Varadharajaperumal temple, Thirubuvanai

Varadaraja Perumal temple (also called Thirubuvanai Temple and Thodatri Perumal temple) in the South Indian union territory of Puducherry, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. It is located in Thirubuvanai, a village, located 23 km (14 mi), in the outskirts of Puducherry. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is a storehouse of Chola architecture and believed to have been built by Parantaka I (907-950 AD). The temple has inscriptions from the time of Rajaraja Chola (985–1014 AD) indicating an educational institution operating in the temple.

Varadaraja Perumal Temple
Thirubuvanai Temple
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DistrictPuducherry
Deity
Location
LocationThirubuvanai Village, Pondicherry
StatePuducherry
CountryIndia
Location in Tamil Nadu
Geographic coordinates11°55′39″N 79°38′51″E
Architecture
TypeDravidian architecture

A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines. The temple has a flat rajagopuram, the temple's gateway tower. The temple follows Vaikasana Agama tradition of worship and is active in worship practices. The temple is maintained and administered by the Archaeological Survey of India as a protected monument.

History
Sculptures in the footsteps

The temple is originally believed to be built by the Cholas - Parantaka I (907-950 AD) and was called Setangi Vinnagar. There are inscriptions dated 1048, the 30th regnal year of Rajaraja I (985–1014 AD), mentioning teaching Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Chandogasama, Talavakrasama, Apurva, Vajnasaneya, Bodhayaniya Sathashatandha Sutra and explanations of sastras and epics like Ramayana are also found in the temple.[1] There are also mention of the remuneration to the teachers and students in the form of paddy.[2] There are inscriptions in the temple from the period of Rajadhiraja Chola indicating recital of Tiruvaimozhi, the famous works of the Azhwar saint Nammazhwar. The regions changed hands from British to French colonial Empire during the 17th century. Most temples in the place were destroyed during the French invasion, but the temple was spared.[3]

Architecture
Main sanctum in the temple

It is located in Thirubuvanai, a village, located 23 km (14 mi), in the outskirts of Puducherry in the Puducherry - Villupuram highway.[4] Like the temples during the medieval Chola period, the temple has a flat gateway tower. The sanctum houses the image of Varadaraja Perumal in seated posture 5 ft (1.5 m) is made of granite sporting four arms. Two of his arms hold the conch and Chakra, while the other two sport Abayamudra and Kadahasta. The images of Sridevi and Bhudevi are located on either of his side. The Ardha mandapa is guarded by two Dwarapalas on either sides. There is a separate shrine of Andal in the second precinct, which also houses the festival image. The vimana of the temple is spherical and resembles the ones in Viralur Boomeswar temple and Kowkishewar temple at Kanchipuram. The four sides of the vimansa houses the image of devakostas in all four directions.[5] The temple has many legends sculpted on its walls, the notable being the legend of Krishna stealing the dresses of Gopikas.[6] A boat representation in the temple has reliefs from Ramayana.[7]

Festival and religious importance
Sculpted images on the walls

The temple is maintained and administered by the Archaeological Survey of India as a protected monument.[8] Though it is an archaeological temple, it is active is worship practises and follows Vaikhanasa Agama. The temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. As at other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Vaishnavaite community, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals are performed four times a day: Ushathkalam at 7 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 p.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m., and Ardha Jamam at 8:00 p.m. Each ritual has three steps: alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for the presiding deity. During the worship, religious instructions in the Vedas (sacred text) are recited by priests. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals performed in the temple.[2] The temple has many festivals as indicated in the inscriptions in the temple. Tamil New year during the Tamil month of Chittirai (April - May), Vaikuntha Ekadashi during Margazhi (December - January), Sankaranthi during Thai (January - February) followed by Theerthavari in Pamba river are the major festivals celebrated in the temple.[2]

References
  1. Ayyar, P. V. Jagadisa (1982). South Indian Shrines: Illustrated. Asian Educational Services. p. 182. ISBN 9788120601512.
  2. Madhavan, Chithra (2014). Vishnu temples of South India, Volume 4, Tamil Nadu (1st ed.). Alpha Land Published Pvt. Limited. pp. 71–76. ISBN 978-81-908445-3-6.
  3. Pal, Susant (2014). Imbibed In Faith. Partridge Publishing. p. 284. ISBN 9781482812596.
  4. Census of India, 1981: Pondicherry - Volume 13, Parts 1-2. India. Directorate of Census Operations, Pondicherry. Controller of Publications. p. 75.
  5. P., Raja; Keshari, Rita Nath (2005). Glimpses of Pondicherry. Busy Bee Books.
  6. Hawley, John Stratton (2014). Krishna, The Butter Thief. Princeton University Press. p. 85. ISBN 9781400855407.
  7. Saklani, Dinesh Prasad (2006). Rāmāyaṇa tradition in historical perspective. Pratibha Prakashan. p. 29.
  8. "List of Monuments and Sites:Puducherry Sub-circle". Archaeological Survey of India. 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
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