Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Kaveripakkam

Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal, Kaveripakkam

Vaishnavite

God

Venkatesa Perumal, facing east

Goddess

Alarmel Mangai, facing east

Other Deities

Nagabaranabhooshana Garudalwar

Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Kaveripakkam is medium sized temple with 2 Prakarams and a small temple tank in front of the entrance. The uniqueness here is that Lord Vishnu is in standing posture on the Aavudayar (base of a Shiva Lingam). Another specialty here is Garuda is seen with nine serpents as ornaments. Considered as a confluence of Saivism and Vaishnavism the temple also has 2 sacred flora – Vilwam for Lord Shiva and Tulsi plant for Lord Vishnu. Atop the Vimaanam of the sanctum sanctorum are depicted Dakshinamurthy in the south, Lakshmi Narasimha in the west, Brahma in the north and Gajendra Varadar in the east.

Holy water (Theertham) – Pundarika Theertham

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Vilwam (Aegle marmelos) , Tulsi (Basil)

Vimaanam – Pundareega Vimaanam

History

No information

Legend

Sage Pundarika during his pilgrimage of Vishnu Temples saw this temple and went inside expecting to see Lord Vishnu whereas he saw a Shivalingam. Disappointed he came out to meet an old man who consoled him and took him to see Lord Vishnu standing on the same spot on top of the base of the Shivalingam here at Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Kaveripakkam. The old man is believed to have been Lord Shiva himself.

To restore the waning luster of Moon (Chandran) one of his wives Thiruvonam (a celestial star) performed a penance to Lord Vishnu here at Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Kaveripakkam who gave back the light and shine to Chandran.

Directions

Take a left at the Kaveripakkam junction (between Kancheepuram and Arcot) on the Chennai-Bangalore highway and follow the directions to reach Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal Kaveripakkam. There are about 3 other temples on this side and about 8 on the right side of the junction. A patient day spent here would be worth it!

Stay and Food

Kaveripakkam has some small snack shops in the junction. You have the famous Murugan Idli Shop a few kilometers away on the highway.

Vaishnavite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples