Thirukannapuram

Thirukannapuram is traditionally enumerated as number 12 among the 108 Divya Desams — the sacred abodes of Sri Maha Vishnu sung by the Alvars.

Thirukkannapuram is one of the forty divyadesams in Chola Nadu. It is located between Nagapattinam and Nannilam in Thanjavur Revenue district. The moolavar (main deity) is known as Neelamega Perumal and the utsavar (processional deity) is known as Sowriraja Perumal. The Goddess is known as Kannapuranayaki. The God is facing east and is seen in a standing posture.

Thirukkannapuram is one among the five Krishnaranya sthalams. The other four are Thirukkannangudi, Thirukkannamangai, Thirukapisthalam and Thirukovilur. This place is also known as Krishnapuram as Lord Krishna resides in this place. It is also known as Saptha punya kshetrams as it has got seven important holy attributes. They are relating to sthalam (place), vanam (forest), nadhi (river), kadal (ocean), nagaram (city), puskarani (holy tank), vimanam (tower on top of sanctum sanctorum). The place is significant because it is Krsna sthalam i.e. ‘the place where Lord Krsna is residing. The forest is holy as it is Dandakaranyam or Dandaka vanam. The river which adds to the holiness of this place is Kaveri. The sea is the Kizhai kadal i.e. the sea near Thirumalayapattinam. The city is Kannapura nagar i.e. Lord Krsna’s city. The tank is Nithiya pushkarani and the vimanam which adds to the holiness is known as Uthpalavathaka vimanam.

This place is also known as Ashtakshara mahamanthra siddhi sthalam (i.e. place where the efficacy of the Ashtakshara Mahamanthram is proved). It is believed that God taught Ashtakshara ma-

hamantram i.e. “Om Namo Narayana” mantram to Thirumangai Alvar in this place. At Srirangam Thiruvengadam, Srimushnam, Vanamamalai, Salagramam, Pushkaram, Badrikasramam, Naimisaranyam God is seen as only one letter of the Ashtakshara mantram. But in Thirukkannapuram God is known as Sarvakshara mantra swaroopi i.e. He is the full embodiment of the ashtakshara mantram as a whole - all the eight letters.

Srirangam is regarded as the God’s heavenly abode while Thirukkannapuram is His residence in this world. It is said that during His Ramavatharam (Reincarnation as Lord Rama), Vibhishana prayed to God to allow him to have the pleasure of seeing the beauty of His gait. At that time, God told him that on every Amavasai day i.e. New moon day, Vibhishana could go to Thirukkannapuram which is His kezh veedu i.e. his home on earth as against Mel vedu ie Vaikuntam and enjoy the beauty of His gait. Even today, on every new moon day, the Lord at Thirukkannapuram is taken round the temple with a peculiar gait which is almost like a majestic dance. A number of devotees throng the temple town to behold this beautiful sight.