Thadalan (Trivikrama) Temple, Thirukkazhicheerama Vinnagaram, Sirkazhi

01Romasa’s hairs

The Brahmanda Purana calls this place Patalika Vanam. When Brahma grew proud of his long life, the sage Romasa did tapas here, and Vishnu appeared to him, and then, at his asking, showed himself again as Trivikrama, the form that measured the worlds at Bali’s gift. He blessed the sage that for every hair that fell from his body a year would pass from Brahma’s life. The black stone image stands on one leg, the left raised high, four hands holding the Sudarshana and the Panchajanya. In the Vamana katha of the Bhagavata, Bali gave three paces of land, and with two strides the Lord covered earth and heaven; for the third Bali offered his own head.

02The image in the rice pot

Thirumangai Alvar sings of Kazhicheerama Vinnagaram in ten pasurams. The temple katha says the old shrine had fallen to ruin and an old woman kept the image safe in a pot of rice; when the Alvar came she gave it to him, and he raised the temple. Sri Vaishnava tradition also places here the Alvar’s meeting with Thirugnana Sambandar, the Shaiva saint of Sirkazhi, who honoured him on hearing his verses. The temple follows the Pancharatra Agama in the Thenkalai tradition. Lokanayaki and Andal have shrines at two corners, the Chakra Theertham lies behind, and Vaikasi brings the ten-day Brahmotsavam.

The life of this place