Sri Saranathan Perumal Temple

Overview

This magnificent Divyadesam is situated in Tirucherai. It is about 4 km to the north Kodavasal and 15 km to the south of Kumbakonam. In this town, is additionally the Tirucherai Shivastalam, enshrining Gnana Parameswarar (Senneriappar), glorified by the Tevaram hymns of Sambandar and Appar. The Moolavar here is Saranathan, in a standing posture facing east. Thaayaar is famous by the name Saranayaki. God Vishnu here is believed to have been worshipped by Markandeya and Kaveriamman. At the Tirucherai Shivastalam, it is believed that Shiva was worshipped by Kaveri and Markandeya.

About The Temple

This temple has two prakarams has a 90 feet high Rajagopuram. There exists a shrine to Yoga Narasimhar here. The Shrines of Goddess Lakshmi are in the Mahamandapam. There are also shrines of Rajagopala with his consorts Rukmini and Satyabhama, and also to Tiruvenkatamudaiyaan and the Alwars. Legend has it that this temple was constructed with a part of the granite meant for building the Rajagopala temple at Manargudi, and therefore the shrine to Rajagopala here. There are shrines to Kaveriamman and Anjaneyar close to the temple tank. Six worship services are offered every day in the temple. The grand chariot festival happens on Taippoosam, in the Tamil month of Thai. It is said that the legend took place when the planet Jupiter was positioned in the Pushya asterism. Once in 12 years when Jupiter transits through the zodiac sign of cancer in the Pushya asterism This chariot procession was ceased since 1982 and an endeavor is being made to refurbish the chariot to bring back the festival.

About The deity

The presiding deity of Sri Saranathan Perumal Temple is Lord Vishnu as Lord Saranatha Perumal. The deity is in a standing posture. The Sri Saranathan Perumal Temple is the only temple where Lord Vishnu is found with five Goddesses namely Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi, Goddess Saranayaki, Goddess Neela Devi, Goddess Bhooma Devi, and Goddess Sri Devi. The other shrines inside the temple are the shrines of Lord Sri Rama, Goddess Sita, Lakshmanan, Rajagopala, Lord Anjaneya, Goddess Andal, Lord Narasimha, Lord Balasaranatha, Santhana Gopalan, Sri Ramanuja, Manavala Maamunigal, and Azhwars. The mythology says that the River Goddess Cauvery wished to be equal in the status to River Goddess Ganges. So to acquire that, the river Goddess Cauvery made serious penance. When Lord Vishnu pleased by the penance of River Cauvery, she deposited Her three wishes to Lord Vishnu.

Legend and Stories

As ordered by the king Azhagiya Manavala Nayakar, the work of collecting of Blackstone to construct the temple was done by Narasa Boopalan, who was the minister of the king. Being a great devotee of Lord Saranathan Perumal of Thiruccherai, Narasa Boopalan had a desire to erect a temple for Lord Saranathan Perumal. As a result, he extracted Blackstone from each carts which is sent for Mannarkudi via Thiruccherai. Narasa Boopalan got caught by the spy of King Azhagiya Manavala Nayakar. By knowing this, the king Azhagiya Manavala Nayakar came to Thiruccherai to make an inspection. But cleverly Narasa Boopalan erected the temple for Saranatha Perumal and to please the king he built a sannadhi for Rajagopala Swamy at the temple premises. To save all Vedhas from the Maha Pralaya (the end of the yugam), Lord Brahma made out a mud pot, which was made of sand taken from the place Thiruccherai and placed all the Vedhas and other assistances needed for srishti (Universe) inside that pot. It is believed that the sacred place was the reason to make all living creatures to live even after the Maha Pralaya. Hence, the place Thiruccherai is called as Sara Kshetram. And as the place was added with assets Lord Saranatha Perumal, Goddesses, temple Vimanam and Pushkarani, it is called as Pancha Sara Kshetram. As per the legend the river Kaveri in the form of Kaveri Amman meditated upon Vishnu with the wish of acquiring the stature of the river Ganga. Vishnu appeared before Kaveri with his consorts Sreedevi, Bhudevi, Neeladevi, Saara naayaki and Mahalakshmi and awarded her request. In another legend during the time of the great deluge, a pot made up of clay, was used to save and preserve the Vedas. It is said that not even one of the pots made by Bhrama would last, and that he was directed by Vishnu to proceed to Tirucherai (Saara Kshetram) and make a pot out of the clay on the banks of the Kaveri.

Festivals

1. Vasantha Utsavam – May/June
2. Jeshtabishegam – July/August
3. Navarathri Festival – September/October
4. Manavala Mamunigal Uthsavam – October/November
5. Pavithra Uthsavam – November/December
6. Rapathu Festival – December/January
7. Thaipoosam Therthiruvizha – January/mid-February
8. Ramanujar Festival – April/May

Nearby Places to Visit

1. Srinivasa Perumal Temple, Kudavasal
2. Bhaktavatsala Perumal Temple, Tirukannamangai
3. Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvarur
4. Tirucherai Sivasthalam
5. Sarguna Nathar Temple
6. Ramanathaswami Temple, Tiruvarur
7. Koothanur Maha Saraswathi Temple
8. Kalyana Varadharaja Perumal Temple
9. Iravatheeswarar Temple, Thirukottaram
10. Agnipureeswarar Temple

Accessibility

Airport

The nearest airport to Thiruvarur is Tiruchirapalli Airport located about 110 km from the town.

Railways

Thiruvarur railway junction is a four way junction connecting Thanjavur in the west, Mayiladuthurai in the north, Nagapattinam in the east and Thiruthuraipoondi in the south. There is a daily express train to Chennai via Mayiladuthurai and Ernakulam and trains available from Mannargudi to Tirupathi and Velankanni to Goa, operated three times a week that pass through Thiruvarur.

Road

The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation operates close to 175 daily services connecting various cities to Thiruvarur. Most of the buses via Thiruvarur are operated by the corporation ply between Trichy and Velankanni.

Temple Address

Sri Saranatha Perumal Temple,
Tirucherai, Thanjavur district,
Tamil Nadu – 612605.