The Jakath Rakshaka Perumal temple or Thirukoodalur (locally known as Aduthurai Perumal Temple) is devoted to the Hindu god Vishnu and is located in Vadakurangaduthurai, a village on the outskirts of Kumbakonam in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

The Jakath Rakshaka Perumal temple, built in the Dravidian style, is mentioned in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, an early mediaeval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th to the 9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams devoted to Vishnu, known as Jakath Rakshaka, and his spouse Lakshmi, known as Pushpavalli.

The temple is thought to have been built in the late 8th century CE by the Mediaeval Cholas, with later contributions from Vijayanagara kings and Madurai Nayaks. The temple is surrounded by a brick wall, which encloses all of its shrines and bodies of water.

Story/Legend of the Jakath Rakshaka Perumal temple

According to Hindu legend, King Ambarisha, who became engrossed in Vishnu devotion, failed to raise his army and therefore lost his kingdom. He also failed to see the sage Durvasa who passed by on his way to worship. The sage became enraged and cursed the king. The king sought help from Vishnu, who dispatched his discus to pursue the sage. The sage asked for forgiveness from Vishnu and resigned. The temple is said to have been erected by King Ambarishan, therefore the presiding deity here is also known as Ambarisha Varadhar. This temple is considered one of the 108 Divya Desams.

What is Divya Desams– A Divya Desam or Vaishnava Divya Desam is one of the 108 Vishnu and Lakshmi temples recorded by the Alvars, the poet-saints of the Sri Vaishnava faith. 105 of the 108 temples are in India, one is in Nepal, and the final two are thought to be in space, in Tirupparkatal and Vaikuntham. They are distributed over the Indian states of Tamil Nadu (84), Kerala (11), Andhra Pradesh (2), Gujarat (1), Uttar Pradesh (4), and Uttarakhand (3). Muktinath, Saligramam is Nepal’s sole Divya Desam. The 12 Alvars respect the Divya Desams in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, a collection of 4,000 Tamil hymns.

History of Jakath Rakshaka Perumal temple

This Dravidian-style temple is thought to have been built by the Cholas monarchs in the late 8th century CE, with the following contributions from the Vijayanagar and Madurai Nayak kings. Lord Jagath Rakshaka Perumal stands in the sanctum sanctorum, while his consort Pushpavalli can be worshipped in a separate shrine.

The temple is surrounded by a brick wall and the main tower, a three-tiered Rajagopuram. Suddha Satwa Vimana is the name of the tower that stands above the main shrine. Rani Mangammal repaired the temple chariot Ambarisha Ratha, which was in use until recently. This shrine also contains a statue of this queen.

The architecture of Jakath Rakshaka Perumal temple

The temple is four miles from Ayyampet and is on the Kumbakonam-Tiruvayyaru Road. The temple is thought to have been built in the late 8th century CE by the Mediaeval Cholas, with later contributions from Vijayanagara kings and Madurai Nayaks. The temple is surrounded by a brick wall, which encloses all of its shrines and bodies of water. The central shrine features a standing figure of Jakath Rakshaka Perumal. The Pushpavalli shrine faces south.

A three-tiered rajagopuram (gateway tower) stands guard over the shrine. Ramanuja, Alvars, Andal, and Garuda each have their shrine. Suddha Satwa Vimana is the name of the vimana or tower above the sanctum. Ambarisha Ratha, a chariot refurbished by Rani Mangammal, remained in use until the 1940s when it was retired. In the temple, there is a statue of the queen.

Facts about Jakath Rakshaka Perumal temple

• Jakath Rakshaka is believed to have appeared to sage Nandaka and King Ambarisha.
• Jagad Rakshaka is considered the saviour deity and he is believed to descend from all forms of life on the planet.
• In one hymn, Thirumangai Alvar praises the temple in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the 7th-9th century Vaishnava canon.
• The temple is classified as a Divya Desam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples mentioned in the book.
•  The temple is associated with Ketu, one of the Navagrahas, the nine planet deities of Hinduism.
• While Vishnu used his discus to pursue the sage Durvasa, his second symbol, the conch, gained prominence. The conch is said to have appeared behind the sanctum in a jackfruit tree.
• Devotees worship the conch in the tree in the temple and during festive occasions, perform special rituals.
• It is believed that the Perumal would protect his devotees, and his Chakra, the discus, can help them to ward off all troubles.
•  The grace of the Lord can enable the devotees to progress in their worldly lives, and also attain spiritual advancement.

Famous Festivals In Jakath Rakshaka Perumal temple

• The Brahmotsavam festival is celebrated in the Tamil month of Vaikasi (May–June).
• Srisukta Homam, a religious practice, is performed in the temple with 108 lotus leaves on full moon days.
• Diwali – Diwali is one of the most admired and auspicious festivals in the town.
• Chitra Poornima is also a significant occasion for celebration in the temple.
• Vaikuntha Ekadashi – Vaikuntha Ekadashi celebrated during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December–January) is the major festival celebrated in the temple.

How To reach Jakath Rakshaka Perumal temple

Jakath Rakshaka Perumal Temple or Thirukoodalur (locally called Aduthurai Perumal Temple) is located in Vadakurangaduthurai, a village on the outskirts of Kumbakonam in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

By Air: Trichy International Airport is approximately 90 km from the temple. Devotees should take road transportation from there to the temple.

By Railway: Kumbakonam railway Station is 27 Km from the temple.

By Roadways: This temple is located 22 kilometres from Kumbakonam on the Tiruvaiyaru-Kumbakonam highway. However, buses depart from Kumbakonam every half hour.

Also Read – Gajendra Varadha Perumal Temple