| Description This Divyadesam
is located at Tirupputkuzhi, 11 km west of Kanchipuram
off of the Chennai Vellore highway at a distance of about 80 km from Chennai.
Tirupputkuzhi is where Ramanujar was under the tutelage of Yadavaprakasar. Deities:
The Moolavar here is Vijayaraghava Perumaal in a seated posture facing east, and Taayaar
is Maragatavalli in a separate sanctum to the right of Perumaal's sanctum. The sanctum
bears an image of Vishnu with Jatayu on his lap. Sridevi's and Bhu Devi's positions are
reversed. This east facing temple has two prakarams and imposing walls and a three tiered
rajagopuram. There is a shrine to Jatayu. On new moon days, where the departed souls are
remembered with rituals, several congregate at the Jatayu theertham.
Legend has it that when Rama, estranged from Sita performed the last
rites to the bird Jatayu here, Jatayu is believed to created the Jatayu theertham here.
The name Tirupputkuzhi arises out of the shrine's association with Jatayu (as with the
Shivastalam Pullirukkuvelur).
The Temple: The stone structure here dates back to the period of
Sundara Pandyan as testified by several inscriptions; renovations were carried out here in
1955. An interesting belief holds here. Barren women desiring progeny worship here and are
given a prasadam of roasted soaked lentils. It is believed that if these roasted lentils
sprout, the worshpper would conceive and beget children. Two worship services are carried
out here each day.
Festivals: The horse mount (kutirai vaahanam)here,
spins on an axis. Legend has it that the carpenter who made this mount upon being asked to
make another of a similar kind for another temple, refused and committed suicide. The
carpenter's tomb is visited by the deity on the horse mount, during the annual festival in
Maasi. Other festivals here include the Teppa Utsavam in the month of Thai (New moon), The
Pavitrotsavam in the month of Avani and Rama Navami. |
