Thirukannamangai Divya Desam --- Krishna mangala kshetram

History

As the marriage of the lord and the goddess was held here.it is known as “Krishna mangala kshetram’since the marriage was between ‘Thiru’(Lakshmi) was given the name ‘Thirukkanamangai’. Feeding a Brahman after fasting and bathing in this Lakshmi Kshetram will confer wealth on the doer.

Namathraya mantra japam is especial in this ‘mantra sidhhi Kshetram’ Varuna.who can give immense happiness was able to retrieve his ‘Pasayudham’ which was seized by ravana,after performing penance here.
Markandeyar performed penance here ans got the boon to remain a deathless one (chiranjeevi).The sage Romasar,was living and doing penance here and got the Lord to bless him in a Person.At that time,he was requested by Indran to go and meet the pandavas,during their aranya vasam and he did so and consoled Dharmaputhrar by narrating the tale of King Nala.

As one enters the town ,there is a big holy tank in front of the temple.On the north mada street,there are the sannadhis of Shri Ramanujar, Shri Koorathazhvan and Lord Srinivasa Perumal,from east to west. On the west of the tank, are the first tower and opposite that, Lord Anjaneyar sannadhi. After the tower, the sacrificial stone and flag pole are there .The pretty sacrificial stone, ata height of 7 ½ . Has the top itself at a height of 1½.The figurines of Lord Krishna in baby form.adprn the stone on all four sides.The flag pole has a height of 28’.with the base being 3’ in height.The Azhwar sannadhi is on the southern side of the flag pole with the vimana In the gajabristha pattern.

In the north the sannnadhi of manavala maamunigal is found with sanctorum,artha mandapam and maha mandhapam. The first praharam is known as shenbaga praharam.

The nandhanam around its outer wll is itself like a garland to the temple. In the Northern side the thiruvarasu Thirukkanagaidandhan and the temple tree of ‘mahizam’ are found. In the adhyayana festival during Margazi, the Lord, coming through the swarga Vaasal, gives Arulappadu and floral honours to Thirukkanamangaiandan and goes around him .

The second Rajagopuram is to the west of the sacrificial stone .Entering through this, we find Garudazhwar facing the lord. He is in a Standing Posture. with folded hands and chanka and chakra. He is a living god, fulfilling the requests (like requests for marriage) of devotees at once. On Sundays and Thursdays and on swathi nakshatra days thirumanjanam and amrutha kalasa neivedhyam are performe.Moving to the south praharam,we find Madaippalli Natchiyar in a big Thirumadappalli.

After this we find the four –pillared Thiruvandhikkappu mandapam.with aheight of 15½ and a breadth of ‘14’.On two sides of the top .there are statues of Garuda .Within, eight pillars, each measuring 8’height and circumference of 6 ¼ are adorned with long paintings of goddess Lakshmi.

The andhikkappu pooja during the panchavarana processions is held in this mandapam. The Lord and goddess go round in the broad praharam between this mandhapm and the goddess’sannadhi on the west.

About Temple

THAYAR SANNADHI:

This sannidhi where Abhishekavalli thayar is in a resident posture has a sanctum sanctorum of 8 ½ by 8 ½ Square .It has an artha mandapam and maha mandapam too.
In the artha mandapam, there are beehives in the rectangular windows on the south and north walls. The 33crore devas took on the form of these insects to witness the heavenly wedding of the Lord and Thayar as per the legend. This has also been sung in one of the hymns of Thirumangai Azhwar”Kalivandaraiyum pozhilsoozh Kannamangaiyal kandhu kondene”. The wonder is that during utharayana the insects live in the north window and during dakshinayana in the south window.
The mahamandapam is of 39’ by 22’. On a platform in the northwest side of this mandhapam, there is naga installed. This mandhapam has a eight pillars, each of 8’ height and 6 ¾ ‘circumference. Each pillar features a painting of one each of the asthalakshmis.

ANDAL SANNADHI:

Andal sannadhi is found in the north prahara of the second outer ring, in the west. This has dimensions of 63’ by 24’, and has the three units of the sanctum sanctorum, artha mandhapam and Maha mandapam. On bhogi, pongal and mattu pongal days, andal blesses devotees by coming out to the temple tank bathes in the tank and plays on the swing.

SWARGA VASAL(GATEWAY TO HEAVEN):

On the southern side of this praharam,the swarga vasal is established with a 45’ tower. The lord comes through this gateway on Vaikunta Ekadasi day. The lord’s foot impressions are found on a platform to the east of this gateway.
Alongside this gateway, on the northern side we find Desikan sannadhi, Navaneethakrishnan sannadhi, kothandaramar sannadhi and the yaga salai, all facing south. Small figurines of lakshmi, Lord Narashimha and a lady with a stringed instrument are found in a cubicle in the internal wall opposite Desikan sannadhi.

PERUMAL SANNADHI:

After finishing the above round, one should enter the perumal sannadhi worshipping Garudazhwar and going round him.An expansive maha mandapam is followed by the artha mandapam and then the sanctum sanctorum.
The maha mandapam, a spacious one, is supported by four tall pillars of 19’height and 7’ circumference each. According to the purana, the wedding of the Lord Bhakthavatsala and Abhishegavalli thayar took place in this mandapam. Brahma conducted the wedding, having the four Vedas as the four pillars in the Shree mandapam. On the left banister of the entrance to the maha mandapam, a small godly figurine of the temple watchman is shown. In the centre of the ceiling, the rasi chakra containing the symbols of the 12 rasis are found. The sleeping chamber of the Lord and his consort is situated in the north of the mandapam. During Brahmotsavam periods, the Lord and Thayar will be here only.
On the two sides of the entrance to the maha mandapam.Chanka nidhi on the south and padma nidhi on the north are found. We also found 71/2 foot tall Dwarapalakas.

THE DWARAPALAKAS:

At the front of perumal sannadhi, at the right side. the Dwarapalakas are found.In the artha mandapam,there is a female Dwarapalaki also on the left side.

ARTHA MANDAPAM:

The rectangular artha mandapam, 23’ by 15’ has a height of 10’. At the junction of the artha mandapam and the sanctum sanctorum, on the right we find chakra, and on the left, the chanka. At the right of the mandapam, we find the utsava murthies and Azhwar, Acharyas and vishvaksenar with his twin hands.
The sanctum sanctorum is a square, 161/2’ by 161/2’ with a height of 19’.The Lord in all his magnificence, stands at a height of 16’,and is the tallest in all 108 divya desams. On the sides are his consorts, Sridevi Natchiyar and Bhoodevi Natchiyar.Varuna and Markandeya,having had the darshan of the lord here, are found sitting with folded hands facing each other. The figurines of the devas who came to witness the celestial wedding of the lord and Thayar adorn the four walls of thesanctum sanctorum.
Kaliya narthana Kannan Lakshminarasimhan,Sri Vamanan,Parasuraman,Hiranya Samharan, Balaraman figures facing south, Sri Raman, Patharavi Perumal, Venugopalan figures facing the west, Brahma, Gajendra varadan, Saraswathi, Bhoovaradhan, NavaneethaKrishnan facing north, are all beautiful on the outer walls of the prahara surrounding the sanctum sanctorum

VIMANAM:

The four tiered tower of the temple, supposed to resemble a reversed Utpala(lotus)flower, is thus known as Utpalavadaka vimanam.

THE LEGEND:

Mahalakshmi’s incarnation took place during the churning of parkadal. The Lord gave away the elephant, horse the parijatha flower that all appeared with her, to the Devas. At the beauty of Mahalakshmi,he did her away in shyness. she chose to do penance at Thirukkanamangai, on the banks of Dharsana Pushkarani. She got the name “Maa”, since refused even the water offered to her by her assistants.
She was called “Shree”, since she had no other thought but Shriman Narayanan. The name “Rama” was given because the Lord fell in love with her. Pleased with her penance, the Lord came in the Utpalavathaka vimanam and came to western bank of the Dharsana Pushakarani. He sent a missive through Vishvaksenar to the Goddess, with the message’Iam on the west bank ‘.lakshmi, overjoyed at the elegant message reached and worshipped the Lord .As per the ordained proper rituals ,the marriage took place in the presence of Rishis, Devas, Gandharvas and Kinnaras. The Devas, with the water of Dharsana Pushkarani, ordained Her as the chief consort of the Lord. Hence She was given the name Abhisekavalli.
The Lord too got the name Bhakthavatsalan because of his ‘Vatsalyam’ to His bhathai,the Goddess.

BHAKATHAVATSALAN AND BRAHMA:

Two asuras , Madhu and Khydabar, stole away the four Vedas from Brahma and disappeared . Brah, went to Maha Vishnu for help. Since he did not find the Lord at Parkadal, his enquiry to the temple watchman sunandan,revealed that the Lord gone over to the west of the Dharsana Pushkaran in Thirukkannamangai at the penance of MahaLakshmi.
With aheavy heart, Brahma started his penance on the north of parkadal and surrendered to the Lord . The Lord, rushed to heed his request, destroyed the asuras,and restored the Vedas to Brahma.
Brahma worshipping the Lord, asked for 3 boons.

• 1) Forever bhakthi to you.
• 2) I should be near you to pray to you daily.
• 3) Your name, ’Bhakthavatsala’, should become famous, as you show ‘vatsalyam’ to devotees like me. The Lord granted the three boons, and also told him.”This Lakshmi kshetram is very holy. Dharasana Pushkarani is none other than the water of my Sri Padham.I live here with my consort permanently. This Theertham will get its name,Dharsana Pushkarani,Since I gave dharshan to you here” As mentioned before.Brahma,established the “Shreee Vimanam”, with the four Vedas he got back,as pillars The Lord with the Goddess,reached the Krishna Mangala Kshetram , on Garuda.Brahma in Krutha Yuga.Pururavas in Thretha Yuga,Brighu in Dwarpara Yuga anf Akasha Purusha in Kali Yuga worshipped the Lord here .Pururavas performed the vaishnava yagna on the bank of the Dharsana Pushkarani. Learning Namathrayam properly from elders , all devotees can obtain namathraya siddhi in ThiruKKannamangai and get all prosperity.

SPECIALITY OF THEERTHAM:

The pushkarani, also known as Vishnu padha Gangai,was established in his avatar as Trivikarama. When He sought three footholds of land from Mahabali as Vamana and was given them .He took on the incarnation of Trivikarama. The Ganges water that came out ofHis feet,Known as Vishnupadhee,was installed here by a dip made by the Lord’s big toe. Those who bathe in this Dharsana Pushikarani thrice, or even once, get the best in ife ,as this is holier than Ganges.

This Pushkarani is protected on the east, south, west and north respectively by Sthanu(Shiva), Brahma, Muruga and Vinayaka. Along with the kshetra balaka . Indra and other devas protect their respective sides. Legend has it that thirty three crore devas, the brahma rishis – Vasistha, Vamadeva , Japali, Kashyapa, Parasara, Vyasa, Viswamithra and Ashtavakara – perform theertha sev from each direction.

DHARSANA PUSHKARANI AND BRAHMI:

Brahmi, one of the saptha mathas, and mother of Tilothama wanted a holy dip in Ganges and went to the backs of the Ganges.There she was advised by Markandeya and sage ROmsar that there is no holier place than Krishna Mangala Kshetram and no holier waters than Dharshan Pushkarani. For this they narrated the following anectode to her.

Chandran (Moon god) did a grave mistake by having an illicit association with the wife of Brahspati. As a result, he was affilicted with a severe disease and was hated by the world. Ashamed he approached Brahma who advised him to bathe in the holy waters of Dharshana Pushkarani in the Sapathmrutha Kshetram of Thirukkannamangai.Chandran obeyed that and was cured of his ills


Hearing this, Brahmi came over to ThiruKkannamangai. On hearing this advice to Brahmi, Lord Kashi Viswanathar came to Thirukkannamangai ahead of Brahmi, worshipped and bathed in Dharsana Pushkarani and gave darshan to Brahmi much to her surprise. It is because there exists a proverb “Gangai Adi Mangai Adu”(meaning Bathe in(Gange and then bathe in the Thirukkannamangai tank).