Pandavathoothar Perumal or Pandava Thoothar Perumal or Sri Pandava Thootha Perumal or Thirupadagam or Pandava Dutha Perumal Temple is a famous and ancient Sri Krishna Temple situated in Periya Kanchi, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. Sri Krishna is worshiped as Sri Pandava Thoothar with his consorts Rukmini and Sathya Bama. He is found in Irundha (sitting) Thirukkolam, facing East direction. Lord Krishna in the sanctum sanctorum is 25 feet tall, the tallest. No temple in India has such a large Perumal in seated form. The tower above the main deity is called Badra Vimana. The temple is considered one of the three oldest Vishnu temples in Kanchipuram, the other two being Ulagalantha Perumal Temple and Yathothkari Perumal Temple.
Sri Pandava Thootha Perumal temple is very near Ekambaranathar Temple. It is one of 108 Divya Desam temples praised by Periyazhwar, Bhoothath Alvar, Thirumazhisai Alvar and Thirumangai Alvar, all of whom refer to this place as Paadagam. The inscriptions in this temple also speak of this place as Tiruppaadagam and refer to the deity here as Tiruppaasagattazeivar.
Other Sannadhis in the premisis are Arulalaperumal, Emperumaanar, Chakarathalwar and Lord Narasimha. Pushkarani is known as Matheesya Theertham and Vimanams are Bathra Vimanam and Vetha Kodi Vimanam. It is the strong belief that born in Rohini Nakshatra will be relieved from any difficulty in life if prayed to Sri Krishna here.
Lord Krishna presses his feet here with his powers of Viswapada Yoga. Therefore, those who do Adi Pradikshina, Anga Pradikshina will have their 72,000 veins energized and help them overcome any problem in life. Devotees are advised to pray here on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Rohini star days, Ashtami on the 8th day from the new moon or full moon days and on the 8th day of every month.
Kanchipuram Thirupadagam Temple Timings:
Morning: 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Evening:4:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Pandava Thoothar Perumal Temple History:
During his avatar as Sri Krishna, he went to Duryodhana as an envoy of the Pandavas to get at least five houses for them. Lord Krishna was the invincible force of the Pandavas. Duryodhana planned to humiliate and kill Sri Krishna during his visit. He dug a deep pit, placed soldiers inside the pit, covered the pit with thin rugs, and set up a chair. When Krishna arrived at his palace and sat down on the seat as expected, he fell into the pit but took his Vishwarupa and knocked down the soldiers.
After the end of the Kurukshetra war, King Janamejaya went to sage Vaisampayana to hear the glory of the story of Bharata and Lord Krishna. The king asked the sage to suggest a way to have Lord Vishwarupa’s darshan when he appeared sitting in the hole made by Duryodhana. As advised by the sage, Janamejaya bathed in the holy spring and did penance here. The Lord rewarded the king with his darshan at this place as an envoy of the Pandavas.
The temple is originally thought to have been built during the Pallavas period. The temple has a set of inscriptions associated with Cholas. A record of the Chola king, Rajakesari Varaman Alais Kulothunga Chola I, dated to his fifth year. Records indicate that a merchant endowed the temple with a flower garden and purchased land from Ovirukkai village for the benefit of gardeners. The cost of 2000 kulis (excluding taxes) was 11 kalanjus equivalent in delicacy to Madhuranthaka madai and the assembly could not charge vellikasu, nirallai, silvari, sorumattu etc. Consequently. The south wall of the temple bears inscriptions of Kulothunga Chola I, dated to his 39th year. It records the gift of two kalanjus and two manjadi by a merchant to the pujari who was to supply two malis of curd per day. There are inscriptions at the base of the western wall of the central shrine from the period of Rajadhiraja Chola II (1166-78 AD) indicating the gifts of 32 cows to light the temple lamps. The temple is maintained and administered by the Board of Hindu Religion and Endowments of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
Kanchipuram Thirupadagam Temple Festival:
Sri Krishna Jayanthi in August-September
Deepavali in October-November
Mukkotti Ekadasi
Panguni Uthiram in March-April
Sattrumarai Utsav for Arulala Perumal Emperumanar on Karthikai Bharani star day in November-December
Pandava Thoothar Perumal Temple Address:
Tirupadagam,
28-B,
Pandava Dhoodha Perumal Koil Street,
Periya Kanchi,
Kancheepuram District,
Tamil Nadu – 631-502.
Phone: +91- 44-2723 1899
