Sri Deepaprakasha Perumal Temple (Vilakoli Perumal)

Sri Deepaprakasha Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram enshrines the Lord as "Deepaprakasha" — meaning "the Light of the Lamp" — and "Vilakoli" — meaning "the One who shines brilliantly." This name carries profound spiritual significance in the context of Thondai Nadu, for it was in Kanchipuram that the three Mudhal Azhwars — Poigai Azhwar, Bhoothathazhwar, and Peyazhwar — were brought together by divine will in a tiny room during a stormy night, each lighting a lamp of devotion that illuminated the Lord's presence. The very concept of the "divine lamp" (deepa/vilakku) that reveals the Lord hidden in darkness is central to Thondai Nadu's Azhwar legacy. Thirumangai Azhwar praised this shrine, and Thirumazhisai Azhwar's connection to Kanchipuram adds further sanctity. The Pallava-era temple architecture, though modest in scale, radiates a contemplative atmosphere perfectly suited to meditation on the Lord as the inner light of all beings.