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| Tiruvekkaa Temple, Kanchi, TN i.pinimg.com |
The Tiruvenkata Temple, also known as the Yathothkari Perumal Temple, is a revered Divya Desam shrine located in Kanchipuram, near Chennai. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the temple holds a special place in Vaishnavism, having been glorified in the Divya Prabandham hymns by the Tamil Azhwar saints. It is mentioned in ancient texts like Patanjali's Mahabharatham and the Tolkāppiyam (3rd century BCE), making it one of the oldest temples in the region.
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| Tiruvekkaa Temple, Kanchi, TN image:Ssriram mt. upload.wikimedia.org |
Unique Reclining Posture of the Deity
The temple is renowned for the uncommon reclining posture of its presiding deity, Sonna Vannam Seitha Perumal. Unlike the usual Vishnu temples where the deity reclines on his right side, here, Vishnu is in the Ananthasayanam posture on his left side. This unique position is said to have changed after the saint Thirumalisai Azhwar sang powerful hymns, moving the Lord from his original right-side reclining posture to the left. This act is considered a divine response to the Azhwar’s unwavering devotion, giving the deity the name Sonna Vannam Seitha Perumal, meaning "the Lord who acted as told." Historian Nagaswamy has described this as one of the rarest representations of Lord Vishnu, crafted in stucco.
Historical Significance
The temple's origins date back to the late 8th century during the rule of the Pallavas, with later contributions from the Cholas and the Vijayanagara dynasty. Notably, inscriptions on the temple walls detail the involvement of Kulothunga Chola I (1070–1120 CE) and Rajendra Chola I (1018–54 CE), including gifts of villages to support the temple’s maintenance. Kulothunga Chola donated land to 32 Brahmins for the temple's upkeep.
Legends and Spiritual Importance
According to temple lore, a Pallava ruler once banished Thirumalisai Azhwar and his guru Pei Azhwar from Kanchipuram. In response, Lord Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi left the city, only to return after the king realized his mistake during a famine. The deity, obliging the king's request, returned, hence the name Yathothkari Perumal (meaning "one who acts as requested").
This temple is also the birthplace of Poigai Azhwar, one of the earliest Azhwar saints, who was born in the temple’s lotus tank. The annual Azhwar Utsavam is celebrated during his birth month in honor of his contribution to Tamil devotional literature. Unfortunately, the temple tank is poorly maintained by the HR & CE and one could see lots of wild bushes, vegetation, etc. The water in the pushkarani is dirty and one has to blame the public. Cleanliness is very much lacking. .Kanchipuram city, close to Chennai city is well connected by roads and railway. nearest airport is Chennai.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yathothkari_Perumal_Temple
https://www.templepurohit.com/hindu-temple/sri-yathothakaari-perumal-templetamil-nadu
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