This temple is referred to as the ‘Dakshina Ahobilam’

Debts and Enemies go away if one visits this temple and offers a 48 day prayer

Located about 18kms North of Panruti and 18kms East of Villupuram is the East Facing Lakshmi Narasimha temple in Poovarasan Kuppam. This is one of the four Narasimha temples around Villupuram (others being Anthili, Parikkal and Singiri – There is also the Sayana Narasimha at Thiru Vithigai).

Both Singiri Narasimha and Parikkal Narasimha which are in a straight line are facing the Poovarasan Kuppam Narasimha.

First appearance after Hiranya Samhaaram- Dakshina Ahobilam

For the first time, after the Hiranya Samharam at Ahobilam, Lord appeared here in the same form and provided darshan to the Saptha Rishis as Lakshmi Narasimha. Hence, this temple is referred to as Dakshina Ahobilam.

Thaayar’s Posture

A unique feature at this temple is the posture of Lakshmi. One eye of the Goddess is turned towards the Lord and the other eye is welcoming the devotees. Also, interestingly Lakshmi and Narasimha are seen at the same height at this temple!!!

One of Eight Narasimha Temples

This is one of the 8 temples in Tamil Nadu, where Lord Narasimha provided darshan after the killing of Hiranya. The other 7 are Singarakudi near Pondicherry/Cuddalore, Anthili near Thiru Kovilur, Parikkal near Kedilam, Sholingur, Nammakkal, Singaraperumal Koil near Chengalpet and Sinthalavadi.

3rd Century Ad Temple

There are culverts inside this temple dating back to the 3rd Century AD. Also, there are references to construction during Narasimha Pallava’s reign (7th Century AD). There are also inscriptions indicating Krishna Deva Raya’s visit to this temple (about 500 years ago).

Prarthana Sthalam-Wishes Fulfilled

All wishes of the devotees are said to be fulfilled if one visits this temple, lights a ghee lamp and recites the Mantra Raja Patha Stotram twice a day for 48 days. One should tie a 5 rupee coin to a Manjal cloth and drop it at the temple, once the 48 day period is over.

One should also prepare Panagam (prepared out of jaggery) every day for the Lord. No non Vegetarian food should be consumed during this 48 day period.

Bad Debts and enemies are said to go away and the belief is that one will live in prosperity after a visit to the three Narasimha temples seen in one line near Villupuram – Parikkal- Poovarasan Kuppam and Singiri.

Festivals

Swathi Nakshatram

It is auspicious to visit the temple every month on Swathi Nakshatram, when Sudarshana and Dhanvantri homams are performed.

Navarathri

Sri Suthra Homam is performed on all the 9 days of Navarathri Utsavam

Procession in Thai

Lord Narasimha takes a 1 km to South Pennai river for Theerthavari on the 5th day of the Tamil Calendar month of Thai

Narasimha Jayanthi Utsavam and 3rd Saturday of Puratasai are also special occasions at this temple.

Quick Facts

Moolavar : Lakshmi Narasimha East Facing Sitting Posture

Thaayar : Amritha Valli Thaayar

Temple Time : 8am-12.30pm and 4pm-8pm

Contact nos. : Parthasarathy Bhattar @ 94439 59995 or 0413 2698191

How to reach the temple:

From Villupuram

1. Take Pondy Highway, drive straight towards East from Koliyanur Cross Road, take a right at Valavanur, drive 6kms to Siruvanthadu and go further South 3kms to reach the temple- Share Auto/Auto available from Siruvanthadu

Or

2. Take a right at Koliyanur Cross Road on to the Panruti-Kumbakonam highway, cross the Villupuram-Pondy railway line and take a left at Panchamadevi to reach the temple (about 7kms from the main road)

From Panruti

Take Kumbakonam-Vikravandi highway, drive 10kms and take a left at Panchamadevi to reach the temple (about 7kms from the highway towards East)

From Madras

Take a left at Vikravandi(145kms from Madras) into the Kumbakonam Highway, go further South after the Villupuram-Pondy cross road, cross the railway line and take a left at Panchamadevi to reach the temple (about 7kms from the main road)

There are direct buses to Poovarasan Kuppam from Villupuram, but it is better to take a bus from Villupuram to Vilavanur.

Pillayarpatti Karpaka Vinayakar Temple

The 1600 year old Karpaka Vinayakar Temple in Pillayarpatti is one of the oldest and most popular Hindu shrines in south India. A rock cut cave temple featuring a massive sculpture of Vinayakar, the temple also has ancient images of other Hindu deities. The immensely powerful Karpaka Vinayakar Temple is also one of the cleanest and best managed shrines in India, drawing devotees from across south India who come to pray to Pillaiyar, the ‘remover of obstacles.’

History

The history of the Karpaka Vinayakar Temple in Pillayarpatti can be classified into three broad stages of growth stretching back to over 1600 years ago. The first period involved the creation of the innermost rock cut structures housing the primary image of Karpaka Vinayakar and also that of Tiruveesar. The distinctiveness of the image of Vinayakar at Pillayarpatti as well as the characters used in temple inscriptions helps corroborate the date of the original construction of the temple at around the 4th century AD. The pillars within the innermost shrine are also from this period.

The Pillayarpatti temple went through a second phase of growth when the Pillayarpatti Nagarathar community took over management of the shrine. Several inscriptions within the Karpaka Vinayakar Temple dating back to the period between 1091 and 1238 AD attest to this period of development which involved the building of the rajagopurams and vimanam. The third stage of growth is the more recent renovations and refurbishments of the temple complex, including enlargements of the temple tank and the two rajagopurams that provide a majestic approach to the Pillayarpatti temple.

Managed to this day by the capable hands of Karpaga Vinayagar Nagarathar Trust, the temple enjoyed the patronage of local rulers throughout its history, including that of the Pandya kingdom of Tamil Nadu. The Karpaka Vinayakar Temple is today recognized as one of the best managed Hindu temples in India, known for its cleanliness and general upkeep.

The 1600-year old Karpaka Vinayakar at Pillayarpatti

Location

The Karpaka Vinayakar Temple is located in Pillayarpatti, a quaint little town 15 km west of Karaikudi in the Sivagangai district of Tamil Nadu. The town itself draws its name from the presiding deity of the temple, Vinayakar, who is also known as Pillaiyar among the Tamil speaking people. The innermost shrines were carved out of a hill in Pillayarpatti, and the temple complex grew around these original structures. Pillayarpatti is the quintessential temple town, with the Karpaka Vinayakar Temple being the very heart of the place and bearing testimony to the vibrant temple building culture of the Tamil people through the ages.

Deities

Karpaka Vinayakar is the presiding deity of the Pillayarpatti Temple. Also known as Desi Vinayakar, the image of Lord Ganesha here is an imposing 6 foot tall bas relief carved out of an excavated cave. One of the most popular images of Lord Ganesha in south India, the majestic Karpaka Vinayakar of Pillayarpatti has two arms instead of the usual four and with his trunk curled to his right in the valampuri mode. He is seated in the ardha padmasana pose holding in his right hand a lingam. Lord Ganesha is known as ‘Karpaka Vinayakar’ here after the mythological tree named karpakam that fulfills all the wishes of devotees. It is believed that Vinayakar, whose name means ‘incomparable leader,’ will satisfy the needs and prayers of devotees, bestowing them with ample wealth and prosperity. According to local legend, Kubera himself, the Lord of Wealth, worshipped Ganesha at Pillayarpatti.

The Karpaka Vinayakar Temple at Pillayarpatti also features an image of Tiruveesar, a Shiva Lingam carved into the cave wall and dating back to the original construction of the shrine. In addition there are images of two other lingams – Marudheesar and Senchadeswarar – as well as three forms of Amman – Sivakami, Vadamalar Mangai and Sundara Nayaki.

Another prominent sculpture in the Pillayarpatti Temple is a five-headed snake wearing a lingam on its neck. The heads of the snake represent the five human senses while the lingam symbolizes God, and the sculpture is meant to illustrate the notion that in order to realize God, the influence of the senses must be controlled.

Pillayarpatti Karpaka Vinayakar Temple near Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu

Temple Complex

Since the original structures of the Karpaka Vinayakar Temple were carved into a cave formation, there is no provision for a pradakshina around the Vinayakar sannidhi, or sanctum sanctorum. The inner sanctum is well lit with oil lamps to allow proper darshan. Another distinct feature of the Pillayarpatti Temple is that the image of Karpaka Vinayakar faces north while most presiding deities in Hindu temples face east.

The Karpaka Vinayakar temple complex in Pillayarpatti also includes the Vedaagama Vidyalaya, a Hindu academy run under the auspices of the Nagarathar Trust that also manages the temple. The chanting of sacred mantras from the Vedas, Agamas, and Tevaram in the Karpaka Vinayakar Temple by students of the academy help create a divine ambience within the shrine. Also prominent within the temple complex is the large temple tank.

Festivals

The festivities of Vinayakar Chaturthi celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesha are the biggest events held at the Karpaka Vinayakar Temple in Pillayarpatti. The ten day Vinayakar Chaturthi is observed in the Tamil month of Aavani (Aug-Sept) involves intricate rituals and grand processions of the primary deities of the temple. Vinayakar is taken in procession around the town of Pillayarpatti seated on a different vahanam on each day of the Vinayakar Chaturthi, with the ninth day of the festival marked by a magnificent chariot procession. The elaborate festivities bring much splendor and gaiety to the town, attracting hundreds of thousands of faithful devotees from across Tamil Nadu.

Another ten day festival, this one honoring Kongu Nachiyamman, a village deity whose processional image is also housed at the Karpaka Vinayakar Temple, is held in the Tamil month of Vaikasi (May-June). The Margazhi Tiruvathirai festival in honor of Lord Nataraja and Sivakami is held in the month of Margazhi (Dec-Jan). Furthermore, every twelve years, the Karpaka Vinayakar Temple in Pillayarpatti celebrates the mahakumbabishekam, or consecration, ceremony on a grand scale, with the most recent one having been held in 2004.

Poojas

Poojas are performed on a regular basis throughout the day, accompanied by Vedic, Thevaram and Tiruvachakam hymns. Garlands made of a type of grass called arugampul that is considered auspicious for Lord Ganesha are usually offered. Devotees pray for blessings at the Karpaka Vinayakar Temple when undertaking new endeavors as Lord Ganesha is regarded as the ‘remover of obstacles.’ Hundreds of thousands of devotees visit Pillayarpatti annually for a darshan of Karpaka Vinayakar.

Uchi Pillaiyar Temple, Trichy

Uchi Pillaiyar Temple is located on the peak of the Rock Fort hill. The shrine is at a height of 273 ft and you have to climb over 400 steps to reach the pinnacle. One has to cross Sri Thayumanavar temple, which is located half way to the peak. Though the climb is a bit difficult, the soothing cool breeze gears up our energy to climb without much strain. A panoramic view of the entire Thiruchi and Srirangam Temple from the Uchi Vinayakar temple is just amazing.

Entrance Of Rock Fort Temple, Tiruchirappalli

The Rock Fort temple complex in Tiruchirappalli is a collection of three temples – the Manikka Vinayaka temple at the foot of the hill, the Uchhi Pillayar Koyil at the top of the hill and the Taayumaanava Koyil (Shivastalam) on the hill. This Shivastalam is a rock cut temple on a hill in the most prominent landmark in Tiruchirappalli (Trichy); reached by a flight of steps on the way to the famous Ucchi Pillaya temple.

How The Name Thiruchirapalli Came

Tiruchirappalli, was earlier known as Thirisirapuram, as a Rakshasa called Thirisiran worshipped Lord Shiva here. There are also stories that since there are three peaks on Rock Fort, occupied by three Gods Shiva, Parvathi & Vinayakar (Uchi Pillaiyar), the place was called Thiri-sikarapuram and later called Tirisirapuram.

This place was also known as Sirappalli, Rishabachalam & Dhakshina Kailasam during ancient days.As per the mythology, once there was a great tuffle between Aadhiseshan and the wind God Vaayu, on who is more powerful. Aadhiseshan encircled the Maha Meru hill (Himalaya) and challenged Vaayu whether he can take Himalayas off his clutches. Vaayu tried much and accepted his defeat.

Outer View Rock Fort Ganesh Temple

It is said that during the fight, 3 pieces of the mountain broke and flew off to different places. Out of the 3 peices which flew off, one is this Rock fort at Trichy. The other two are at Triconamalee (Ceylon) and Sri Kalahasthi (AP).

History

Vibhishana, was the younger brother of the Asura King Ravana who ruled Lanka.Lord Rama rescues his wife Sita, who was kidnapped and held by Ravana, with the help of Sugriva and Hanuman defeated him. In this war, the moral and truth-abiding brother of Ravana, Vibishana aids Rama in his battle against his brother. Ultimately Rama wins the war and as a token of love, He gifts Vibishana an Idol of Lord Ranganatha, a form of Vishnu.

Vibhishana, though he supported Rama, was basically an Asura, hence the Devas wanted to stop this idea of an Asura taking Lord’s supreme form to his Kingdom. They request the help of the God of Happiness, Lord Vinayaka and the Lord accepts the plan. Vibhishana, while on his back to his Kingdom, goes through Trichi, and wanted to take his bath in the river Kaveri and do his daily rituals. However, he is perplexed as the idol once kept in land, can never be removed and has to be in that place forever.

Rock Fort Temple And Tank- Tiruchirappalli

While passing by the city of Thiruchi, Vibhishana was extremely fascinated by the beauty of the flow of river Cauvery. He felt that it was the right place for him to have his bath and some rest before proceeding to Lanka. He looked around for some help to keep the Ranga Vimana till he finishes his bath. There was a small boy playing around in the banks of Cauvery. Vibhishana handed over the Ranga Vimana to him and told him strictly not to place it on the ground till he comes back. The boy agreed and told him that he will call Vibhishana thrice and if he doesn’t come back, he will keep it and go away.

Vibhishana went into the waters and was enjoying the bath in the river. This boy called him thrice and Vibhishana did not respond as he was in waters. The boy kept the idol on the ground and it started growing big enormously.

Vibhishana came back hurrily. Seeing the Vimana on the ground, he tried to lift it. His attempts failed. He got furious with the boy and went chasing him. The boy ran upto the hill top and sat on the peak as he can’t run further. Vibhishana knocked the boy on his head with anger. The boy revealed himself as Lord Vinayaka to Vibhishana. Vibhishana prayed the lord and went back to Lanka leaving behind the Ranga on the banks of Cauvery.

It was Vinayaka’s trick to retain Lord Ranga in Trichy, which is today’s Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple.

And the Lord Vinayaka who played tricks with Vibhishana, is worshipped as Uchi Pillaiyar at the hill top. Even today one can see a wound on his head caused by the knock of Vibhishana.

Festivals

View Of RockFort Temple

Six worship services are offered each day here. This well endowed temple celebrates the annual Brahmotsavam in Chithirai. Aadi Pooram and the float festival in Panguni are also of significance here.

Rock Fort Temple Timings: 6.00am to 8.00pm.

How to Get There

Air : Trichy has an airport, 7-km away from the city and is connected by regular flights with Chennai, Madurai, and Bangalore.

Rail : Trichy is an important junction on the Southern Railway. It connects Chennai, Thanjavur, Madurai, Tuticorin, Tirupati and Rameswaram on the metre gauge, and Bangalore, Coimbatore, Cochin and Mangalore on the broad gauge.

Road : Trichy is connected by road to Chennai (320-km), Madurai (124-km) and to all major towns in South India by regular bus services.

Kanyakumari Temple

¤ The Temple of Virgin Goddess

Kanyakumari is the southernmost tip of India and the merging point of three seas; the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. It is named after the virgin Goddess Kanyakumari whose temple is situated here on its shore.

This temple is devoted to a manifestation of Parvati, the virgin goddess who performed penance to acquire Lord Shiva's hand in marriage. The temple is a major tourist attraction with neighboring ghat, beautifully placed overlooking the shore. It is an eminent belief that the diamond nose-ring of the deity is so shiny that it is visible even from the sea.

There are two rocks emerging out of the ocean, located southeast of the Kumari Amman temple. One among these is Sri Padaparai, where the footprints of the virgin goddess are believed to be imprinted on this rock. It is said that Swami Vivekananda sat in deep meditation here and therefore the Vivekananda Rock Memorial was built in 1970. Along with this there also a dhyana mandapam, which provides a tranquil atmosphere to meditate.


¤ Legend Related To The Temple

Legends say that the wedding of Kanya Devi, an avatar of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva was to be held here. But he did not arrived at the auspicious time and the wedding never took place. The food that was to be cooked was left uncooked. Here the stones resemble rice and cereals which can also be bought. According to the people residing here these stones are the leftovers of the legendary marriage that could not be solemnized. As for the princess Kanya Devi, she became a virgin goddess, blessing everyone who visits this temple.


¤ The Features of The Temple

The temple is entered mainly through the northern gate, inspite of the fact that the deity is facing east. The eastern entrance remains closed except for special occasions when the deity is taken out for ceremonial bath.

There are all together three corridors that skirt the sanctum. The outer corridor is deprived of special shrines, but after a walk round it the devotees cross the 'Navarathiri mandapam'. A pathway leads to the second corridor surrounding the shrine. There stands the flag mast or 'Kodisthambam'. The Goddess can be clearly viewed from here. Moving further you will reach the front of the sanctum.

The Idol of the Goddess stands with rosary in one hand as if in prayer. It is said to be installed by Parasurama and is made of blue stone. In the inner corridor, the shrines of Vinayagar and Thiagasundary are present, which is visited by devotees after worshiping the Goddess.

Location:	Kanyakumari
Chief Deity:	Kanya Kumari/Devi
Best Time:	Throughout the Year
Opening Times:	The Kanyakumari temple remains open for public from 4.30 AM to 11.45 AM and 5.30 PM to 8.45 PM

Kanyakumari forms the southern most end of mainland India. It is also the place where the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean merge. Kanyakumari has been a great center for culture, civilization and pilgrimage for years. Kanyakumari is named after the virgin goddess Kanyakumari whose temple is situated here.

Legends have it that Kanya Devi, an incarnation (avatar) of Goddess Parvati, was to wed Lord Shiva but he did not turn up for the wedding and the marriage never took place. According to legends, the rice and cereals meant for the marriage remained uncooked. Even today, stones that look exactly like rice and cereals are available in the market. It is a common belief that these stones are the leftovers of the legendary marriage, which could not be solemnized. As the marriage could not take place, Kanya Devi became a virgin goddess

The Kanyakumari temple is dedicated to Kanya Devi. The main entrance to the Kanyakumari temple is through the northern gate. Though the deity in the temple is seated facing east, the eastern gate is kept closed except for some special occasions. There are three corridors that surround the sanctum. After a walk around the outer corridor, the devotees cross the 'Navarathiri mandapam' and head to the second corridor, which encircles the shrine. From here you can get a clear view of the Goddess. The main festivals at the Kanyakumari temple are held in the month of Vaikasi (May/June) and the Navarathri (September/October). Male worshippers are required to remove their shirts before entering the temple.

How to Reach the Kanyakumari Temple

Air
The nearest airport is at Thiruvananthapuram (80-km), well connected with national and International flights. Taxis and buses are available for Kanyakumari.

Rail
Kanyakumari is well connected by train services with all the places in India. Express trains connect kanyakumari with northern cities like Jammu and Delhi and other cities of India.

Road
Kanyakumari is connected by regular bus services with Chennai, Pondicherry, Trichy, Bangalore, Madurai, Nagercoil, Mandapam (Rameshwaram) etc. Local bus services, tourist taxis and auto rickshaws are available.

Parthasarathy Temple

To add some variety to your temple journey visit the Parthasarathy temple in Chennai. Though the common features of ancient temples are very much prevalent in this ancestral temple but it has some striking features, which makes the temple outstanding among others.

Journey to the Parthasarathy temple in Madras is very easy as it is situated in the heart of the Chennai city. Madras is the earlier name of the present Chennai city. Parthasarathy temple is in the Peter's Road, which is at Triplicane. You can visit this temple either by bus or auto rickshaw or by hired luxurious cabs. If you are going by auto rickshaw be careful about the fares. The standard charge for the auto rickshaws Rs. 8 for every kilometer you travel. Even if it is metered it is better to negotiate the fare first. The same concept applies for the luxurious cabs.

The Parthasarathy temple in Chennai has its origin back in 8th century. It was generally built by the Pallavas and later reformed by the Vijayanagar Kings during 11th century. The literal meaning of 'Parthasarathy' is the charioteer. According to the great Indian epic 'Mahabharata' 'Partha' meant Arjuna while sarathy is meant as charioteer. In the epic it is said during the great battle of Mahabharata Lord Krishna was the charioteer of Arjuna. In the epic Arjuna or partha was a brave warrior and Lord Krishna was a good friend, philosopher and guide to the Partha or Arjuna.

Though the Parthasarathy temple is devoted to the various incarnations of Lord Vishnu the main deity is 'Lord Krishna' one of the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Also the other exquisite feature of this Parthasarathy temple is the colored gopuram. 'Gopuram' is said to the pyramidical shaped temple top which is a stereotyped feature of the South Indian temples.

 

 

Presiding Deity  :    Perumal Rangamannar
Mother  :    Sri Andal, Kothai Nachiar
Reputation :     Divyadesam
Vimanam :     tower Samsana
Speciality :     The tower
Holy spring :     Thirumukkulam
Place :     Srivilliputhur
Scriptural name :     Villiputhur
District  :    Virudhunagar

Prayer:

Child, marriage, education, wisdom, business development, good yielding in farming family welfare are the boons devotees seek from the Lord here.

Prayer commitments:

Offering butter to the Lord, clothes, small lamps, Tulsi, flowers are offered to Lord. Nivedhanas offered to Lord is distributed among the visitors. Feeding is also undertaken.

Other holy springs in the temple are nine in total including Thirumukkulam, Kannadi theertham.

Speciality:

Vadabadrasayee Rangamannar. He is in a lying pose in the main shrine under Vimalakruthi Vimanam Vadavriksha accompanied by Sridevi Bhudevi massaging his lotus feet. Beautiful paintings on the wall on the three sides are Garuda, Senaimudaliar, Surya, Thumburu Narada, Brahmma on the naval chord of the Lord, Sanaka Rishi, Gandharvas, Moon, Madhukaidabas, Rishi Bruhu, Markandeya, Sword, club, Conch and the Wheel are beautifully sculpted on the three sides of the shrine of Vadabadrasayee. There is also an entrance facility in the Vimana to come around through which the devotee can have the dharshan of the head and feet of the Lord. This entrance would be opened a day before the Margazhi (December-January) festival.

C a r:

The car of the temple is built with high technical and artistic skill. Beautiful carvings adore the car in all sides. From the inscription of the date of making the Car as Shalivahana Sahabdam, Kollam 1025, Soumya Year, Avani month 13th day, one can imagine the antiquity of this car.

Reputation:

Andal, Rangamannar, Garuda appear together in the temple.

The tower of this temple is the symbol of the Government of Tamilnadu.

The Garland of Mother Andal is sent each year to Tirupathy the day before the commencement of Brahmmotsavam in the hills. Similarly for the Andal wedding festival, garland is coming from Tirupathi.

Also Kallazhagar, in the Chithirai festival in Madurai wears the Garland used by Andal. This Vaishnava temple one of the 108 Divya Desas built by Pandya and Chola kings in the year 1536. Srivilliputhur is the birth place of Nammalvar. Also Andal incarnated here. This is the temple that conferred the honour Soodikodutha Sudarkodi to Mother Andal.. Chakarathalwar idol is made of five metals called Panchaloka.

General Information:

Srivilliputhur is 50 Km from Virudhunagar, 8 from Sattur, 32 from Aruppukottai, 82 from Tirunelveli, 90 from Madurai. There are lodges in the place the charges ranging from Rs. 100 to Rs. 300.

Sufficient bus facilities are available from Madurai, Tirunelveli and Virudunagar to Srivillipthur. Railway station is Srivilliputhur and the airport nearby is Madurai. The temple administration can be contacted on telephone 04563 – 260254.

Festivals:

10 day Adipooram festival (July-August), Peria Perumal 10 day festival in Purattasi (September-October), Kayana (Wedding) festival 10 days in Panguni (March-April) are the important festivals in the temple. Special pujas are performed on Deepavali, Pongal, New years of both Tamil and English first days,

History:

Sri Andal had the habit of wearing the garlands prepared for Rangamannar and look at the mirror to ascertain herself whether she would be a good match to Lord Rangamannar. Her father Perialwar without knowing this, used to take the garland for the Lord each day. A hair was found one day. Perialwar was upset and begged the pardon of the Lord but the Lord told him that he was very fond of that Garland and asked to bring the garland the same way each day. Andal also was not willing to marry a human and was waiting for the Lord to have her hand in wedlock. The lord directed Perialwar to bring Andal in a Palanquin to Srirangam where he would marry her. Andal reached Srirangam and mingled with the Lord. The Lord gave darshan to Perialwar along with Andal. Srivilliputhur is one of the celebrated Divyadesas for the Vaishnava devotees.

Sri Andal Temple, Srivilliputhur, India

The Pillar-Hall, with an artistically designed front view, welcomes us. On either side of the hall, Vanamalai Jeear monastry with shops, and monastries of Vedantha Desikar and Manavalla Saint are set up.

The next to Pillar-Hall is the Divine Marriage Hall. It looks exequisitely beautiful with sculptured figures of Yali in big pillars. A statuette of Saint Appar is found in a pillar which is in the southern entrance. On the inside ceiling of this hall, the paintings of Nayakkar Dynasty period’s Ramayana have been drawn. These painting are getting defaced due to lack of proper maintenance.

Passing the Marriage Hall, we come across the hall of Flag Staff. In the columns of this hall, the carved figures of Rama, Lakshmana, Arjunan, Karnan, Rathi Devi, Manmadhan, Gugan, Kalaimagal, Veerapathirar, Sakthi, Venugopalan, Viswakarma, Rudhra kanigai, Jalandhiran and Mohini look excellently beautiful. In the northern enclosure, Old Ekadasi Hall, Glass Hall, Ointment Room, extra kitchen house and the gateway to the Heaven are found. To the south of the Flag Staff, there is a hall made of wood and in which a highly decorated Goddess Gajalakshmi statue is also seen. Nearby, there is a temple for Lord Anjaneya also. In the corner of the southwest part of this enclosure, there are panchaloga statues of Rama, Sita and Lakshmanan. In the northwest corner, there are temples for Srinivasan and Sundararajan. In the southeast corner of this enclosure, one can see Lakshminarayanan, who was worshipped by the Vaishnavite poet Periyazhvar. Nearer to it is the Madhavi Pandhal which finds reference in the Andal Thiruppavai. Upon the walls of the enclosure, 108 Vaishnavite temples have been beautifully painted.

Dhuwaraga Palagar statues have been installed on both sides of the entrance to Mahamandapam and Arthamandapam. There is a Swing Hall inside the Big Hall, which is being called “Friday Kuradu”. The statues of Thirumalai Naikkar and Chokkappa Naikkar, with their consorts, are found carved in the pillars of this hall.

Inside the Sanctum Sanctorum, Sri Andal, Rangamannar and Garudazhwar are sitting majestically on the Golden Throne. Only in this shrine, Garudazhwar can be seen sitting on equal footing with the God.