Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram

A view of the temple from the street preceding it and the temple tank

Bhagavata Purana describes that Vishnu descended as the Vamana avatar to restore the authority of Indra over the heavens, as it had been taken by Mahabali, a benevolent Asura King. Bali was the grandson of Prahlada. King Mahabali was generous, and engaged in severe austerities and penance and won the praise of the world. With the praise from his courtiers and others, he regarded himself as the all powerful in the world. Vamana, in the guise of a short Brahmin carrying a wooden umbrella, went to the king to request three paces of land. Mahabali consented, against the warning of his guru, Sukracharya. Vamana then revealed his identity and enlarged to gigantic proportions to stride over the three worlds. He stepped from heaven to earth with the first step, from earth to the netherworld with the second. King Mahabali, unable to fulfill his promise, offered his head for the third. Vamana then placed his foot and gave the king immortality for his humility. In worshiping Mahabali and his ancestor Prahláda, he conceded sovereignty of Pátála, the netherworld. Some texts also report that Vamana did not step into the netherworld, and instead gave its rule to Bali. In giant form, Vamana is known as Trivikrama. The legend is associated with the Thrikkakara Temple in Kerala and also with this temple and Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Tirukoyilur.[1][2][3][4]

View of the gopuram

According to the historian Nagaswamy, based on the inscriptions and the location of the temple, it is the oldest temple in Kanchipuram.[5] There is another account that the temple is developed by Rajendra Chola I (1012–1044 CE).[6] The temple has 15 inscriptions from various dynasties like Pallavas, Chola and Sambuvarayars. The earliest inscription is from 846 CE during the regime of Nandivarman III (846–869 CE). There is a Chola inscription dated 1110 CE during the reign of Kulothunga Chola I (1070–1120 CE) indicating his visit to the temple and his gift of land to the temple whose income was to be used for the maintenance of the temple. Another similar inscription indicates the donation of a village by the king on behest of his queen Kampamadeviyar. There are inscriptions from later Chola kings like Rajadhiraja Chola II (1166–1178 CE) and Rajaraja Chola III (1216-1256 CE) indicating various records of gifts to the temple. There are also inscriptions from minor chieftains like Vijaya Gandagopala indicating gifts to the temple.[7] The inscriptions refer the main deity by various names like Thiru Uragathu Ninru-arulina Paramaswamin, Thiru Uragathazhwar and Tiru uragathu Emberuman.[7][8] The Sambuvarayar rule of the 16th century records the gift of a pond and a grove in Sevvanmedu village. The temple still continues to possess this grove.[8] The inscriptions in the temple also indicate increased trade and commerce during the Pallava period, with licenses provided to shops like oil, ghee, arecanut, vegetables, flowers, coconut, sugar, cloth and sandal.[9] The temple has not received a single donation from the ruling Vijayanagar Empire, though the nearby temples received generous donations, indicating that the temple had sources of income. From those days Pancharatra Agama was followed in the temple, though all the surrounding people followed Vaikhanasa and Pancharatra Agama.[5]

Parimelalhagar, the 13th-century Tirukkural commentator, belonged to the lineage of priests of the Ulagalantha Perumal temple.[10]

View of the ceiling of the temple

The temple has an area of about 60,000 square feet (5,600 m²) and has a three tiered rajagopuram (main towers) with seven kalasas. The temple houses four divya desams on its own – they are Thirukkarvaanam, Thirukaaragam, Thiruooragam and Thiruneeragam.[11] It is believed that all the shrines were probably separate temples, but the circumstances which lead do these temples getting housed in the Ulagalantha Perumal temple is not known.[12] Thirumangai Azhwar has sung praises of all the four temples in a single verse. The temple tank, Naga Tirtha, is located outside the main temple complex.[13]

The temple is revered by the verses of Tirumangai Alvar and Thirumazhisai Aazhwar. Thaayar of the temple is Amudhavalli (Amirthavalli) and the festival deity of the temple is Loganathan. The image of Ulagalantha Perumal is over 35 ft (11 m) in height depicted with his left leg at a right angle to the body and parallel to the ground. The right leg is seen placed on the head of Mahabali with two fingers on his left hand stretched out referring to the two steps he took to measure the two worlds and the stretched finger on his right hand indicating the question the posted to Mahabali as to where he could place his third step. The roof of the sanctum, the vimana has an elevated roof to accommodate the huge image of the presiding deity.[14]

View of the ceiling of Tiruneerakam

The temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. As at other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Vaishnavaite community, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals are performed six times a day: Ushathkalam at 7 a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 p.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at 7:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 10:00 p.m. Each ritual has three steps: alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Ulagalantha Perumal and Amuthavalli. During the last step of worship, nagaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion instrument) are played, religious instructions in the Vedas (sacred text) are recited by priests, and worshippers prostrate themselves in front of the temple mast. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals performed in the temple.[18] There are two major festivals celebrated in the temple - Brahmotsavam during the Tamil month of Thai (January–February) and Vamana Jayanthi during the Tamil month of Avani (August–September) on Sravanam star.[7]

The temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by Thirumangai Azhwar in one hymn of Thirunedunthandagam. The temple is classified as a Divyadesam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book.[18] The temple is unique among Divya desams as it is the only temple complex that houses four different Divyadesams.[8]