Alwarthirunagari Temple

Alwarthirunagari Temple
Alwarthirunagari Temple
Location in Tamil Nadu
Name
Proper name Alwar Thirunagari
Geography
Coordinates 8°35′N 77°57′E / 8.583°N 77.950°E / 8.583; 77.950Coordinates: 8°35′N 77°57′E / 8.583°N 77.950°E / 8.583; 77.950
Country India
State Tamil Nadu
District Tuticorin
Location Alwarthirunagari
Culture
Primary deity Aathi Nathar
(Vishnu),POLINDHU NINRA PIRAN
Consort Aathi Natha valli
(Lakshmi)
Temple tank Brahma
Shrine Govinda
Poets Nammalvar
Architecture
Architectural styles Dravidian architecture

Alwarthirunagari Permual Temple is one of the Nava Tirupathi,[1] nine Hindu temples dedicated to Vishnu located in Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli route, Tamil Nadu, India in the banks of Thamiraparani river. All these 9 temples are classified as Divya Desams, the 108 temples of Vishnu revered by the 12 poet saints, or Alwars.[2]

Legend

Hall near the gopuram

Alwar Tirunagari is believed to be the largest town in the time of Pandya kings. The name of the town in Sanskrit is Srinagari; and under this appellation, it is alluded to Brahmananda Purana. The distinguishing name, with azhwar prefixed to Tirunagari, Alwar Tirunagari. The place is believed to be the birthplace of the azhwar saint Nammalvar. Just as in other avatars, Vishnu is believed to have incarnated as Nammalvar. The reason assigned to the incarnation is that Vishnu has incarnated in all 3 class of castes, but not in the fourth.[3]

Festival

A hall with yalis

The Garuda Sevai utsavam(festival) in the month of Vaikasi(May-Jun) witnesses 9 Garudasevai, a spectacular event in which festival image idols from the Nava Tirupathis shrines in the area are brought on Garuda vahana(sacred vehicle). An idol of Nammalvar is also brought here on a Anna Vahanam(palaquin) and his paasurams(verses) dedicated to each of these 9 temples are recited. The utsavar(festival deity) of Nammalvar is taken in a palanquin to each of the 9 temples, through the paddy fields in the area. The paasurams(poems) dedicated to each of the 9 divya desams are chanted in the respective shrines. This is the most important of the festivals in this area, and it draws thousands of visitors.

References

  1. 15 Vaishnava temples of Tamil Nadu. M. Rajagopalan
  2. 108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams: Divya desams in Pandya Nadu. M. S. Ramesh, Tirumalai-Tirupati Devasthanam.
  3. Annual report of the Archaeological Department, Southern Circle, Madras. By Archaeological Survey of India.

External links

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