Sri Adikesavaperumal Temple in Thiruvattar, a 'Divya Desam' shrine of ''Kerala Nadu''


Sree Adikesava Perumal Temple, Tiruvattar, Kanyakumar  TMBU

Above image: This temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is one of 13 ''Divya Desam Shrines'' of ''Kerala Nadu'' and is a popular one. Besides, it has close links with the erstwhile rulers of Travancore Princely State, Kerala.................................
The Sri Adikesavaperumal Temple in Thiruvattar,  Kanyaku
mari district, Tamil Nadu, India is one of the 108 ''Divya Desam Shetrams'' glorified by the Tamil Vaishnavite Azhwar saints of 7th and 8th century CE who wrote soul-stirring devotional hymns in praise of Lord Vishnu.  Azhwar saint Nammalvar had sung 11 pasurams in praise of this lord.  Located in a serene,  picturesque 
setting surrounded on three sides by rivers namely  Kothai, Pahrali and Thamirabarani, the main deity is Ananthapadmanabhan /Adikeshava Perumal and, it is said, it is older than the famous   Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananathapuram, the capital city of Kerala. It is often referred to as  ''Srirangam of Chera Kingdom'' for the simple reasons that the Lord is in a Ananthasayanam posture - reclining position on the coiled bed of Serpent Adishesa.
Above image: Here, at  Sri Adikesavaperumal Temple in Thiruvattar, Lord Vishnu (Perumal) is in an Ananthasayanam posture, relaxing on the coiled bed of serpent Adishesa. Sri Vishnu has similar posture at Srirangam Ranganathar temple, TN and also at Srirangapatna, Karnataka......................................

Like the Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, here the lord is worshipped through three doors. An interesting feature is the presence of Lord Shiva in the sanctum.  The main deity in the former temple is facing the deity of  Tiruvattar  temple. The main deity here had  gold kavachams impregnated with valuable diamonds and other precious stones  that were presented by the Kerala rulers. This temple is  the Rajya Temple and Bharadevatha shrine of the erstwhile rulers of Travancore. Even after state reorganization in 1959, the Travancore Maharajah is endowed with all  privileges befitting him with respect to temple rituals  including the Pallivetta and  Thiruvarattu  by the Tamil Nadu government.   In the early 1500 s Vijayanagara rulers made some additions and the  composite columns of Virabhdra holding a sword and conch bear testimony to it.  Similar columns of Virabhadra are found in many temples of Tamil nadu, notable being Meenakshi Temple at Madurai, Nellaiappar Temple at Tirunelveli,, Krishnapuram Venkatachalapathy temple, Ramanathaswamy Temple at Rameswaram, Srivilliputhur Andal temple, Srivaikuntanathan Permual temple at Srivaikuntam, etc.
Adikesava Perumal Temple in Tiruvattar, Kanyakumari Temples - Mail

Adikesava Perumal Temple in Tiruvattar, Kanyakumari  ISKCON Desire Tree
 
Above image: Entrance to the temple - Sri Adikesavaperumal Temple in Thiruvattar, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu,

Otraikkal Mandapam (single stone hall) made of a single stone 3 feet thick and the well-carved stone images of   Oorthuva Thandavam, Venugopala, Rathi, Manmatha, Lakshmana and Indrajit are some of the attractions. The temple renowned for its murals is built in  the Dravidian style of architecture. There is also a small shrine for Lord Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy near the river an across the Adikesavaperumal Temple.

Adikesava perumal temple, location. Holy Dham

 Among the festivals, Vaikunta Ekadesi is celebrated  on a grand scale as in other Perumal temples. Here, the prasadams (offerings to the god) are   Paal Payasam (Milk Kheer), Aval and Appam.  The puja protocols here are similar to those at the Sri Padmanabha Swamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.