9-Thiruvithuvakkodu - Sri Uyyavantha Perumal Temple Divya Desam

Sri Uyyavantha Perumal Temple is revered as one of the 108 Divya Desam temples , Sri Uyyavantha Perumal Temple is located in between Shoranur and Kalikkottai, Palakkad district of Kerala. This temple is revered as one of the 108 Divya Desam temples, dedicated to Lord Vishnu and also named as ‘Thiruvithuvakkodu’. Sri Uyyavantha Perumal Temple is believed to be in existence from Mahabharata period, one of the major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. Sri Uyyavantha Perumal temple is glorified in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, a Vaishnava canon, and mangalaasanam (devotional songs) were sang by the twelve azhwar saints.

Legend

The legend says that the King Ambhareeshan, who was the great devotee of Lord Vishnu, performed penance towards Lord Vishnu to get His blessings. Pleased by his devotion, Lord Vishnu appeared before him in the form of Lord Indra, the leader of the Devas. The King Ambhareeshan got disappointed and prayed that he performed penance only to get the blessings of Lord Vishnu. Overwhelmed by his boldness and true devotion, Lord Vishnu took His original form and blessed the King Ambhareeshan.

The king Ambhareeshan requested Lord Vishnu that he wish to get the Dharshan of Lord Vishnu as He is in the Vaiyugam, the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu, where the Lord faces in all the four directions). And as requested by the king Ambhareeshan, Lord Vishnu gives His Dharshan in all the four directions, and is worshiped by the name Lord Uyyavantha Perumal. And hence this Sri Uyyavantha Perumal Temple is called as the Mukthi Sthalam (the sacred place of emancipation) of Ambhareeshan.

Significance

The presiding deity of this Sri Uyyavantha Perumal Temple is Lord Uyyavantha Perumal (Lord Vishnu) also called as Lord Abhayapirathan (the protector) found in a standing posture facing towards the south. The goddess of this temple is called as Vithuvakkottu Valli Thaayar. She is also called by the name Padmapaani Naachiyaar. There are two separate sannidhis for Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu found in this temple, which signifies the unity of Shaivism, which revers Lord Shiva as the Supreme Being and Vaishnavism, which revers Lord Vishnu as the Supreme Being.

In the entrance of the temple there is a shrine for Lord Shiva and beside the shrine of Lord Shiva is the shrine of Lord Uyyavantha Perumal (Vishnu). The presiding deity Lord Uyyavantha Perumal is worshiped by the Pancha Pandavas, (five princes), the legends of epic Mahabharatham. They are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu, who ruled Hastinapura (a town and a nagar panchayat in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh). The Theertham (temple tank) of Sri Uyyavantha Perumal is called as Chakkara theertham and the Vimanam (tower above the sanctum sanctorum) of this temple is called as Thathuva Kanchana Vimanam.

Pooja Timings- The temple remains open from morning 5.00 AM to 10.30 AM and in the evening from 5.00 PM to 8.00 PM.

Festivals - Krishna Jeyanthi – August/September, Guru Purnima – June/July, Navarathri – September/October

Karthikai Deepam – November, Vaikunda Ekadasi – December/January

Location
By Road- Kulapully is the starting point of the Kulapully-Palakkad highway which was constructed under the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP). Long distance bus transport is provided by KSRTC.

By Train- Shoranur Junction is the largest Railway Junction in Kerala with seven platforms and four railway lines branching off to Palakkad, Kozhikode, Thrissur and Nilambur. The next nearest station is Pattambi station.

By Air- The nearest airport is at Calicut 73 km away from Shoranur.