Thiruvattaru Sri Adikesava Perumal Temple, Kanyakumari

Address

Thiruvattaru Sri Adikesava Perumal Temple, Temple Road Kalkulam, Kulasekharam, Taluk, Thiruvattaru, Kanyakumari Tamil Nadu 629171Phone: 04652 241 270

Diety

Adi Kesava Perumal, Amman: Maragatha Valli

Introduction

Adikesavaperumal Temple is a Hindu temple located in Thiruvattar, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India and is one of the 108 Divya desams, the holy sites of Hindu Vaishnavism in keeping with existing Tamil hymns from the seventh and 8th centuries C.E. The temple is one of the ancient thirteen Divya Deshams of Malai Nadu. The temple is a picturesque setting surrounded on 3 facets by rivers particularly, (River Kothai, River Pahrali and River Thamirabarani) It turned into the Rajya Temple and Bharadevatha shrine of Erstwhile Travancore. After state reorganisation, the temple handed over to Tamilnadu H&RCE Dept. The presiding Vishnu in the shape of Ananthapadmabhan/Adikeshavaperumal is thought to be older than Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. Since Vishnu is living right here in a reclining function, and is surrounded by means of rivers, the temple is referred to as as “The Srirangam of Chera Kingdom”. Thiruvattar Sree Adikesava Perumal Temple is situated 6 km north-east of Marthandam and 30 km north-west of Nagercoil (in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu). The temple is surrounded on three sides by rivers (Kothai,Parali and Thamirabarani). Paraliyar takes a turn in this place and it is called vattaru and when the temple of Adikeasav Perumal was created it came to be known as Thriuvattaru.

Puranic Significance

According to the Puranas, Lord Brahma performed a Yaga without Saraswathi Devi, as a result of Saraswathi’s anger two asuras, Kesan and Kesi emerged out of the sacrificial fire, these asuras troubled the Three Worlds. The Devas approached Vishnu for a solution. Following an almighty battle Lord Mahavishnu in the form of Kesava, Perumal defeated Kesan, and then to secure him Adiseshan coiled around him. This is how Lord Kesava Perumal became known as ‘Adi Kesavan’. The second asura Kesi, who had seen her brother Kesan defeated, wanted revenge and with her friend, Kothai they both took the form of rivers and surrounded the temple with the intention of submerging it. Bhoomi Devi (the earth Goddess) raised the temple away from the waters, and today the temple is surrounded by the rivers Parali and Kotha and stands at a height of 55 feet from ground level. The Puranas say ‘the rivers’ repented and were forgiven, then Perumal had a dip in Moovaatru Mukham, the place where the rivers joined with the Arabian sea and even today, during Painguni Utsavam, Perumal comes on a golden Garuda for a dip in the river, re-enacting the Shapa Vimochana incident. Thiruvattar Temple is orbited by a protective necklace of Shivalingams, and in March, during Mahasivarathri, pilgrims visit these shrines chanting ‘Govinda’, Lord Vishnu’s name. The famous Shivalaya Ottam is said to be only complete when the devotees end their trip in the Perumal temple. There are too many sacred associations and agamas to mention here but scholars and devotees may approach the temple for further discovery.

Special Features

Lord seen sleeping in opposite direction One has to climb 18 steps to reach the Adi Kesavan Sannidhi, where the 22 feet Lord, made out of 16008 Saligramams, is seen in a West facing Bhujanga Sayanam (seen sleeping in the opposite direction –Head in the South, Feet in the North).