History :

Jagannatha Perumal Temple (also called Tirumazhisai Temple is dedicated to Hindu god Vishnu located in Tirumazhisai, Chennai City, Tiruvallur district, in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Jagannatha Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Thirumangaivalli. The temple is believed to be the birthplace of Thirumalisai Alvar, one of the twelve Azhwars whose work is compiled as Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD.

The temple is open from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m and has six daily rituals at various times of the day. Various festivals are celebrated in the temple, with the Aani Brahmotsavam, Aipasi Manavala Maamuni festival during October – November and Maasi float festival during February – March being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

According to the Hindu legend, the Saptarishis, the seven sages, wanted to have a view of Madhya Jagannatha (literally meaning Jagannatha located in the middle). As per Hindu legend, the Jaganatha at Puri Jagannatha Temple is called Vada Jagannatha (located in the North) and the one located in Adi Jagannatha Perumal Temple at Thirupullani is called Keezha Jagannatha. Acceding to the request of the sages, Vishnu is believed to have appeared as Madhya Jagannatha at this place. The place is also believed to be the birthplace of Thirumalisai Alvar, one of the twelve Azhwars whose work is compiled as Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. His works include Tiruvanthai and Tiruchanda Viruttam, which are included in the canon.
Thirumazhisai was originally called by various names like Chrukuravalli-Chaturvedimanagalam, Pakkaturaivalla-Chaturvedimangalam, Mahisaram and Mahaksehtram on account of the number of Vedic people settled here during the Chola and Vijayanagara period. The inscriptions on the walls of the temple are from the chola regime during the 11-12th centuries and Vijayanagara period during the 14-15th centuries. The inscriptions are made in Tamil or in ancient Tamil scripts indicating gift of land, lamps and houses to the temple. The oldest inscription is found from the period of Kulothunga Chola III (1179-1216 CE) indicating gift of land to the temple. Vijaya Gandagopala, a chieftain during the 12th century has endowed gifts to the temple. There are also inscriptions from the period of Kopperunjinga during the 13th century. Harihara Raya II (1377-1404 CE) and Virupaksha Raya II (1465-85 CE), the rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire have donated gifts to the temple as indicated in the inscription.

Thirumazhisai was originally called by various names like Chrukuravalli-Chaturvedimanagalam, Pakkaturaivalla-Chaturvedimangalam, Mahisaram and Mahaksehtram on account of the number of Vedic people settled here during the Chola and Vijayanagara period. The inscriptions on the walls of the temple are from the chola regime during the 11-12th centuries and Vijayanagara period during the 14-15th centuries. The inscriptions are made in Tamil or in ancient Tamil scripts indicating gift of land, lamps and houses to the temple. The oldest inscription is found from the period of Kulothunga Chola III (1179-1216 CE) indicating gift of land to the temple. Vijaya Gandagopala, a chieftain during the 12th century has endowed gifts to the temple. There are also inscriptions from the period of Kopperunjinga during the 13th century. Harihara Raya II (1377-1404 CE) and Virupaksha Raya II (1465-85 CE), the rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire have donated gifts to the temple as indicated in the inscription.