Pandaripuram - Sri Pandarinathar Temple

The Perumal of this sthalam is Sri Pandurangan. He is also called with the names 'Sri Vittobha' and 'Pandarinathan'. He is found to be giving his seva in Nindra thirukkolam facing his thirumugham towards east direction. 
The Perumal gives his seva in such away that he keeps his two hands in his hip and found to enjoy the Bhajans of Bhagavathas. 

The Thaayar of this temple is Rukmanibhai Thaayar.

  2 Kms away from Pandaripuram there is a place named "Gopalpur", where a Vishnu Paadham [divine feet] of Sri Vishnu is found. \
The speciality of this sthalam is the position in which the perumal is found. His hands are placed in his hip and the expression of this posture explains that he is enjoying the Bhajans of his devotees. 

There is another great specialty in this sthalam and it is the way we worship the Perumal. They adopt a process called "Padha Sparisa Seva" which means that we can place our fore head touching the divine feet of the Perumal in Garbagriham [Moolavar Sannadhi]. It is considered as very auspicious if we do it on Wednesdays. 

In earlier times, this location [where now Pandaripuram is found] was known as "Thandiravanam". In the nearby forest area, there lived an aged couple by name  Muthabhai and Sanadevan. They had a beautiful child by name "Pundareegan" and he had  great love towards his parents.


The story goes that, Indiran killed an Asuran, Virutharasuran, and he was given a sabham[punishment] that he would become a brick / stone because of his sin and as a stone, he was thrown in front of the house of Pundaleegan. 
This being the case, Lord  Krishna wanted to test the love and affection of Pundareegan. When Bhagavan came towards his house, Pundareegan was serving his parents. Sriman Narayanan asked him to come out of the hut, but Pundareegan, doesn't want to break the service that he is doing to his parents and asked Lord Krishna to stand on the stone that is placed in front of their hut. But, soon after Sriman Narayanan's divine feet was placed on the stone, Indiran got his original appearance and thanked both Lord Krishna and Pundareegan

After serving his parents, Pundareegan came out of the hut and worshipped the perumal. By fully convinced on the bhakti of him, Lord Krishna stood in that place and as asked by Pundareegan, the perumal stood there as "Vittala". Since, the perumal gave his seva for Pundareegan, the perumal is also called as "Pundareega Varadhan".

There once lived in this place, a person called "Gorakkumbhar". He had  great faith and bhakti towards Sri Pandarinathan. Just like how we breathe and release air, he expressed Vittalans thiru Naamam and chanted it. He led his life by making pots. To make pots, the clay, sand and water needs to be mixed together and they usually mix it using their feets. One day while he was stamping to make the clay, his small child just happened to come near the place where he was stamping the clay. Because of joy and the bhakti, along with the clay, he accidentally stamped his small child also. And after some time, his wife returned and searched for the child, but could see only the cloth of it, which got mixed with the clay. Then only, she came to realize that her child has been killed in the process of making the pots.  Gorakkumbhar and his wife cried and the Perumal as Sri Pandurangan came in front of the couple. He gave back the life of the child because of the great bhakti of Gorakkumbhar. The Paintings and the expressions of this story can been seen in Pandaripuram temple. 

On the south direction of Chandrabaga River, Sri Vittalan temple is located. On the south side of the river, Chakkubhai temple is found. In front of the Moolavar Sannadhi, a big mandapam is found and all the bhaktas sit in this mandapam and perform Bhajans and expressing the Naama "Jai Jai Vittala - Panduranga". 


On the left side of this Mandapam, a huge pillar which is covered with silver coating is found and it is believed that Sri Narasimhar came out this pillar to rescue Prahaladhan, It is said that the people who visit this temple, place their forehead in this pillar and worship the Perumal. 
Milk Guava, Laddu, corn are given as the Prasadham in these places. 


There are lots of other Sannadhis for Sri Ganesha, Sri Garudalwar, Hanuman, and Saurangi Devi etc.  And, a separate Sannadhi for Pundareegan is found on the shore of the Chandrabagar River. 


Places of InterestAll the Bhaktas should visit this great shrine atleast once in their liftime to have darshan and also be showered with Lord Krishna's  Blessings. 
On the first day of the month of Margashirsha the sandals of Vitthala are taken to this temple. On the last day of the same month the chariot of Vitthala is brought to this temple in a grand procession. Sraddha is performed at this temple. Pilgrims perform funeral rites here for their departed ancestors.