Thiruppuliyur

Thiruppuliyur is traditionally enumerated as number 88 among the 108 Divya Desams — the sacred abodes of Sri Maha Vishnu sung by the Alvars.

miles), Thiruvanmandoor (to the northwest five miles), Thiru Aranmula (to the north ten miles), Thirukodithanam (to the north east from Thiruvalla four miles).

The moolavar here is known as Imaya Varappar. He is seen in a standing posture facing west. The Thayar is known as Sengamalavalli. The theertha is known as Sanga theertha as also Thiruchittrar. The vimanam i.e. temple tower above garbagriha is known as Jagajyothi vimanam. The Perumal appeared to Shiva.

The moment Chenganoor is mentioned people immediately think of only Bhagavathi Amman temple at Chengannoor as that is the more famous one. It is one of the powerful temples for Sakthi. However, the temple for Vishnu, one of the divya desa is also located at Thiruchittar, about one kilometer from Chengannoor on the Chengannoor Mannar route. It is widely believed that the idol at this temple was consecrated and worshipped by Dharmaputra, the eldest of the Pandavas. The tributary of river Pampa flows very close to the temple and it may be one of the reasons why the place is known as Thiruchittrar i.e. holy tributary river. In course of time, that name got corrupted as Thiruchittar, later Thiruchengannoor and much later as merely Chengannoor. The temple stands in a sprawling compound of about three to four

acres and it presents a very sorry picture of heart rending dilapidated ruins. One can only think of its bygone past glory when the Alvars visited the place and sang the praise of the Lord. For a long time, the management of the temple was vested with the Vanchi Puzhachiefs. At that time, there were a number of priests in charge of daily pooja, with regular neivedyam and feeding of many brahmins. It is said that nearly 23 measures of rice used to be cooked for offering as neivedyam to the Lord. The temple also reportedly had 200 paras of paddy fields attached to it. Festivals were conducted with pomp and pageantry. Temple arts such as Chakkiyar koothu, Nangayar koothu, Koodiattam, Koothukoli and Pancha vadyam were all performed, during the main annual festival held in the month of Meenam. But today all these are things of the past.