Thirukannankudi

108 Divya Desam, Nagapattinam District

God

Loganatha Perumal (also Shyamala Maeni Perumal) in standing posture facing east. Utsavar is Damodara Perumal

Goddess

Loganayagi (Utsavar is Aravindavalli) facing east

Other Deities

Garuda

Thirukannankudi welcomes you with a 5 tier Rajagopuram which is followed by 2 Prakarams. Bhakta Ula Mantapam, Shobana Mantapam, Maha Mantapam and Ardha Mantapam are found here. There are some strange attributes to Thirukannankudi temple – the wells in the locality are never with water, the legal cases that arise here are never settled, Perumal is seen adorning Thiruneer (ash smeared in the forehead representing saivism) in the religious festivals in this village. The main deity and the Utsavar of the goddess is in the same likeness which is not commonly the case.

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Magizham (Mimusops elengi)

Holy water (Theertham) – Ravana Pushkarani, There are 8 wells of holy waters inside the temple

Vimaanam – Urpalavadhagam

History

Tirumangaiazhwar (One of the 12 Alwars – 7th to 10th Centuries CE) has sung hymns of Divya Prabhandham here at Thirukannankudi in praise of the Lord.

Legend

Lord Krishna as a child is beleived to have come to the locality and eaten the butter sculpture of himself that was being created by Sage Vasishta. Without knowing who the child was he is said to have chased him and the child ran and tried to conceal himself in a tree in Thirukannankudi temple. A few sages nearby joined and tied up the child to the Tree and hence the name of the place, Thirukannankudi. Tirumangaiazhwar is said to have concealed a golden idol of Budha meant for the Srirangam temple here at Thirukannankudi under a Tamarind tree requesting the same to take care of the idol while he slept. Thus the tree came to be called Uranga (sleepless) Puli (tamarind).

Directions

Thirukannankudi is about 12 Kilometers from Nagapattinam on the Thiruvarur road. Take a left at Azhiyur and reach this temple. Also visit the nearby Shiva Temple.

Stay and Food

None locally. Closest is Nagapattinam.

108 Divya Desams

Tamilnadu Temples