Located 6km North West of the Mayiladuthurai Railway Station is the 12th Century AD Srinivasa Perumal temple in Vaanamutti (now Kozhi Kuthi) on the Northern Banks of the Cauvery, built during the rule of Kulothunga Chozha III, where the Moolavar is seen in a gigantic 14 feet standing posture. The vigraham is a Mooligai Varna Kala vigraham.
The Story
King Nirmalan, who ruled the Kodagu hills, developed a certain skin disease with rashes all over his body. The king moved out of the kingdom to find a solution to his troubles.
Narada Rishi took the form of a hunter, met the king and explained the sins of his previous births. In one of this previous birth, as a Brahmin, he had not performed the duties of Brahmin Dharma and had failed to perform the Pitru Karma and had hence developed the ‘Go-Hathi’ Dosham.
In his previous birth as a Vanniya Chettiar, he had committed crimes in business and was hence bearing the brunt of those sins in this current birth.
Narada directed the king to undertake penance at the foot of the Kodagu Hills. Later, an invisible voice asked him to move from the foot of the hills to bathe along the banks of the Cauvery.
When he reached Moovalur, 2km South of here, and had bath in the Cauvery, Lord Shiva provided darshan and asked him to go North and undertake penance to invoke the blessings of Lord Vishnu. As Shiva directed and showed the King the way to cleanse himself from his sins, he is referred to at this place as Maarga Sahaya Vazhikaattum Nathan at the temple in Moovalur.
King Nirmalan continued his penance here. On the Shravanam Amavasya day in Thai, Lord Vishnu appeared in a form of a fig tree and provided darshan from the middle of the tree. The four leaves became the four hands of the Lord and another set of leaves turned into an umbrella with the root of the tree being the feet of the Lord.
With King Nirmalan touching the root of the tree – the feet of the Lord, the place to the East of where the temple is currently, turned into a Vishwa Pushkarani, the sacred tank. After having bath here at the Pushkarani, he was liberated from Kodi Hathi Curse and Pitru Sabham and was relieved from his skin disease.
Having had darshan of Lord Vishnu and Mahalakshmi Thaayar, King Nirmalan became a rishi and undertook penance on the banks of the Cauvery. Staying here, Pippalla Maha Rishi composed a sloka on liberation from Sani Graha Dosham
Later he attained Moksham at this place. To this day, in memory of this event, one can see a mandapa of Pippalla Rishi.
The Name of this place
As he was liberated from Kodi Hathi Dosham, this place came to be referred to as Kodi Hathi Paapa Vimochana puram which in course of time became Kozhi Kuthi, the name by which this place is referred to now.
Inscriptions
There are three separate inscriptions inside the temple. One of the inscriptions refers to the process of liberation from Sani Dosham if a devotee presents Anna Dhanam to 10Brahmins on 51 Saturdays. The process details having a head bath, presenting Nallennai in a bronze vessel with four vegetables and one green (Keerai) vegetable.
Relief from Skin Diseases
This temple is a Parikara Sthalam for liberation from Skin Diseases. Belief is that if one visits the temple, has bath at the Vishwa Pushkarani and offers his sincere prayers to Vaanamutti perumal, he will be relieved from any kind of skin disease.
Saptha Swara Anjaneya
A 3 ½ feet Anjaneya is seen in the form of a Saptha Swara Swaroopa form with his tail up behind his head and with a bell.
Festivals
Aani Rohini – Abhishekam
3 day Pavitrotsavam
Brahmotsvam in Thai (Chariot Festival on Sravanam)
Monthly Sravanam is a special day at the temple
Quick Facts
Moolavar : Vaanamutti Perumal East Facing Standing Posture
Thaayar : Daya Lakshmi
Utsavar : Abhaya Srinivasa Perumal
Time : 8am-12noon and 430pm-8pm
Contact : Varadaraja Bhattar @ 97872 13226 or Secy @ 98424 23395
How to reach
From Mayavaram Bus Stand, drive on the Kumbakonam Highway. Take a right at Moovalur (2kms from Railway station) and drive North 4kms to reach Vaanamutti.
Alternately, from Mayavaram take the Poompuhar – Kallanai road (North of Railway station) to take a right at Chozhapettai to reach Vaanamutti
Auto from railway station is available
Source: Sri Prabhu
