Srinivasa Perumal, Kandanur, Sivaganga

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Srinivasa Perumal	Ambal / Thayar:	Alamelu Mangai
Deity:	Perumal	Historical name:
Vriksham:		Teertham:
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	to & to	Parikaram:
Temple group:		–
Sung by:		Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Kandanur	District:	Sivaganga
Maps from (click):	Current location	Karaikudi (7 km)	Pudukkottai (37 km)
	Tiruchirappalli (97 km)	Madurai (100 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

Located very close to Karaikudi, the village of Kandanur is equally famous for this Perumal temple as it is for the nearby Siva temple for Sundareswarar.

The temple was built in the last 200 years by the local Nagarathar community, and hence there is no ancient sthala puranam associated with this temple.

The east-facing temple is preceded by the temple’s Teertham, on the east. The temple itself is well laid out and spacious, as well as quiet and serene, most fit for meditation.

A short tin-roofed corridor brings us to the main entrance under the temple’s raja gopuram. At this point, the temple’s plinth level is elevated. Beyond this is another short corridor to the mukha mandapam, with the outer prakaram beginning on the left.

Inside the mukha mandapam is a further elevated platform that houses the maha mandapam, dhwajasthambam, Garudazhvar shrine and the garbhagriham. The antarala itself is at an elevation of four steps from the maha mandapam, and inside the garbhagriham is a resplendent Srinivasa Perumal, together with Sridevi and Bhudevi.

The architecture and interiors of the temple are simple yet tastefully done in the classic Chettinadu style. A beautiful rasi mandalam adorns the ceiling of the maha mandapam. Even the individual shrines for various deities are simple yet functional. There are separate shrines for Alamelu Mangai Thayar and Andal, inside the mandapam. Through much of the temple, the upper portion of the inside walls are adorned with classy paintings from the Dasavataram of Vishnu. In the outer prakaram in the south-east corner, is a shrine for Chakrathazhvar with Yoga Narasimhar on the obverse side.