Of the 108 Divya Desams (Places of Vishnu temples), the last one is nowhere found on earth as it is mentioned as Thiruparamapadham (The Lord’s feet) or Vaikuntha. However, it is believed that a village in Kongunadu could be the 108th holy place for the reason of Saint Ramanuja’s visit here.
Coimbatore: Of the 108 Divya Desams (Places of Vishnu temples) mentioned in the popular Vaishnavite Bhakthi literature Nalayira Divya Prabantham, the last one is nowhere found on earth as it is mentioned as Thiruparamapadham (The Lord’s feet) or Vaikuntha. However, it is believed that a village in Kongunadu could be the 108th holy place for the reason of Saint Ramanuja’s visit here.
According to Kongumandala Sathagam, a primary source book for Kongu history written by the Jain scholar Karmega Kavingnar, a Vaishnavite female devotee by name Lakshmi lived at Kongoor near Dharapuram. As the Kongu region witnessed severe famine and drought at the time, Lakshmi and her husband Kongilannan, visited Srirangam and met Saint Ramanuja, the great Vaishnavite Acharya there. Lakshmi, on account of her deep devotion to the great philosopher, listened to his spiritual teachings and even obtained his Paadhukai (wooden sandals) to worship them everyday at home. At that time, she never thought that she would, later, serve food to Saint Ramanuja at her home in Kongoor.
Almost a thousand years ago during the lifetime of Saint Ramanuja, the Chola king Kulothunga I was strict in propagating Shaivism and persecuted numerous Vaishnavites, who failed to accept his order that Lord Shiva as the Supreme deity. Hence, Ramanuja had to escape from the Chola country and made his way to Kongunadu. On reaching Kongunadu, Ramanuja was welcomed by the Vettuvars, who were the natives of the land. Later, he was taken to a house in an Agrahara (Brahmin colony) to have food. Incidentally, the house was his ardent devotee Lakshmi’s!
Though Ramanuja was disguised in white clothes, Lakshmi at once recognized him and had no words to explain her bliss on seeing the great Acharya at her home. With her deep devotion to Ramanuja, Lakshmi requested him to have dinner at her home. However, he politely refused her invitation and had only some milk. Disappointed at this, Lakshmi was sleepless and grieved throughout the night. Nevertheless, the next morning, Ramanuja had the food prepared by Lakshmi and stayed at her home for a few days before he left for Melkote in Karnataka.
Being Ramanuja’s ardent devotee, Lakshmi of Kongoor is mentioned as Kongupiratiyaar ( Kongu Goddess) in many of the Vaishnavite literatures and her husband Kongilannan is considered to be one of the 74 chief followers of the faith.
Though Kongunadu has numerous Shiva temples including the Perur Patteeswarar Shrine in Coimbatore, many hardly know the region’s place in the history of Vaishnavism with the visit of its great expounder and social reformer, who led the so-called low caste people into the God’s abode when their entry was strictly prohibited inside Hindu temples.
Sources: Kongumandala Sathagam – By Karmega Kavingnar, Kongu Kula Mahalir – By Pulavar Se. Rasu.
According to Kongumandala Sathagam, a primary source book for Kongu history written by the Jain scholar Karmega Kavingnar, a Vaishnavite female devotee by name Lakshmi lived at Kongoor near Dharapuram. As the Kongu region witnessed severe famine and drought at the time, Lakshmi and her husband Kongilannan, visited Srirangam and met Saint Ramanuja, the great Vaishnavite Acharya there. Lakshmi, on account of her deep devotion to the great philosopher, listened to his spiritual teachings and even obtained his Paadhukai (wooden sandals) to worship them everyday at home. At that time, she never thought that she would, later, serve food to Saint Ramanuja at her home in Kongoor.
Almost a thousand years ago during the lifetime of Saint Ramanuja, the Chola king Kulothunga I was strict in propagating Shaivism and persecuted numerous Vaishnavites, who failed to accept his order that Lord Shiva as the Supreme deity. Hence, Ramanuja had to escape from the Chola country and made his way to Kongunadu. On reaching Kongunadu, Ramanuja was welcomed by the Vettuvars, who were the natives of the land. Later, he was taken to a house in an Agrahara (Brahmin colony) to have food. Incidentally, the house was his ardent devotee Lakshmi’s!
Though Ramanuja was disguised in white clothes, Lakshmi at once recognized him and had no words to explain her bliss on seeing the great Acharya at her home. With her deep devotion to Ramanuja, Lakshmi requested him to have dinner at her home. However, he politely refused her invitation and had only some milk. Disappointed at this, Lakshmi was sleepless and grieved throughout the night. Nevertheless, the next morning, Ramanuja had the food prepared by Lakshmi and stayed at her home for a few days before he left for Melkote in Karnataka.
Being Ramanuja’s ardent devotee, Lakshmi of Kongoor is mentioned as Kongupiratiyaar ( Kongu Goddess) in many of the Vaishnavite literatures and her husband Kongilannan is considered to be one of the 74 chief followers of the faith.
Though Kongunadu has numerous Shiva temples including the Perur Patteeswarar Shrine in Coimbatore, many hardly know the region’s place in the history of Vaishnavism with the visit of its great expounder and social reformer, who led the so-called low caste people into the God’s abode when their entry was strictly prohibited inside Hindu temples.
Sources: Kongumandala Sathagam – By Karmega Kavingnar, Kongu Kula Mahalir – By Pulavar Se. Rasu.