengannUr. It is best to drive to this Divya dEsam. Buses are very infrequent.
There are practically no facilities for staying here.
The Temple:
The temple is fairly big and is built in the typical kEraLA
divya dEsam architecture with a big open prakAram. The thAyAr here is Sri porkodi
nAchiyAr and the perumAL is Sri mAyappirAn in a standing posture. The temple
tank is known as pragnyA saras.
Legends and History:
- Stone inscriptions in the temple date it back to the Second Chera Empire (800 - 1102 AD).
- The temple is believed to have been built by BheeemA, the second of the pAndavAs of mahAbhArathA fame. There is a large mace in this temple that is said to be a likeness of BheemA’s weapon.
- The food offerings (prasAdam) at this temple are of a huge quantity – as befits the appetite of the temple’s patron, BheemA.
- Legend has it that, this place was ruled by a cruel king Virukshadarbi. There was a famine here and the king thought of giving gifts to the holy Seven Sages (saptharishis) to attract their blessings. However the sages declined to accept the ruler’s gifts. The enraged ruler performed a sacrifice and invoked an evil spirit to kill the Rishis. Lord Sriman NarayanA directed Indra to slay the evil spirit and protect the sages, which Indra did dutifully. Further, the Lord appeared before the Rishis and blessed them here at this divya dEsam.
AzhwAr mangaLAsAsanams:
SrI nammAzhwAr: 3535-45
SrI thirumangaiAzhwAr: 2673 (71)
[Note: The numbering convention for the pAsurams seems to
differ in various Divya Prabandham books. In some Divya Prabandham books, the
same pAsurams by srI nammAzhwAr are listed as verse numbers 2842-52.]
A sample pAsuram:
நேர்பட்ட
நிறை மூவுலகுக்கும் நாயகன் தன் அடிமை
நேர்பட்ட
தொண்டர் தொண்டர் தொண்டர் தொண்டன் சடகோபன் சொல்
நேர்பட்ட
தமிழ் மாலை ஆயிரத்துள் இவை
பத்தும்
நேர்பட்டார்
அவர் நேர்பட்டார் நெடுமாற்க்கு அடிமை செய்யவே
In this pAsuram (which is the last of Sri nammAzhwAr’s set
of 11 pAsurams on this divya dEsam), AzhwAr describes himself as the servant of
the servant of the servant of the servant of the Lord. Those who chant this
decad of pAsurams by Sri nammAzhwAr will be blessed with the fortune of being
devoted worshippers of the Lord.
Sri porkodi nAchiyAr samEtha Sri mAyappirAn thiruvadigaLE
saraNam
