Loganatha Perumal, Tirukannangudi, Nagapattinam

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Loganatha Perumal	Ambal / Thayar:	Lokanayaki, Aravindavalli
Deity:	Perumal	Historical name:	Tirukannangudi
Vriksham:	Magizhamaram	Teertham:	Shravana Teertham, Nithya Pushkarini
Agamam:	Vaikhanasa	Age (years):
Timing:	6 to 12 & 5 to 8	Parikaram:
Temple group:	Divya Desam	–
Sung by:		Temple set: Pancha Krishna Kshetram, Krishna Aranya Kshetram, Pancha Narayana Kshetram
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Tirukannangudi	District:	Nagapattinam
Maps from (click):	Current location	Nagapattinam (11 km)	Tiruvarur (20 km)
	Mayiladuthurai (50 km)	Kumbakonam (58 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

Sage Vasishta used to worship an idol of Krishnan he made out of butter, which never melted due to the power of the sage’s devotion. Pleased with this, Krishnan, in the form of a small boy, took the idol and ran away, and was chased by the sage. The boy ran towards a magizha maram where some sages were in penance. Realising it was none other than Krishnan, the sages were able to tie him down with bhakti. But the boy asked the sages to protect him, and in turn, they asked Krishnan to stay here forever. Since Krishnan (Kannan in Tamil) came to stay here, the place gets the name Tiru-Kannan-kudi. Since the boy was now immobilised, Vasishta caught up with him, and tried to tie him to the tree, but the rope kept falling short of required length. Then the boy showed his true form to Vasishta and gave him jnana upadesam. Since the sage tried to tie him up to the tree, Vishnu here gets the name Damodara Perumal (the utsavar at this temple).

The above story has some interesting aspects connected with the epics. In the Ramayanam, Vasishta was guru to Rama, while here, it is Krishnan who is the guru by giving upadesam to Vasishta. Also, the connection to butter and trying to tie Krishnan up but the rope falling short, is similar to stories from the Mahabharatam.

In local culture, they say “Kaayaa Magizham, Uranga Puli, Theeraa Vazhakku, Ooraa Kinaru – Tirukannangudi“. These are four interesting things named after the incidents that took place here with Tirumangaiazhvar.

Kaayaa Magizham (forever fresh magizha maram)
Azhvar was carrying gold to Srirangam for the renovation work there. Tired and hungry, azhvar decided to rest for a while under the magizha maram. The tree fanned him with cool breeze, and so azhvar slept very well. when he woke up, he felt extreme hunger, and was fed by a man (Vishnu in disguise). As he was engrossed eating, he did not notice that the man had disappeared. Realising it was the Lord, azhvar worshipped Vishnu here as Loganatha Perumal. Because all of this happened under the magizha maram, azhvar blessed it to be fresh and blossoming forever.

Uranga Puli (the tamarind tree that never sleeps)
As it was night-time, he decided to rest for a while, and to prevent thieves from stealing the murti, he buried it under a tamarind tree, asking the tree to stay awake and guard the murti. Upon waking up the following morning, he noticed the tree still awake, and blessed the tree, naming it “uranga puli” (awake tamarind tree), and since then, it is believed that this tree – which is the temple’s sthala vriksham – does not sleep.

Theeraa Vazhakku (the endless dispute)
However, the owner of the land came there and claimed ownership of the gold, as it was on his land. He even proved his ownership with title documents, and an argument ensued between him and azhvar. Azhvar finally told him that he would get the documents to prove it was his gold, from Srirangam the following day. But azhvar never returned here, and the dispute is not yet resolved!

Ooraa Kinaru (the perpetually dry well)
Azhvar was thirsty and asked some women who were drawing water from a well, for some water. But regarding him as a troublemaker (after the episode with the landowner), they refused, and so azhvar cursed that water would not spring forth in that well. It is believed that this well has been dry since then.

During the temple’s annual festival, on one specific day, Vishnu here is anointed with vibhuti which is typically seen only in Saivite temples. It is regarded that this practice is to honour king Uparicharavasu.

Based on the temple’s architecture, this is a Chola temple. The moolavar and utsavar murtis are almost identical, which is unheard of in any other Vishnu temple.

The temple is also one of the Pancha Krishna Kshetrams (also called Krishna Aranya Kshetram or Krishna Mangala Kshetram), which are Tirukannamangai, Tirukannapuram, Kabisthalam, Tirukovilur and Tirukannangudi.