Thirumanimadam Sri Narayanan Perumal Temple, Nagapattinam

Address

Thirumanimadam Sri Narayanan Perumal Temple, Thirumanimadam,Thirunangur,Nagapattinam District, Phone: 914364256 424/ 275 689 Mobile:91-94439 85843

Diety

Narayana Perumal Amman: Pundri Kavali Thayar

Introduction

Thirumanimadam or Narayanan Perumal Temple (also called Badrinarayana Perumal Temple) is dedicated to god Vishnu located in Thirunangur, a village in the outskirts of Sirkazhi in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. 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 Narayanan and his consort Lakshmi as Pundarikavalli. Tower: Pranava

Puranic Significance

The legends of all the eleven temples of Thirunangur are closely associated with each other. As per legend, the Hindu god Shiva started dancing in fury at this place after the death of his consort Uma due to the yagna (sacrifice) of Daksha. Each time his lock of hair touched the ground; there were eleven other forms of Shiva who appeared. The celestial deities were worried that if the dance continues, it would result in decimation of entire creations. They prayed to Vishnu for help, who appeared at this place. On seeing Vishnu, Shiva’s anger was reduced and he requested Vishnu to appear in eleven forms like he did. On his request, Vishnu appeared in eleven different forms at Thirunangur. Arimeya Vinnagaram literally translates to the place where Hari (another name of Vishnu) resides.

Special Features

The temple tank is located right across the temple. Inscriptions from 10th-century Chola and Nayakkar periods are seen in the temple. The temple has a five-tiered rajagopuram (gateway tower) and all the shrines of the temple are enshrined in a granite wall. The central shrine is built on an elevated structure and is reached by a flight of steps. There is a hall adjacent to the right of the rajagopuram, where the festival image of the fourteen temples in Thirunangur and its surrounds are housed during the Thirumangai Azhwar Utsavam. The shrine of the consort of Narayana Perumal is located in the second precinct around the sanctum. The image of the presiding deity is sported in the sanctum in standing posture facing east. The temple tank is located opposite to the gopuram.