Naimisaranyam or Devaraja Perumal Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu located in the

north Indian state of  Uttar Pradesh.[1]

 It is one of the Divya Desams, the 108 temples

 

of  Vishnu revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham by the 12 poet saints, or   Alwars. The temple is

 

believed to be of significant antiquity with contributions at different times from the ruling kings. The

temple is counted as one of the eight temples of Vishnu that self-manifested and is classified

as Swayamvyaktha Kshetra. The holy tank Chankra Kunda is associated with the temple and it is a

pilgrimage centre where people take holy dip during festive occasion.

Sage Narada is believed to have searched for the best theertha (water body) in three worlds. He went

to Kailasa, the abode of  Shiva, then to Parkadal, the abode of Vishnu and finally landed in the water

body in the Naimisha Forest. The central deity is also believed to be worshipped by sudharma

and devas (celestical deities).[1][2]

 

 

Indra, the king of the devas, was once driven out of  devaloka by an asura named Vritra. 

The asura was the recipient of a boon whereby he could not be killed by any weapon that was known

till the date of his receiving the boon and additionally that no weapon made of wood or metal could

harm him. Indra, who lost all hope of recovering his kingdom went to seek the aid of  Vishnu. Vishnu

revealed to Indra that only the weapon made from the bones of the sage Dadhichi would defeat Vritra. 

 

Indra and the other devas therefore approached the sage, whom Indra had once beheaded, and

asked him for his aid in defeating Vritra. Dadhichi acceded to the devas' request but said that he

wished that he had time to go on a pilgrimage to all the holy rivers before he gave up his life for

them. Indra then brought together all the waters of the holy rivers to Naimisaranya, thereby allowing

the sage to have his wish fulfilled without a further loss of time. Dadhichi is then said to have given up

his life by the art of  yoga after which the devas fashioned the Vajrayudha from his spine.

 

This weapon was then used to defeat the asura, allowing Indra to reclaim his place as the king

of  devaloka.[3]

 

 

The temple[edit] 

Naimisaranyam is located at the junction of the roads from Sitapur  and Khairabad, 32 km from Sitapur

 

and 42 km from the Sandila railway station, 45 miles north of  Lucknow inUttarpradesh. Naimisaranya

is also known as Nimsar or Nimkhar and is located on the left bank of the river Gomati.[4]

 The sacred

 

well, namely Chakra Kunda is believed to have started from the weapon of  Vishnu, Chakra. There are

shrines dedicated to Chakranarayana, Ganesh, Rama, Lakshman.[5][6]

 

Religious significance[edit] 

 

This place has also been visited by Sankaracharya[7]

 and the famous poet, Surdas resided here.

 

Suthar, the author of 18  puranas is believed to have lived here and presented his sayings to the

 

sages. The central deity is believed to have presided over the forest and hence the puja (rituals) are

 

done to the forest .[2]

 

 

The temple is counted as one of the eight temples of Vishnu that self-manifested and is classified

as Swayamvyaktha Kshetra.[8]

 This temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the 7th –9th

 

century Vaishnava canon, by Thirumangai Azhwar  in ten hymns. The temple is classified as

 

a divyadesam, the 108 Vishnu temples that are reverred in the Vaishnava canon.

 

Every new moon day, a large number of people purify themselves with a dip in the holy well. If the

new moon falls on a Monday, it is believed that a holy bath in the well and offering to the presiding

deity Lalitha will wash away all the sins committed in lifetime.[3]