Vallipuram Adikesava Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram

Address

Vallipuram village,

Kanchipuram district, Tamilnadu- 603405

Moolavar

Adikesava Perumal

Amman

Ambujavalli Thayar

Introduction

Adikesava Perumal Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, is situated in the small village of Vallipuram, approximately 15 kilometers from Chengalpattu in Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu. The presiding deity of the temple is Adikesava Perumal, and the goddess is Ambujjavalli Thayar. The temple is believed to be around 1000 years old and is an important site for devotees and scholars alike.

Puranic Significance

The region encompassing Chengalpattu, North Arcot, and South Arcot districts, once part of the ancient Thondaimandalam, has a rich history. The river Palar, which flows through this region, played a crucial role in the prosperity of settlements, including the ancient Pallava capital, Kanchipuram.

The temple’s placement and design conform to the ancient civil engineering guidelines outlined in the Manasara text. According to these rules, the village should have a Shiva temple to the northeast, a Vishnu temple to the southwest, and a tank to the true west. Vallipuram follows this arrangement, emphasizing its alignment with ancient architectural wisdom.

A significant feature of the temple is the main stone image of Sri Adikesava Perumal, who is depicted standing with a Salagrama garland, holding the conch and discus in his upper hands, and in the abhaya and kati hasta mudras in his lower hands. The temple is unique in that it allows circumambulation around the main deity, with enough space between the image and the rear wall. Alongside the main deity, the temple also houses the bronze processional image of Sri Adikesava Perumal, which is similarly adorned with conch, discus, and garlands. The beauty of these images is highly revered, particularly the fine details like the pointed tips of the nails on the Utsava Vigraha.

Special Features

Adikesava Perumal Temple is a splendid example of Chola architecture. The temple complex consists of several sections: the garbha-griha (sanctum sanctorum), antarala (the passage between the garbha-griha and the mandapam), maha-mandapam, and agra-mandapam. Inside the antarala, bronze images of Bhakta Anjaneya, Vishvaksena, Nammazhwar, and the great Srivaishnava Acharya Sri Vedanta Desika are enshrined.

The mandapam in front of the main sanctum houses the processional image of Ambujavalli Thayar, the consort of Adikesava Perumal. It also features stone images of all the Azhwars, with a notable statue of Bhudattazhwar in the jnana-mudra pose, similar to the one found at Mamallapuram, his birthplace. The vimana, a Dravidian-style structure, is adorned with beautiful stucco images depicting Lord Vishnu in various forms, including Adikesava, Varaha, Venugopala, Lakshmi-Narayana, Krishna, Lakshmi Narasimha, and Sita-Lakshmana-Hanumath Sametha Sri Kodandarama.

The temple also includes shrines for Garuda and Bhakta Anjaneya. While the shrine for Garuda is located in front of the mandapam, the Hanuman shrine is a short distance away but still faces the main sanctum. Additionally, there is a sacred temple tank located behind the temple, with a historic underground passage once connecting the temple to the tank.

A tall single-stone deepa-sthambham (lamp pillar) from the Nayaka period stands at the entrance of the temple, adding to the architectural grandeur.

Renovation and Restoration

In the post-Nayaka period, the temple suffered from neglect and was in a dilapidated condition, overrun with weeds and tree roots, and even infested with snakes. However, thanks to the efforts of philanthropists, the temple underwent renovation and reconstruction, with the Samprokshanam (reconsecration) taking place in 2007.