Thiruthevanartthogai Sri Deivanayagar Temple, Nagapattinam

Address

Thiruthevanartthogai Sri Deivanayagar Temple, Thiruthevanartthoga 4/83-A, Purushothama Perumal Koil Street, Nangoor Sirkali-Tk. -609106,

Diety

Madhava Perumal, Deivanayakan(Vishnu), Amman: Kadalmagal (Lakshmi)

Introduction

Thiruthevanartthogai or Madhava Perumal Temple is dedicated to 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 Madhavaperumal and his consort Lakshmi as Kadalmagal. It is one among the eleven divyadesams of Thirunangur Tirupathis and is closely associated with Thirumangai Alvar. Tower: Sopana Temple tank: Sopana

Puranic Significance

Madhava Perumal koil in Devanar Thogai on Keezha Salai is said to be the place where the Devas came in groups and congregated to have darshan of Lord Vishnu in his 11 different forms. The Lord here is from Thiru Vidanthai. It is believed that Sage Vashista undertook penance here and had darshan of the Lord.t’s been said that Lord Narayana married Goddess Lakshmi Devi who emerged out of the Thiruparkadal at this place. As the Deva’s (celestial persons) came in a group (Thogai in Tamil) this place is called Thiru Devanar Thogai. It is situated on the South bank of river Manni. It is believed that, after having dharsan of this perumal, unmarried persons get married and childless couples got the boon of child birth.

Special Features

The temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabhandam, the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by Periazhwar, Thirumalisai Alvar and Thirumangai Azhwar. The temple is classified as a Divyadesam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the temple finds mention in several works like 108 Tirupathi Anthathi by Divya Kavi Pillai Perumal Aiyangar. The temple has a three-tiered rajagopuram and all the shrines are enclosed in concentric rectangular walls. The presiding deity, Deivanayagan, in standing posture faces east. The images of the consort, Kadalmagal Nachiyar and the festival deities, Madhava Perumal and Madhava Nayagi are housed in the same shrine.

Festivals

The Thirumangai Azhwar Mangalasasana Utsavam celebrated annually during the Tamil month of Thai is the major festival of the temple during which the festival images of the eleven Thirunangur Tirupathis are brought on mount designed like Garuda, called Garuda Vahana, to Thirunangur. The temple follows thenkalai mode of worship.