Perumal who guided the rediscovery of Nalayira Divya Prabandam

Tamil readers can easily remember the name Veera Narayana Lake (Veeranam Lake) and Veera Nararayana Perumal Temple. Thanks to the famous historic novel ‘Ponniyin Selvan’, the novel begins on the banks of Veera Narayana Lake and Vinnagaram temple (Veera Narayana Perumal Temple).

Veera Narayana Perumal Temple is located in Kattumannarkoil, an important town in Cuddalore district. One of the main water supply sources for Chennai, Veeranam Lake, is around 5 Kms from this place.  In fact, the lake is named after the perumal of this town Veeranarayanar.

Legend of this temple says, Jhirumbana Raja Maharishi was an ardent devotee of Mahavishnu.  With his prayers, he got Mahalakshmi Thayar as his daughter.  When She came of age, he arranged for Swayamvaram, a ceremony where the bride chooses the groom.  Lord Narayana came in the Garuda Vahanam as a King and took her with him. When the other kings fought with him, Perumal showed them Viswaroopam and defeated all. Hence, he is called Veeranarayana Perumal. The other kings realised their folly and prayed to him to remain in this sthalam as King.

Kattumannarkoil was the birthplace of Sri Nathamuni Swamigal and his grandson Sri Alavandar, two great Vaishnava Acharyas who have done great work in propagating the Vaishnava Philosophy.  Nathamuni Swamigal was born in 824 AD and he is the one who was responsible for bringing back the Naalayira Divya Prabandham (4000 holy Pasurams on Lord Vishnu) that had been lost to the world. He arranged them in the proper order and set them in four volumes of 1000 pasurams each.  He also set them to music. As Veera Narayana Perumal showed guidance and the way for propagation, after Nathamuni unearthed the lost literature of 4000 Prabandams, he is called Kattum Mannar Aanar (king who shows the way). From this name Kattum Mannar, the name of the town Kattumannarkoil is derived.

Moolavar of this temple is Sri Veeranarayana Perumal, the main Utsavar is Sri Rajagopala Swamy with Rukmani and Sathyabhama, with a cow and calf in front.  In addition, there is a Nithya Utsavar- Kattum Mannanar/Azhagiya Mannar/Sundaragopalan.  Utsava Thayar is Sengamalavalli Thayar.  A separate Prarthanai Perumal, Sri Shenbaga Mannanar with Sridevi and Bhudevi is also present in this temple, which is a rarity.  Central shrine is that of Swamy Veeranarayanar.  Nathamuni shrine on the right, and Alavandar Sannadhi is opposite to his grandfather's shrine facing north.  Thayar Maragathavalli’s shrine is on the right between the shrine of Nathamuni and Alavandar. The shrines of Shri Narasimhar and Sri Varahamurthy are in the prakaram.

The brick structure of this temple was completed during the reign of Paranthaka Chozhan I in the early 10th century. However, there is enough archaeological evidence to prove that the basic structure of temple was in existence even earlier. The Veeranam lake was also dug by Paranthakan. The present deity was installed by Sadaya Varman Sundara Pandian in the 13th century, after performing extensive renovations.