108 Divya-deshams: Thirunindravur

BY: SUN STAFF

Bhaktavatsala Perumal Temple, Thirunindravur

Apr 25, 2024 — CANADA (SUN) — A tour of the 108 Divya-desams, the divine abodes of Lord Vishnu and Lakshmi.

Sri Bhaktavatsala Perumal Temple, one of the Divya Deshams, is located at Thirunindravur, a western suburb of Chennai. This temple is dedicated to the worship of Lord Vishnu as Bhaktavatsala Perumal with His consort Ennai Petra Thayar (Lakshmi).

According to the temple's sthala purana (temple legend), Bhaktavatsala Perumal, accompanied by Lakshmi, stayed here, thus the town is called Thirunindravur. Thirumangai Alvar did not sing any pasurams (hymns) here, and followed by Vishnu, followed Thirukadalmallai and sang a hymn, praising the deity Bhaktavatsala Perumal. Lakshmi requested Perumal to appear before the Alvar, but when he did so, Thirumangai Alvar had already reached Thirukannamangai. The deity once again appeared in the dreams of the Alvar, who perceived viewing Bhaktavatsala in Tirukkannamangai.

Bhaktavatsala Perumal appeared to Kubera at this place, and Varuna, the god of the waters, also worshipped Vishnu here.

Anjaneya sannithi located by the gopuram outside the tower

Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is believed to have been built by the Pallavas c. late 8th/early 9th Century, with later contributions from the Medieval Cholas and Vijayanagara kings. The earliest inscriptions in the temple are dated between 820 and 890 CE, during the period of Nripatungavarman. There are other inscriptions from the later Chola kings. Pallava inscriptions mention this place as Ninravur and some of them quote it as Virudhurajabhayankar-chaturvertimangalam, a sub-division of Punarkottam.

A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all the shrines and two bodies of water. There is a five-tiered rajagopuram at the entrance and two precincts. The Moolavar (presiding deity) of the temple, Bakthavasala, is in standing position, facing east. The height of the Deity is around 10 ft. The Utsavar (procession deity) is called Patharaavi, made of panchaloha, and is accompanied by two consorts.

Temple Chariot

There is a separate shrine for Ennai Petra Thayar (Laksmi Devi), also known as Sudhavalli. The temple has separate shrines for Andal, Chakratalvar, the Alvars, and Ramanuja.

On the banks of a lake a few meters behind the temple is another temple for Lord Rama, which has a statue of Hanuman lifting Rama and Lakshmana on his shoulders.

The temple is glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham.

Source: Wikipedia

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