Gopala Krishna Perumal Temple, Thirukkavalampadi
Thiru Kavalampaadi
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One of the eleven Nangur Divya Desams.
Sthala Purāṇam
Thiru Kavalampaadi, the Gopala Krishna Perumal Temple at Thirunangur near Sirkazhi, is one of the eleven Thirunangur Divya Desams and is glorified by Thirumangai Alvar in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham. By the overarching Thirunangur legend, Shiva, dancing in grief after the loss of his consort at Daksha's yajna, was pacified by Vishnu and asked Him to manifest in eleven forms matching the eleven Rudras, giving rise to the eleven Thirunangur shrines. The chief sthala puranam here is Krishnaite: Krishna and his consort Satyabhama are said to have chosen this place for a garden because it resembled the celestial garden of Indra. When Satyabhama desired the Parijata flower, Krishna sought it and brought the Parijata tree from Indralokam to fulfil her wish, the land here being abundant in Parijata. The temple's name is also explained by the legend that Krishna saved an elephant here, kavalam meaning elephant and padi a place; other accounts connect kavalam to a morsel of food accepted from a devotee. The presiding Gopalakrishna stands east-facing with consorts Rukmini and Satyabhama, the goddess being Sengamala Nachiar. The vimana is the Pushkala (Swayambu) Vimana and the tirtham is the Tadamalarppoikai. Each year, on the day after Thai Amavasai, the Perumal joins the grand Thirunangur Garuda Sevai of all eleven deities.
Mangalāśāsanam — the Āḻvār pāsurams
The Lord Gopala Krishna Perumal with Madhavi (Sengamala Nachiyar) of Thiru Kavalampaadi is glorified by:
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