• Vishnu

Adikesava Perumal Temple

Overview


Adi Kesava Temple (also called Ramanujar Temple) is dedicated to Hindu god Vishnu located in Sriperumbudur, Kanchipuram district, in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This is the birth place of Saint Ramanuja, great Philosopher of Vaishnavism.


About The Temple


The temple is built in Dravidian architecture occupies around 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) and has two precincts. It is located in Sriperumbudur, a suburb in Chennai, the capital of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The temple has a rectangular plan surrounded by 10 ft (3.0 m) high walls, pierced by a seven-tier gopuram, the gateway tower. The presiding deity is housed in the sanctum and is an image made of granite seen in standing posture. The shrine of Garuda facing Adi Kesava, thevahana of Vishnu, is located axial to the central shrine. The central shrine is approached through a worship hall and a narrow Ardha mandapam. The flagpost is located behind the shrine of Garuda, axial to the central shrine and the gateway tower. There are images of Azhwars in the worship hall on both sides and the shrine of Yathirajavalli is located on in the second precinct. The gold plated hall in front of the shrine of Ramanuja was endowed by the Maharaja of Mysore. There are no separate Sorgavasal, the sacred entrance way opened during the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival. There is a Bhoodakal hall where the festive images of the presiding deity and is consort are housed during the festival.


About the Deity


Lord Vishnu in the standing posture here is known as Sri Adhikesava Perumal with his consorts Shreedevi and Bhoodevi bestows his abundant grace on his devotees. The divine mother [Thayar] is known as “Sri Yatirajanathavalli Thayar” meaning she is the consort of the master to Yathiraja i.e. Ramanuja. This is the only temple where Goddess Lakshmi has a name attributed to a devotee of the Lord. She is a varaprasadi who grants all wishes.

Legend and stories


The Boodha Ganas – an army-like division of Lord Shiva’s empire – approached Lord Vishnu for relief from a curse spelt on them by Lord Shiva. Lord Vishnu created a spring here through his divine serpent Ananha (Anantha Saras Theertham), gave darshan to the Bhoodas from its bank and relieved them of the curse. As a token of their gratitude, the Bhoodha Ganas erected this temple for Lord Vishnu. Hence, the place is called Bhoodhapuri. The Lord is named Adikesava Perumal. According to another legend, Haritha Maharaja , he was the grandson of King Ambareesha was on a hunting expedition, when he spotted a tiger attacking a cow. In order to save the cow, he killed the tiger, but the cow also died in the process. He was grief-stricken and then a heavenly voice, asked him to go to Sriperumbudur, bathe in ‘Anantha Saras’ and then pray to Lord Narayana who would forgive his sins. The King dutifully obeyed the instructions. Then Lord appeared before him and told all these years you were Kshtriya and due to my blessings now you will become Brahmin and henceforth your descendants also will become Brahmin (even today his decedents are from his Gothra and they are known as Haritha Gothra). Then Haritha Maharaja rebuilds the Adhi Kesava temple and does concretion of the temple on a auspicious day, then he hears the Divine voice ( asareeri) that in near future great Soul will be born in your Vamsa ( Descendant) who will lead the world to greater height of Gyana and Bhakti , and that Great Soul is none other than our Beloved Udayavar.

Swami Ramanujar Avathara Sthalam

Then in year CE 1017 On a Thursday, in the Tamil Month of Chitrai, Sukla Paksha panchami, in the constellation of Aridra (Thiruvadurai) Asuri Keshavachar and Kandhimathi were blessed with the Child and was named as Ramanuja. He was later given the title of Bhashyakar , Emperumanar , Elayai Alwan, Yathirajar, Udayavar etc.

There is a mandap in front of the temple where Sri Ramanuja was born. During the 10 day Chithirai festival during April-May, Acharya graces from this mandap. On His birth star day, he is placed in a cradle as a child and fed with milk in a conch. During this festival, the Parivattam turban linen – is brought from 36 Vaishnava shrines-Divya Desas – as a courtesy to the Acharya.

He toured the length and breadth of Bhartha Desha to preach the Vishistadwaita. Then Just few days before leaving the mortal coil and going to Vaikunta, His Disciple Mudhaliandan’s Son Kanthadai Annan got a Archa Vigraham of Ramanuja and presented before him, then Swami hugged the Moorthy and transferred all his power to it, then Udayavar instructed to the Prathistai of this Vigraham on Tamil Month Thai on Constellation of Pushya Star at Sriperumpudur, This Vigraham is what we see in Sriperumpudur and it is known as Than Uganda Thirumeni. Ramanujar’s Vigraha, Divine archa-vigraha made of 5 metals including gold, silver, bronze, copper and iron.

The Specialty of this Temple and Vigraham is Eravadai Theertham. Here they do Thirumanjanam to Lord Ramanuja daily then after the Thirumanjanam the cloth which Lord is wearing is squeezed and and collected in Vatil and given as Prasadam to Bhakathas, it it said it capable of curing Skin diseases, Beget progeny for Issueless couples , and also cures many other ailments like cancer etc. If you take bath in Ananthah Sarasu you will get rid of Rahu Kethu Dosham , Also you can light Ghee lamp. Every Thiruvadurai Star people come in large number and witness the Milk Thirumanjanam get the blessings of Udayavar. The temple doesn’t have a swarga vasal since it is believed that praying to Swami Ramanuja is the way to vaikuntam.


Festivals


Masi Pooram in February-March and Panguni Uthiram in March April are the important festivals of the temple. On the last Friday of Panguni (March-April) or on the last Friday of Chithirai, Tirumanjanam is simultaneously performed for Lord Adikesava Perumal, Mother Yathiraja Valli, Sri Andal and Acharya Sri Ramanuja.


Tamil Month

Name of Usthavam

Chitrai ( April-May)

Bhashyakar Avathara Usthavam for – 10 days

Chitrai ( April-May)

Adhi Keshava Perumal’s Usthavam for 10 days

Vaikasi ( May – June)

Adhi Keshava Perumal’s Vasantha Usthavam

Aani ( June – July )

JeshtAbhishekam

Aadi July – August)

Andal Usthavam

Avani ( August – September)

Perumal’s Pavithra Usthavam)
Navarathri Usthavam

Aipasi

Manavala Mamunigal – 10 days Usthavam

Dhannur

Dhannur Masa Usthavam

Thai

Koorath Alwar Usthavam

Masi

Masi Pooram

Panguni

Rama Navami

Pooja Timings

Every day three times pooja is conducted. Every Saturday the moolavar is docorated with flower in different "avatharams".


Pooja Name

Timings

Viswaroopa

06. 30 AM

Kaala Shanthi Pooja

07.00 AM

Uchchi Kaala Pooja

09.00 AM

Sayaratchi Pooja

05.30 PM

Raakkaala Pooja

07.00 PM

Aravanai Pooja

08.30 PM

Thanks Giving

Devotees perform abishek to Sri Ramanuja with milk as a prayer commitment.


Significance


Those facing adverse aspects of Rahu and Ketu planets and those facing delays in marriage due to Kalasarpa dosha in whose horoscopes the snake planets are at both ends covering the other planets in between them, pray here for relief.


Nearby Places to Visit


1. Kamakshi Amman Temple
2. Aatcheeswarar Temple
3. Kachi Anekadhangavadeswarar Temple
4. Deivanayaka Easwarar Temple
5. Satyanathaswami Temple
6. Kalva Perumal Temple

Accessibility


The nearest airport is at Chennai. Sriperumbudur is not connected by trains. The nearest railway station is the Thiruvallur Railway station which is about 17km away from Sriperumbudur. However, the major railway head is in Chennai. Taxis and buses are easily available from Chennai. Sriperumpudur it is 40 kms from Chennai and 35 Kms from Kanchipuram, Easily reachable by road from Chennai.


Temple Address


Sri Adikesava Perumal Temple,
Sriperumbudur-602 105, Kancheepuram district, Tamilnadu.

Significance

Devotees visit this temple to seek fulfillment of the following:-

  • Relief from kalasarpa dosha
  • For relief from the inflictions of rahu and ketu
Shlokas

Achutham Keyshavam Rama Narayanam Krishna Damodaram Vasudevam Harim Shridharam Madhavam Gopika Vallabham Janaki Nayakam Ramachandram Bhajey

Meaning -Oh Lord who cannot be perished, who also has names like Keshava, Rama, Damodara, Narayana, Sridhara, Madhava, Krishna, Ramachandra the beloved of Janaki, let me say your name regularly.

Vasudeva Sutham Devam Kamsa Chanoora Mardhanam Devaki Paramanandham Krishnam Vande Jagathgurum

Meaning -I bow to you O Krishna, the ultimate guru, Devaki and Vasudeva's son, and the destroyer of Kamsa and Chanur.

Adharam Madhuram Vadanam Madhuram Nayanam Madhuram Hasitam Madhuram Hridayam Madhuram Gamanam Madhuram Mathuraa Dhipate Rakhilam Madhuram

Meaning -Meaning - Sweet are Your lips, sweet is Your face, sweet are Your eyes, sweet is Your smile, sweet is Your heart, sweet is Your gait, O Lord of Mathura, everything about You is sweet.

Alokya Mathur Mukha Madarena Sthanyam Pibantham Saraseeruhaksham Sachinmayam Devam Anantha Roopam Balam Mukundam Manasa Smarami

Meaning -I think of this Balamukundan as the one who looks lovingly at his mother's face while taking milk from her, who has eyes similar to the red lotus, who is the embodiment of truth and intelligence and other forms.

Timings

The temple is open from 06:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 04:00 pm to 09:00 pm.

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