Alwarthirunagari Sri Adinathan Temple, Thoothukudi – Nava Tirupathi

Address

Alwarthirunagari Sri Adinathan Temple, Alwarthirunagiri, Thoothukudi District- 628 612, Phone; +91 4639 273 607

Diety

Aathi Nathar (Vishnu), Amman: Aathi Natha valli (Lakshmi)

Introduction

Azhwarthirunagari Permual Temple is one of the Nava Tirupathi, in Alwar Thirunagari, a town in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. It is located 26 km from Tirunelveli. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Adinathar and his consort Lakshmi as Athinathanayagi.The temple is also classified as a Navatirupathi, the nine temples revered by Nammazhwar located in the banks of Tamiraparani river. The temple is the most prominent among the nine Navatirupathi temples. The temple is one of the Navagraha temples in Vaishnavism, associated with Jupiter, the Guru. Theertham : Thaamiraparani,Brahma thirtham Thala Virutcham : Puliya maram (Tamrind tree) Planet: Jupiter Specialized Day: Thursday

Puranic Significance

Alwar Tirunagari is believed to be the largest town in the time of Pandya kings. The distinguishing name, with azhwar in Tamil prefixed to Thirunagarimeans the people who spoke languages first and speaks correct language.The temple is considered the birthplace of Nammazhwar, considered the most prominent among the twelve Azhwar Saints. Nammazhwar has contributed more than thousand verses out of the four thousand in Nalayira Divya Prabhandam, the Vaishnava canon. According to traditional scriptures, Nammazhwar was born in 43rd Kali of 3059 BC. He was born in a ((Mallar)) family at Thirukuravur(modern day Alwarthirunagiri) in the southernmost region of the Tamil country.According to legend, as a child he responded to no external stimuli and his parents left him at the feet of the deity of Sri Adhinathar of Nagar tribe in Alwarthirunagari. The child then got up and climbed into a hole in a tamarind tree, sat in the lotus position, and began to meditate. It appears he was in this state for as long as sixteen years when a Tamil poet and scholar in Madurai named Madhurakavi Alvar saw a bright light shining in the south, and followed it until he reached the tree where the boy was residing. Unable to elicit any reaction from the child, he asked him a riddle: “If the small is born in a dead’s body (or stomach), what will it eat and where will it stay?” meaning, if the subtle soul is embodied in the gross body, what are its actions and thoughts? Nammalvar broke his lifelong silence and responded, “That it will eat, it will rest!” meaning that if the soul identifies with the body, it will be the body but if it serves the divine, it will stay in vaikunta and eat(think) of God. Madhurakavi Alvar realized the divinity of this child and became a devotee of the child. The works of Nammalwar were compiled by Madhurakavi as four different works, the Tiruvayumoli (1102 verses), Thiruviruttam (100 verses), Thiruvaasiriam (or Thiru Aasiriyam – 7 verses) andPeriya Thiruvanthadi (87 verses). The works of Nammalwar contributed to the philosophical and theological ideas of Vaishnavism. Along with the three samaya kuravargal, Shaiva Nayanars Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar, they influenced the ruling Pallava kings of South India, changing the religious geography from Buddhism and Jainism to Hinduism.

Beliefs

All afflictions that happen due to the Navagraha curse, will be alleviated by worshipping the deities at Navatiruppatis. Devotees perform thirumanjanam for the Lord and don him with new clothes. Those devotees whose prayers are fulfilled give as offering anything they desire

Special Features

A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines and two of its three bodies of water. The rajagopuram, the temple’s gateway tower, is 95 ft (29 m) tall. Lord Vishnu is worshipped here as Aathinathan or Aathipiran. The Swamyabhu murti of Vishnu faces east and is in standing posture. The feet of the murti are buried under earth. Goddess Lakshmi and Bhudevi are worshipped here as Aathinathanayaki and Thirukkurukornayaki. The shrine is located on the banks of Thamiraparani River. The sacred water body in the temple is known as Brahma Theertham. In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Festivals

The ‘Garuda Sevai’ festival during the month of Vaikasi is famous and well-attended. Nammalvar is taken in procession on ‘hamsa vahanam’ (Swan-carriage) on his birthday, that is, the day with Visaka star.