Tirukannapuram

Legend has it that Uparisravas, a Fisherman King, performed the Ashvamedha sacrifice and begot a daughter named Padmini, whom he offered in marriage to Lord Vishṇu at this shrine. It is believed that Neelamegha Perumāl vanquished a demon called Veekatakshan with His chakram, and hence the presiding deity is found with the prayoga chakram. It is also thought that the Lord in the sanctum miraculously showed the growth of hair to protect the words of a devout priest, Raṅgabhaṭṭar.

It is said that the local king was visiting the temple on a given day, and Raṅgabhaṭṭar had already given the garland the Lord adorned to his lover. When the king arrived at the temple, there was no garland to perform the required honors. He requested the king to perform pradakshinam of the temple, by which time he would arrange for a garland. He sent a boy to fetch the garland from his lover. When the garland was presented to the king, he found a strand of hair in it.

The king then questioned Raṅgabhaṭṭar as to where that hair had come from, to which Raṅgabhaṭṭar said the hair was that of the Lord's. When the king came to examine the same in the morning, he found hair behind the crown that was placed atop the Lord's head. Hence, the Lord attained the name Sowrirajan.

Periya Āzhwār – 1 pāsuram

Āṇḍāl – 1 pāsuram

KulasekarAzhwar – 11 Pāsurams

Nammazhwar – 11 Pāsurams

Tirumangai Āzhwār – 104 Pāsurams

Total – 128 Pāsurams