Thirupalkadal is a tiny hamlet about 30 kms from kanchipuram towards Bangalore. , There are three main temples in this place .The two temples of Vishnu are side by side and a little away id the dilapidated Shiva temple Shri Karapureeshwarar which is a Vaipu sthalam about which Shri Appar has sung.
The Vishnu temple is Prasanna Venkatesa perumal who is uniquely standing on a Sivalinga and base Avudiar. The legend about this temple is that Pundarikaksha maharishi was passing by on a vaikunta Ekadesi and hurried here to do puja after a dip in the pond. Since he found a Shivalingam in the temple he was disappointed and was returning back.when Vishnu came in the form of an old man and said this is a perumal temple only and took him inside and Lo and Behold the rishi saw a Perumal standing on the Sivalingam conveying the fact that both Hari and Hara are the same. The original Siva here was called Dushneshwarar. ..
Next door is the more ancient Ranganathar koil where the lord is lying down on a measure “PADI” in Tamil and has Brahma coming from his Nabhi.
A visit here hence gives you the opportunity to see all the three Divine trinity in one place.
The ancient Siva temple is Karapureeshwarar with Abhitakuchalambal.
The local bhattars insist it is the 107 and 108 Divyadesam which are generally talked about as the celestial ocean and Vaikuntam!!
How to reach:
On the NH4 from Chennai to Bangalore about 30 kms away from Kanchipuram you will see a board on the left to thiruparkadal
Travel for about a couple of kms and you will see the bus stand and a board asking you to take a right turn
Travel for a km and you will see a bifurcation with a board directing you straight to the temple. ( I thought it was a pun as it said to reach Perumal Go UP!!!)
The Prasanna Venkatesa perumal temple is on the left a recently re built one and the Ranganathar koil is on the right undergoing renovation
See more of these temples in ensuing blog posts
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