Neelamegha Perumal Temple

Neela Megha Perumal Temple
View of the temple and the temple tank
Neela Megha Perumal Temple Location in Tamil Nadu
Geography
Coordinates	10°52′7″N 79°42′6″E / 10.86861°N 79.70167°E / 10.86861; 79.70167Coordinates: 10°52′7″N 79°42′6″E / 10.86861°N 79.70167°E / 10.86861; 79.70167
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Nagapattinam
Location	Thirukannapuram, Thirumarugal Block
Culture
Primary deity	Neela Meghar(Vishnu)
Consort	Kannapura Nayagi(Lakshmi)
Festival deity	Sowrirajar(Vishnu)
Temple tank	Gajendra, Kapila
Shrine	Gajanakriti
Poets	Tirumangai Alvar Andal Kulashekhara Alwar Nammalvar Periyalvar
Architecture
Architectural styles	Dravidian architecture

Neela Megha Perumal Temple or Sowriraja Perumal Temple in Thirukannapuram, a village in the outskirts of Nagapattinam in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Neelamegha Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Tirukannapura Nayagi. As per Hindu legend, the presiding deity is believed to have appeared with a wig (called sowri locally) to save a devotee, leading to the name Sowrirajan.

A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines and three of its seven bodies of water. The temple has a seven-tiered rajagopuram, the temple's gateway tower and a huge temple tank in front of it. The temple is believed to have been built by the Cholas, with later additions from the Thanjavur Nayaks.

Six daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the chariot festival, celebrated during the Tamil month of Vaikasi (April-May), being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

As per Hindu legend, Rangabhatta an ardent devotee and priest of the temple offered a garland to the presiding deity daily offered by a courtesan. The courtesan used to wear the garland before offering to the priest. One day, the ruling king found a hair in the garland asked the priest about it. The priest said that the hair was that of the deity himself. The king thought that priest was lying and wanted to punish him. While he checked the deity, Vishnu himself appeared with a Sowri (wig). Since Vishnu appeared with Sowri, he is called Sowrirajan in the temple.