Thrivikrama Perumal Temple, Thirukkazhicheerama Vinnagaram

Sthala Purāṇam

Kaazhicheeraama Vinnagaram, the Thrivikrama Perumal Temple at Sirkazhi, also called Thadalan Kovil, is a Divya Desam where Vishnu is worshipped as Tiruvikrama (Thrivikrama) Narayana Perumal with his consort as Loga Nayaki Thayar. The principal legend is the Vamana avatar from the Bhagavata Purana: Vishnu, as a dwarf brahmin, asked the asura king Mahabali for three paces of land; granted the boon despite his guru Sukracharya's warning, the Lord grew to cosmic size and as Trivikrama strode over the heavens and the earth in two steps, and for the third placed His foot on Mahabali's head, granting him deathlessness. From this measuring of the worlds the processional deity is praised as Mann alantha Tadalan, the one who measured the land. A local legend tells of the sage Romasa (Lomasa), who performed severe penance here; pleased, Vishnu appeared as Trivikrama and granted him an immense lifespan, by which Brahma is said to lose a year with each falling hair of the sage. The temple is also famed for Thirumangai Alvar's encounter with the Saivite saint Tirugnana Sambandar: needing the Lord beside him, the Alvar summoned Perumal through a hymn on the Dasavatara, and the deity, having been preserved during the temple's earlier ruin, came forth and sat by him, after which the Alvar sang his pasuram. The vimana is the Pushkala Vimana, and the temple has the Sangu Pushkarani and Chakra Tirtham. The three-tiered rajagopuram is in Chola style with later Nayak patronage.

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