Nitya Kalyana Perumal, Tiruvidandhai, Kanchipuram

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Nitya Kalyana Perumal	Ambal / Thayar:	Komalavalli Thayar
Deity:	Perumal	Historical name:	Tiruidanthai
Vriksham:	Punnai	Teertham:	Varaha Teertham, Kalyana Teertham
Agamam:	Vaikhanasa	Age (years):	1000-2000
Timing:	6 to 12 & 3 to 8	Parikaram:
Temple group:	Divya Desam	–
Sung by:		Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Tiruvidandhai	District:	Kanchipuram
Maps from (click):	Current location	Chennai (43 km)	Tiruvallur (69 km)
	Kanchipuram (74 km)	Viluppuram (152 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

Jaya and Vijaya, the gatekeepers at Vaikuntam, were cursed by the Sanatkumaras to be born as asuras, rakshasas and then humans, before being able to return to Vaikuntam. They therefore became Hiran yakshan (from the Varaha avataram) and Hiranyakashipu (Narasimha avataram). Hiranyakshan obtained a boon of invincibility from Brahma, and emboldened by this, hid Bhudevi under the ocean. To save her, Vishnu took the form of a boar (varaham) and after defeating Hiranyakshan in a duel lasting 1000 years, was able to rescue Bhudevi. She wanted to marry him, and so the Lord seated her on His lap at this place. Typically, the wife is shown seated on the left (idam, in Tamil) side of the lap, and so the place got the name Tiru-Ida-Endhai (Endhai meaning “my Lord”). Vishnu is depicted as Vahara Perumal with Bhudevi on his lap.

Sage Kuni performed penance and reached swargam, but his daughter could not, since she was not married. Sage Galva married her, and together they had 360 daughters. The sage wanted to get them married off to Vishnu as Varaha, and so a wedding was conducted each day of the year – once with every one of the sage’s daughters. Therefore, the deity here is named Nitya Kalyana Perumal (the one who gets married every day). Needless to say, this makes the temple a prarthana sthalam for those wanting to get married.

In another slightly different puranam, Sage Galva wanted to marry off his 360 daughters to Vishnu and so prayed constantly for this, but Vishnu did not appear. One day, a handsome man approached the sage, stating he was on a pilgrimage of the Divya Desams, and since Vishnu had not yet appeared, the sage asked the youth to marry his daughters – one a day. On the day of the last marriage, the youth showed his real form – Vishnu as Varaha.

All 360 daughters were Lakshmi in various forms, and upon conclusion of the last marriage, they all merged as one, becoming Akhilavalli Thayar. Sage Galva’s first daughter was named Komalavalli, and so Thayar is also named Komalavalli Thayar here.

In the treta yugam, the asuras Maali, Maalayavaan and Sumali requested Mahabali to fight alongside them against the devas. But Mahabali refused and so the asuras were defeated. When they approached him again, he agreed, and they vanquished the devas, but as a result, Mahabali was afflicted with brahmahathi dosham. He worshipped at this temple to be rid of the dosham.

Nitya Kalyana Perumal is actually the utsava murti at this temple, while the moolavar is Varaha Perumal. According to inscriptions in the temple, the utsavar also had the name Manavaala (bridegroom) Perumal at one time.

The temple is said to date back to the 7^th or 8^th century, having been originally built by the Pallavas, though a lot of the structural architecture today are improvements and expansions by later Cholas. According to the inscriptions in the temple, 12 fishermen and their families were assigned the task of taking care of this temple, in the time of Raja Raja Chola I. The installation of the Thayar was done by a merchant from Mylapore. Rajendra Chola is said to have donated the entire village of Tiruvidanthai to the temple, while Raja Raja Chola I, Kulothunga Chola I, and Jatavarman Vira Pandyan II have established festivals and made specific contributions to the temple. In addition, the Rashtrakutas and Pandyas have also worshipped at this temple, according to the inscriptions. The temple also has some fantastic architecture, particularly on the pillars in the outer mandapam. In terms of iconography, the moolavar (Varaha Perumal) is seen in amarndha kolam, with Thayar on his left thigh, and one foot resting on Adiseshan.

Interestingly, the sthala vriksham is the Punnai tree, which is usually associated with Siva temples.

Other information for your visit

Nearby Mamallapuram is home to the Sthala Sayana Perumal temple, as well as the Tiruvalavendhai Adi Varaha Perumal temple. It is believed that the Adi Varaha Perumal temple is older, and the place is named so because, in contrast to Tiruvidanthai (or Tiru-Ida-Endhai), that temple shows Bhudevi on Varaha’s right lap (vala is Tamil for right, and hence Tiru-Vala-Endhai).