Neelamega Perumal Temple

Thanjai Mamani Koil, the Great-Jewel Temple of Thanjavur, enshrines the Lord as Neelamega Perumal, He whose hue is that of the dark rain-laden cloud, and is venerated among the 108 Divya Desams of the Alwars. The name Mamani Koil, the temple of the great gem, signals the special esteem in which this abode is held within the Chola country, the heartland of Vaishnava devotion. Its glory was sung, one hymn each, by Bhoothath Alwar, one of the earliest Mudhal Alwars whose mystic verses opened the way of the Prabandham, and by Thirumangai Alwar, the prolific singer of the Chola and coastal shrines. The Divya Desam is in fact a cluster of three linked shrines worshipped together in the Prabandham: Raktapankajavalli with Neelamegha Perumal, Ambujavalli with Manikundra Perumal, and Thanjanayaki with Narasimha Perumal, standing close together at the temple site. According to legend distinct from the temple’s documented history, Vishnu slew three demons here in the Treta Yuga – Tanchakan, Tantakan, and Kacamukan – and the city of Thanjavur is said to take its own name from Tanchakan’s dying plea.

Documented history records building contributions at different times from the Medieval Cholas, the Vijayanagara Empire, and the Madurai Nayaks. The Neelamegha Perumal shrine has a three-tiered, east-facing rajagopuram, a separate shrine for the consort Sengamalli Thayar, subsidiary images of Hayagreeva, Vedanta Desikar, the Alvars, and Garuda, and a temple tank named Amrutha Theertham, on the banks of the Vennaaru River.

Festivals

The temple’s Brahmotsavam is unusual in spanning three consecutive Tamil months, Panguni, Chittirai, and Vaikasi, culminating in a Garuda Seva during Vaikasi that brings together eighteen festival deities from eighteen different temples. Daily worship follows a three-times schedule of alangaram, neivethanam, and deepa aradanai at approximately 7:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. Vaikunta Ekadasi in Margazhi, the Theppotsavam (Float festival), and the wider Purattasi and Margazhi observances sacred to Vishnu are also traditionally kept.

Location & Access

The temple is situated at Thanjai Mamani Koil within Thanjavur in the Chola Nadu region of Tamil Nadu, the three shrines of this Divya Desam lying close together near the historic city. Thanjavur is well served by road and rail and is itself a major regional centre, with Tiruchirappalli nearby offering the closest large transport and air links. As with most Vishnu temples, darshan is generally available during morning and evening hours, with a closure through the middle of the day. Verify current darshan timings and travel details with the temple or official sources before visiting.