Temples of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry #120: Bhaktavatsala Perumal Temple, Thiruninravur

பக்தவத்சலப்பெருமாள் திருக்கோயில், திருநின்றவூர்

Bhaktavatsala Perumal, Thiruninravur

Bhaktavatsala Perumal, Thiruninravur

Bhaktavatsala Perumal, Thiruninravur

Bhaktavatsala Perumal, Thiruninravur

Bhaktavatsala Perumal, Thiruninravur

Bhaktavatsala Perumal, Thiruninravur

Located very close to Chennai, just outside its western outskirts, this celebrated Divya Desam Temple is an important Vishnu temple. Sung in praise in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, the collection of sacred works in Tamil by the Tamil Vaishnavite saints during the 7th to 9th centuries, the temple has ancient origins. The temple is close to the ancient Sivan sthalam, the Hridayaleeswarar temple in Thiruninravur.

It is believed that Mahalakshmi who is also called Thirumagal, once had an argument with Lord Vishnu, her husband and strode off in a huff and kept walking away. Eventually, her anger subsided and she stood here contemplating her next move. "Ninra" means stood in Tamil and the site became known as Thiruninravur, the village where Thirumagal stood. Her father Samudrarajan, the Lord of the Ocean caught up with her, pacified her and facilitated domestic peace in the Lord's household. In that process he addressed her as mother and the goddess here came to be known as Ennai Petra Thaayaar. The Lord here is in a standing posture. Another reason for the name of the sacred site. Lord Kubera, the God of wealth regained his wealth by worshipping the goddess here.

The original construction of the temple is dated to the late 8th or early 9th century. The earliest inscriptions are dated between 820 and 890 CE. There is an inscription from the reign of Pallava king. Nripatungavarman. There are later inscriptions from Chola kings, Rajendra Cholan II (1051-1063), Vira Rajendra Cholan (1063-1070) and Rajaraja Cholan II (1146-1173). The Vijayanagar kings and Nayakkan kings have also contributed. According to an inscription on the northeast side of the temple from 1917 a lady has donated her house to feed devotees who come to this temple.

The temple faces east with a 5 tier rajagopuram at the entrance. A granite wall encloses all the shrines within the temple including two spacious prakarams and two bodies of water. It is a large temple. The ceilings have beautiful carvings. The sanctum houses a large 10 foot high idol of Lord Vishnu in standing posture as Bakthavatsala Perumal. There is a separate shrine for the goddess Ennai Petra Thaayaar. The vimanam over the sanctum sanctorum is beautiful and is a Utpala Vimanam. There are are many unique shrines including one for the divine serpent Adhiseshan.

The main theertham is is the pond named Varuna Pushkarani. The sthavirutcham is the Parijatham. It is a very active temple and has all six poojas daily. It follows the Thenkalai tradition. Many festivals are celebrated with the main Brahmotsavam around the Panguni Thiruvonam in March/April. The Pedda Jeeyar of Thirupathi is the trustee of this temple. Today it is under the control of the HR and CE Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

As a Divya Desam temple, it is one of the temples celebrated in the Naalaayira Divya Prabandham, the Tamil Vaishnavite saints, the Alwar, in the 7-8th centuries. Called the mangalasasanams they praise Lord Vishnu in 108 sacred sites. This temple was sung in praise by Thirumangai Alwar. There is an interesting story about it. When Thirumangai Alwar visited here, it was late at night and he did not want to disturb the Lord and did not sing a pasuram here. The Lord here really wanted a pasuram and caught up with Thirumangai Alwar at Thirukadalmalai at Mamallapuram and again at Thirukannamangai in the Kaveri Delta and elicited pasurams from him. He sang thus:

நீண்டவத்தைக் கருமுகிலை எம்மான்தன்னை

நின்றவூர் நித்திலத்தைத் தொத்தார்சோலை,

காண்டவத்தைக் கனலெரிவாய்ப் பெய்வித்தானைக்

கண்டதுநான் கடல்மல்லைத் தலசயனத்தே. Periya Thirumozhi (2) 2.5.2 1089

(Behold my Lord who is tall as the dark clouds in the sky, who radiantly resides at Thiruninravur adorned with pearls, amongst verdant groves and who incinerated the Khandava forest. I witnessed Him from Thirukadalmalai)

The temple is located about 35 km or 1.5 hours west of Chennai City centre, just outside its western outskirts. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Chennai. The temple was being renovated at the time and it was difficult to take photographs. Many areas of the premises were cordoned off and the structures covered.

Sources.

Divyadesam.com

Project Madurai.

Dinamalar Temples.

Courtesy Google Maps