Vaikuntavasa Perumal, sitting posture, facing east
Vaikuntavasa Perumal, sitting posture, facing east
Sreedevi and Bhoodevi, facing east seated with the main deity
Garuda, Venugopalan, Chakarathazhwar, Kaalinga Nardhana
Vaikuntavasa Perumal Nemili is an ancient east facing temple which has been renovated in recent times. The main deity is in a grand sitting posture with his consorts Sreedevi and Bhoodevi. The processional deity is Nithya Kalyana Perumal and is depicted with flowers and a bracelet. Vaikuntavasa Perumal Nemili is considered a Parikara Sthalam for Rahu-Kethu Dosham (remedial place for the ill effects of Rahu and Kethu). The temple administration was planning to build a Raja Gopuram some years back when we visited. It is believed that Ramanuja visited this temple and stayed here on his way from Sriperumbudur to Tirupathi. Hence, this is also considered an Abhimana Sthalam (denotes importance and stature).
Holy Water (Theertham) – No information
Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Arasa Maram (Ficus relegiosa)
The last of the Pallava Kings Aparajitha Varma (period of rule c.880-897 CE) built Vaikuntavasa Perumal Nemili. He was killed in c.897 CE in a battle against Aditya I. He also installed a Utsava (Processional) deity in his name ‘Aparajitha’.
Rastrakuta King Krishna III (period of rule c.939 – 967 CE) undertook renovations at Vaikuntavasa Perumal Nemili as per an inscription in Tamil dating back to 961 CE.
A 920 CE inscription in Tamil of Parantaka Chola I records the gift of land free of taxes for worship and offerings during the mid day service and for a lamp in the temple to the Sabha of Nenamali (the then name of the place). Another inscription of 945 CE records a tax free gift of 1000 kuli of land near the tank.
A 967 CE inscription on the west wall records the remission of tax on 1000 kuli of land granted for sounding of music in the temple. A Tamil inscription on the West wall relating to Parantaka Chola II (also called Parantaka Sundara Chola 957 – 973 CE), mentions a gift of sheep in 973 CE for maintaining the lamp. The North wall of the Sanctum sanctorum has inscriptions in both Tamil and Telugu that provides information on the length of the measuring rod by two marks on the wall, the space between which measures 18 spans.
A 1010 CE Raja Raja I Inscription on the South Wall provides details of taxes to be levied on crops raised on different kinds of lands. Death duty was to be levied on Brahmana community to be utilised for benefit of the temple tank. Inscriptions relating to the rule of Rajendra Chola I dating back to 1032 CE record the gift of 95 sheep for a lamp and the gift of a copper lamp stand to the temple by a shepherd. A 1054 CE Rajendra II inscription records the sale of 500 kuli of land by the Maha Sabha for maintaining a perpetual lamp in the temple. An inscription in Tamil and Telugu dating back to 1252 CE records the gift of 1010 kuli of land to the deity for four lamps and for offering during Thirupalli Ezhuchi. Another inscription records Raja Kesari Varma’s gifting of sheep for a lamp.
Information collected and compiled from various blogs and online sources.
A farmer of the village promised Vaikuntavasa Perumal to give him a large share of the grain from his land. Eventually he was rewarded with a bountiful yield that year but the farmer went back on his word and the rice grains which were heaped like a hill suddenly changed to a hill of stone. The repentant farmer fell at the feet of the God. Accepting his apology the lord took a single rice grain in his two fingers and gave back the rest to the farmer. The presiding deity at Vaikuntavasa Perumal Nemili is still seen holding a rice grain in his left hand.
Once during a deluge the villagers were afraid that the adjoining tank might breach and flood their village. They prayed to the Lord here at Vaikuntavasa Perumal Nemili to prevent this calamity and he is believed to have saved the village and thus is also called Eri Kaatha Ramar.
Another story is that Sage Narada feeling sorry for Lord Venkatachalapathy (of Thirupati), who had been in standing position for Yugas requested him to be seated for a while and he chose this place to do so.
Vaikuntavasa Perumal Nemili is 10 km from Thiruthani on the road to Nagalapuram in the Thiruthani-Nindra-Pichatoor route and 3 km before Nallattur. Refer our map below to reach the temple.
None locally, Thiruttani is the nearest