Thirumangai Azhvar, while praising Lord Sarangapani of Kumbakonam, uses the phrase ‘thaN Kudandai.” Kudandai is the name by which the town of Kumbakonam was known in the past. The Tamil word ‘thaN,’ means coolness, explained V.S. Karunakarachariar in a discourse. Kumbakonam is a pleasant place because it was here that Lord Sarangapani did miraculous things for His devotee Thirumazhisai Azhvar — like moving and speaking in His archa form. Because the Lord demonstrated His love for His devotee by breaking the rules of the archa (idol) form for the sake of His devotee, naturally Kumbakonam, where this happened, is pleasing to all bhaktas. There is a temple near Kanchipuram, known as Thiruvekha, where again the Lord broke the rules of the archa form, this time again for Thirumazhisai Azhvar.
Lord Yatoktakari of Thiruvekha followed Thirumazhisai Azhvar, upon the latter’s command. Thirumazhisai Azhvar, his disciple Kani Kannan and the Lord spent the night in a place not far from Kanchi. Kumaraguruparar describes the incident in a verse. The Lord followed Thirumazhisai Azhvar, holding His rolled-up serpent bed on His head with one hand. With the other hand, he held his yellow robe. The place where the trio spent the night came to be known as Or iravu irukkai — the place where they spent a night. In course of time, Or iravu irukkai became Orikkai. Every year, Siva and Vishnu temples of Kanchipuram would be closed till noon, on the day on which the Lord performed the miraculous deed of following Thirumazhisai Azhvar. The processional deity of Thiruvekha would visit Orikkai on that day. Later, the Siva shrines dropped the practice of closing for half a day, but the Vishnu temples continued to follow the routine. Later, all Vishnu temples, except the one at Thiruvekha gave up the practice.
