16 December 2021, Plava varusha, Margazhi-01, Thursday;
Uraiyur temple is within Trichy city, about 4km from trichy Junction and 1.5km from chatram bus stand.
Main deities are: Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal and Sri kamalavalli Nachiyar. Thayar is the main deity here, and thus, the temple is also called “Nachiar koil”. Thayar was found in a lotus in a pond on the day of Panguni Aayilyam. Hence, it is very special to have Her darshan on Aayilya nakshatram and seek the blessings.
At the sanctum sanctorum, Azhagiya Manavala Perumal and Kamalavalli Thayar are giving darshan in the wedded, standing posture. As Lord Ranganathar himself incarnated as the Perumal and married Thayar, and thereby the deities face the north, in the direction of Ranganathar (Sri Rangam).
Special features of the temple:
- # Worshipping here on the day of Aayilyam is believed to remove obstacles for marriage.
- # At the Moolasthanam, Thayar alone appear as Utsavar.
- # Sandal paste is offered as Prasad, instead of Kumkum, which is usually offered as Prasad in Perumal temples.
- # Only black pepper (and not red chillies) is used to prepare food offerings to Thayar.
- # This is the birth place of Thirupanazhwar, one of the 12 azhwars.
- # Instead of Perumal entering Sorka vaasal on Vaikunta ekadasi, Thayar takes the privilege in this temple.
- # During festival Purappadu, thayar moves forward, followed by Perumal.
The presiding Deity is Azhagiya Manavaalan in the standing posture carrying Sanku and Chakra in His hands. Komalavalli Thayar is also in the same sanctum in the seated posture carrying a lotus on Her hands. The Theertham is Kalyana Theertham and the Vimanam Kalyana Vimanam. According to the legend a valiant rooster is believed to have warded off an elephant with it’s beak and gained the name Tirukkozhi – Mookkeeswaram.
The Sthala puranam says that King Nandha Chola who was ruling the Chola Dynasty with Uraiyur as his capital. He was a a devotee of Perumal at Srirangam. He prayed to Lord Ranganatha to be blessed with a child. Once while going for a hunt, the King found a child on a lotus in a pond. He brought the child home and named her Komalavalli and brought her up with affection. As she grew up, she admired the beauty of Sri Ranganathar, whenever she visited the Srirangam temple, and was expressing her desire to marry the Lord. One day, the Lord appeared in the dream of the king and told him that the child is none other than Mahalakshmi Herself and asked the king to arrange for the marriage of Komalavalli with Him. The king was delighted to find that his daughter is Mahalakshmi and Lord Ranganatha is going to be his son-in-law. Accordingly, the king arranged for the marriage and Komalavalli, dressed as the bride, vanished as she entered the sanctum of Lord Rangantha. The king built a temple at Uraiyur commemorating the marriage of Komalavalli and Ranganathar.
Kalyana Uthsavam is being celebrated on Panguni Pooram during the month of March-April, when the Utsava Vigraham of Lord Ranganathar is brought to Tirukkozhi from the Srirangam temple in pallakku. All the houses will be decorated with plantain tree and rangolis in their house entrance to welcome their son in law. On Sixth day of Panguni uthiram festival of Srirangam temple, Panguni Aayilyam, Sri Kamalavalli Thayar’s janma nakshatram, Perumal visits the uraiyur temple once a year and blesses the devotees in Serthi sevai. Then, SriRanganathar returns to Srirangam on Panguni Uthiram – Sriranganayaki thayar’s thirunakshatram utsavam.
There is no Perumal’s Utsava Vigraham in this temple. There is a separate sannidhi for Tiruppaan Azhwar on the northern side of the temple tank. The temple has exquisitely carved sculptures and ornamented pillars and large mandapams.
In this temple, Periya Piratti gives her seva in two different ways. One is Irundha Seva and the other is Kidantha Seva. By combining these two sevas, she gives seva in the form “Urayum”, this temple is called “Thiru Uraiyur”.
There are 4 Pushkarani in this Uraiyur Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple they are Sri Kamala Pushkarani, Kalyana Pushkarani, Suryapushkarani Pushkarani and Kudamurutinadhi Pushkarani.
Azhwar Mangalaasaasanam:– Pasuram 1762 sung by Tirumangai Azhwar, Pasuram 667 sung by Kulasekhara Azhwar –(Pasuram numbers as found in Naalaayira Divya Prabhandam)
Festivals:
1) Kodai Utsavam – Vaikasi/Aani – 10 days festival
2) Vasantha Utsavam – Vaikasi/Aani – 7 days festival
3) Navaratri Utsavam – Purattasi – 9 days festival
4) Dolothsavam – on ThiruKarthigai – 7 days festival
5) ThiruAdhyayana Utsavam – Thai/Maasi – 11 days festival
6) Theppa Utsavam – Maasi – 7 days festival
7) Kalyana utsavam- Panguni Pooram-1 day festival
8) Sri Azhagiya Manavalan Serthi – 1 day festival
9) Kamalavalli Thayar Thirunakshatram-Panguni Aayilyam – 1 day festival
10) Apart from the above uthsavams, thaayar will have purappadu on every friday.
There is no Brahmotsavam performed in this divya desam temple.
How to Reach the Temple:
By Road:
Tiruchirappalli International Airport is just 11 kms and Tiruchirappalli is well connected by road to Madurai, Chennai, Pondicherry and Thanjavur/Tanjore.
By Train:
Tiruchirappalli is an important Railway junction of the Southern Railways. It connects many important cities and towns of South India such as Chennai, Thanjavur, Madurai and Chidambaram.
By Air:
Trichy/Tiruchirapalli is well connected to cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Madurai, and Colombo. The Trichy airport is about 7 km from the city.
Timings: 6.30 am to 8.00 am, 9.30 am to 12.00 noon and 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm.
