Sri Jagannatha Perumal Kovil - Thirumazhisai
While
Lord Jagannatha appears in a reclining posture in Tirupullani and standing in
Puri, He graces darshan here in sitting form, hence the place is revered as
Madhya Jagannatham and Poorna Jagannatham. As this is the birthplace of saint
Tirumazhisai Azhwar, the place also is named after the saint.
Perumal
in this temple is called Sri Jagannatha Perumal in sitting posture with his
consorts Sathya Bama and Rukmini, which is a rare feature.
The Temple faces in the East
direction and was built in a Dravidian architectural style. The main tower Raja
Gopuram is 5-tier. The Flagpost is located behind the shrine of Garuda,
axial to the central shrine and the gateway tower. The Vimana tower above the
sanctum sanctorum is called Jagannatha Vimana. In Koshtam Vinayagar as
Thumbikai Alwar, Perumal in sitting posture and Durgai. Umbrellas are chiseled
above Perumal and Vinayagar. The Sanctum Vimana has stucco images of
Hayagriva, Lakshmi Narasimha, and Garuda.
The sanctum sanctorum consists
of marvelous Artha mandapam and Maha mandapam, Lion Pillar mandapam in the courtyard. Urchavars of Jagannatha Perumal with Sthyabama and Rukmini, Brigu
Maharishi and Markandeya Maharishi are in front of moolavar. Urchavars are kept
in Arthamandapam. Garuda Bhagavan is facing Sri Jagannatha perumal in the Maha
mandapam. Sri Thirumazhisai Alwar, the 4th of 12 alwars, is in a separate
sannadhi in Maha mandapam. The Maha mandapa has a twenty-eight pillared hall
with sculptured pillars depicting Vaishnava mythology. There is a four-pillared hall in front of the gopuram having sculpted images in the pillars from the
Vijayanagara period. There is a Kalayana mandapa, Vahana mandapa for housing
the divine vehicles and a Paramapada vasal.
A large temple pond to the
east called Brugu Pushkarini, the presiding deity housed in the sanctum is an
image made of Granite.
Arulmigu Jagannatha Perumal & Tirumazhisai Alwar temple is also
known as "Madhya Jagannatham" and "Poorna Jagannatham".
Birthplace of Saint Tirumazhisai Azhwar. This Saint devotees of Srivaishnavism
believe that he was the incarnation of Vishnu's disc, Sudarshana. One of the
twelve Azhwars whose work is compiled as Divya Prabandha, the early medieval
Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th-9th centuries A.D. His works
include Tiruvanthai and Tiruchanda Viruttam, which are included in the canon.
According to the Hindu legend, the Saptarishis (the seven sages) wanted to have
a view of Madhya Jagannatha (literally meaning jagannatha located in the
middle). As per Hindu legend, the Jaganatha at Puri Jagannatha temple is called
Vada Jagannatha (located in the north), and the one located in Adi Jagannatha
Perumal temple at Thirupulla Madhya Jagannatha at this place.
Legend - Maharshi's
Athiri, Brughu, and Bhargava approached Lord Brahmma to suggest a place where
they would perform penance. Lord Brahmma called the divine sculptor (Mayan) and gave him a scale. He placed Tirumazhisai on one plate and the rest of the earth on
the other. The Plate of Tirumazhisai went down weighing the other side of
the scale. Realizing the glory of the place, the Sages performed penance here.
Lord Jagannatha granted them darshan in sitting form. Born to Bhargava Rishi
and Kanakangi in the Tamil Calendar month of Thai (Magam Star), Thirumazhisai
Azhvaar had a disfigured body at birth. Hence, his parents threw him into a
Bamboo pit at Thirumazhisai (which is now a Mandapa to the west of the temple
complex). A childless couple Thiruvaalan and Bangaya Selvi picked him up and
brought him up with love and care.
The presence of Thirumazhisai azhvaar brought back youth to the
couple who then had a son by the name Kanikannan. Kanikannan became Thirumazhisai
Azhvaar’s disciple and served under him. Thirumazhisai Azhvaar’s favorite lord
was Sonna Vannam Seitha Perumal of Thiruvekka in Kanchipuram. For years, he
stayed at Thiruvekka and undertook service there. Once, a Pallava King of
Kanchi ordered Kanikannan out of the kingdom for failing to sing praise of him.
When Thirumazhisai Azhvaar heard this, he too followed suit. Not just him, he
asked Thiruvekka lord to also accompany him. Everyone is in shock, the lord
joined Thirumazhisai Azhvaar and Kanikannan out of the kingdom plunging the
whole place into darkness. Realizing his folly, the king apologized and
requested them to return to Kanchi. As a mark of having left his abode and
having returned subsequently, the Thiruvekka lord changed his posture and slept
in the opposite direction. As the lord acceded to the request of Thirumazhisai
Azhvaar to accompany him out of the kingdom, the lord of Thiruvekka Divya Desam
came to be called ‘Sonna Vannam Seitha Perumal’.
Thirumazhisai Azhvaar also visited thiru Kudanthai and sung praise
of Lord Aaraavamuthan Seeing the sleeping posture of the lord, a curious
Thirumazhisai Azhvaar questioned if the lord’s tiredness was the reason for him
to be lying down in his sleeping posture and if he would not raise and provide
him darshan. After hearing this, it is believed that the lord slightly raised
his posture to greet the azhvaar. Feeling the guilt of having caused strain on
the lord, Thirumazhisai Azhvaar asked him to remain as he is and the lord
remained so ever after. To this day, one can see the lord in a slightly ‘raised
reclining’ posture (Uthaana Sayanam). The story goes that Thirumazhisai Azhvaar
was undertaking yogic penance at this place. Shiva and Parvathi, who were
flying and landed here. Over this place were pleased with his penance and
landed here at Thirumazhisai. When asked for a boon, Thirumazhisai Azhvaar
asked for Mukthi only to be rejected as only Vishnu had the power to provide
moksha. He then asked for the small thread that could keep rolling into the needle
that he was using to stitch his torn clothes. Fuming with anger at this
request, Shiva opened his third eye. Thirumazhisai Azhvaar invoked the
blessings of Lord Narayana and immediately a third eye emerged for
Thirumazhisai as well from the toe of his right leg with water rolling out to
cool the fire raging from Shiva’s third eye. Pleased with the devotion of
Thirumazhisai azhvaar, Shiva presented him with the title of ‘Bhakti Saaran’.
This temple dates to the Dwapara Yuga, and finds reference in the
Brahmanda Purana as ‘Mageesara Kshetram’. As the place of the temple is believed
to have in it all the glory of the earth, it is named Magisaram. Those born in this
sacred place and those who worship here will not have a rebirth, according to
belief.
Thirupachur, Sri Vaacheeswarar Temple – 24 km
Vallokollaimedu, Sri Thiruverkadu Karumariamman Temple –
29 km
Cholavaram, Sri Sengalamman Temple – 39 km
Nayur, Sri Pushparatheswarar Temple – 42 km
Ponneri, Sri Balasubramanya Swamy Temple – 49 km
Thiruttani, Sri Subramanya Swamy Temple – 64 km
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