“O odu Eru Kanjanodu... Sedu Eru Pozhil Thazhuvum Ezhil Kol Veethi Thiru Vizhavil Mani Anindha Thinnai Thorum…” - Periya Thiru Mozhi-7-8-9

In this verse, Thiru Mangai refers to the rows of houses, lining up the streets, in whose porticoes beautiful women queued up to watch the festivals and the glittering procession of the Lord of Therazhandur.

On May 25 this year, for over six hours, devotees watched this Periya Thirumozhi verse of Thiru Mangai come alive at the Therazhandur (Thiru Vazhandur) divyadesam near Mayiladuthurai with the grand celebration of Silver Garuda Vahana utsavam of Lord Aamaruviappan, the utsava processional deity.

Led by Srinivasan Bhattar, the priests brought Aamaruviappan from the Vasantha Mandapam at around 3 p.m. and spent over four hours on decorating the Lord and Garuda for this once in a year special Silver Garuda Vahana Utsavam, held in Vaikasi.

Clad in a beautiful pink silk dhoti and decked with shining jewels, Lord Aamaruviappan was adorned with 10 huge flower garlands. After all, was this not once the place of Punnai flowers everywhere? Just after 8 p.m. Lord Aamaruviappan was seated on the Garuda Vahanam. S

porting a bright green silk dhoti, He started out from the western end of Therazhandur and was taken in a procession around the four big Streets of Therazhandur with the priests of the temple continuously fanning the Lord with the Chamaram. The streets reverberated with the chanting of Periya Thirumozhi verses, rendered by Vedic scholars. .

Some verses, chanted during the procession, were about his valour and how he defeated Kamsa, thus bringing out His physical strength and some described His playful character such as His dancing with the gopikas and sneaking out for eating butter, curdled and kept by Yasoda, with all the pleasure in the world.

The streets around the temple were buzzing with activity through the night, as women spruced up the front yard to draw colourful patterns to welcome the Lord. And many were seen waiting at the porticoes of their homes to get a glimpse of the deity on his bird mount. It was well past 2 a.m. the next day when Lord Aamaruviappan made his way back into the temple after providing darshan. By 3 a.m., He was back at the ‘Kannadi arai’ bringing to an end the annual Silver Garuda Seva Utsavam.

‘Ther-Azhandur’ legend

The legend relating to this ancient Krishnaranya Kshetram of Therazhandur dates back to Krishna Avataram. The story goes that Brahma took away a herd of cows grazing around while Krishna was taking his bath and brought them to Therazhandur. Having quickly realised his folly Brahma approached him and requested him to provide darshan at Thiru Vazhandur.

Accepting his request, Krishna appeared as Aamaruviappan (Gosakan) in his ‘divine form’ along with a cow beside Him and a calf in front, a unique sight not seen in any other Krishnaranya divyadesa kshetram. The other Krishnaranya divyadesa kshetrams are Thiru Kannangudi, Kapisthalam, Thiru Kannapuram and Thiru Kannamangai.

Another story goes that King Uparisaravasu, who had secured a boon to fly, had become arrogant and incurred the wrath of the rishis who were undertaking penance at this place. The king had additionally received a boon that anyone on whom his chariot’s shadow falls would get into trouble.

Lord Krishna’s cows were at risk when the shadow of King Uparisaravasu’s chariot fell on them in this Krishnaranya Kshetram. Wanting to teach the arrogant king a lesson, Krishna pierced the chariot to prevent its further flight and it came down with a thud and got stuck to the ground. Hence, this place came to be referred as Ther-Azhandur. Answering the pleas of the king seeking forgiveness, the Lord is believed to have provided him darshan in his full divine form.

Unique feature

A special feature of this divyadesam is that moolavar, Lord Devathi Rajan is flanked by Garuda (Lord’s vehicle), Prahalad (of Asura clan), Cauvery (River) and Markandeya (Rishi).

Garuda, who was presented a gold ornament and a vimanam, is believed to have handed over the Vimanam to Lord Devathi Rajan here at Thiru Vazhandur. Pleased with this gesture, the Lord accorded him a special status here with a position alongside Him at the sanctum. Normally one finds Garuda opposite the Lord but here he is seen standing to the left of the Lord.

Prahalada undertook penance here seeking a softer and quieter version of the Lord. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu provided darshan to Prahalad as he requested. In connection with this, one finds Prahalada too alongside Lord Devathirajan to the right of the Lord.

Markandeya Rishi undertook penance here seeking moksham, while Cauvery did penance to liberate herself from Sage Agastya’s curse and hence they too are seen within the sanctum.

How to reach : Therazhandur is situated just over 10 km west of Mayavaram off the Kumbakonam Highway.

From Mayiladuthurai one may take a Kumbakonam-bound bus and get down at Komal Road Junction.

Auto fare from Komal Road bus stop is around Rs. 30. Direct town bus (route no. 33) is available every hour from Kumbakonam to Therazhandur.

By train, one may get down at the Courtallam station (five km from the temple) and take an auto (Rs. 100).

Auto fare from Mayavaram Junction is Rs. 175 (contact numbers: 96776 38763/99948 51538).

Therazhandur, once the capital of Karikala Chozha I, has been described beautifully by Thirumangai Azhwar in his Periya Thirumozhi Verses of the Naalaayira Divya Prabhandham.

Thirumangai Azhwar praises Therazhandur as a place where Vedic recital will be presented round the clock by Vedic seers, who performed fire sacrifices to bring rain to this region. In his verses, Azhwar describes the long and wide streets of Therazhandur as being beautiful with huge mansions and palaces, with rows of houses that had porticos where one never ceased to hear the dancing bells from the ankles of the beautiful ladies.

The place, where river Cauvery gushed with all its force, was fertile with groves, paddy fields, fishes that jumped all over in joy and punnai flowers all around. Therazhandur was always bubbling with activity and people were excited to come and witness the major festivals and the glittering procession of the Lord.

Chariot festival

Interestingly, Thirumangai also makes a mention of the Chariot festival that used to take place at the temple during his time. In one of the verses, he refers to ‘Dust arising from the Chariot Festival’ (Thugilin Kodiyum, Ther Thugalum……). We still find the chariot at the Eastern end of the temple and chariot festival continues to be celebrated in a grand manner at this temple.

Specifying the location of the Perumal temple at Therazhandur, Thirumangai indicates that the (Moolavar) Lord provided darshan standing tall with a conch and chakra from the Western end of Therazhandur (‘Azhandur Mel Thisai Ninra Ammaaney’).

In his Thiru Nedunthaandagam verse, Thirumangai refers to the Lord as Aamaruviappan (Aa Maruvi Nirai Meiytha Amarar Komaan Ani - Azhandur Ninraanukku) the only verse where he names the Lord.