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SrI:
 
Dear All : There is a wealth of Information here
for those planning to visit the Nava Thiruppathis
in and around AzhwAr Thirunagari .
 
V,Sadagopan
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 3:44 AM
Subject: [t'venkatam] divyadesam darshanam around Tirunelveli

Dear Bhagavathas,
Following is an article in Karnataka's news paper DECCAN HERALD
by Sri.S.Prabhu which gives details of  visit to the divyadesams around TIRUNELVELI
There is also contact phone no. of bhattars.
 
Hope it will be use to those who want to visit.
 
namaste. Hari Om.
Dr.M.S.Rajamurthy
 
***************************************************
 
In the holy courtyard
S Prabhu takes you on a trip to cover the 12 temples around Tirunelveli called 'Divya Desams', with each one having a story to narrate.


Saint poets Azhvaars, there were 12 of them, visited Vishnu temples, sung praises of the Lord and composed verses in Tamil.

They revitalized the religious spirit sparking off a renewal of devotional worship referred to as the 'Bhakti movement'. Such temples have come to be known as Divya Desams. The compilation of the verses ,known as Paasurams, is the revered Naalayira Divya Prabandham (4000 verses).

There are 108 Divya Desams in all. In each of these temples, Vishnu is represented usually in one of three postures – reclining, seated or standing posture.

 
We take you on a trip to cover 12 temples around Tirunelveli. Iruttu Kadai Halwa (Dark Shop Halwa) opposite Nellaiappar temple is the best halwa you can taste in Tamil Nadu. The famous Courtallam (Spa of the South) waterfalls, with medicinal powers, is just over an hour's drive from Tirunelveli.

Sea Shore Lord Subramanya Temple at Tiruchendur is 60 kms east of Tirunelveli. Tirunelveli is famous for late night road side eateries offering hot idlies and dosas.

Nava Tirupathi temples

These are nine Vishnu temples on either side of Tamaraibarani river off the Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur state highway. Nammazhvar is the only Azhvaar to have sung at the Nava Tirupathi temples. At each of these nine temples, one can find a display board with temple timings and route map to reach the other Divya Desams in this region.

One can start the Nava Tirupathi trip from SriVaikuntam and end with Azhvaar Tirunagari. From SriVaikuntam, one can take an auto/taxi to go around the other eight temples. This will cost around Rs 250-300 and will take about five hours.

SriVaikuntam is about 30 kms from Tirunelveli on the Tiruchendur road. The story goes that the Lord, disguised as a thief, presented himself before the King to save the (real) thief.

Hence, the Lord here is also known as KallarPiran (Kalla meaning thief). In Vishnu temples, Adisesh, the Serpent God unfurls his hood over Vishnu in a reclining posture. A unique feature of the Lord here is that Adisesh has his hood above the Lord in standing posture, one of its kind in the 108 Divya Desams.

Another feature of the temple is that the sun's rays falls directly on Lord Vaikuntanathan on two days (April-May and October-November period) every year.

It is believed that this temple was used as a fort in the fight between the legendary freedom fighter Veerapandiya Kattabomman and the British in the 1800s. Buses ply every 10 minutes on this route from Tirunelveli's new bus stand. For details contact A K Vaikunta Natha Bhattar @ 98656 28681

Thiruvaraguna Mangai temple

Thiruvaraguna Mangai temple is about two kms east of Sri Vaikuntam and is known to many as the Vishnu temple at Natham.

True to his name, Lord Vijayaasanar is seen to be sitting majestically like a victorious king on the throne. It is believed that a visit to this temple will help one attain moksha. This place is said to be a Chandran Kshetram.You can contact Narasimha Bhattar @ 04630 256476

One km east of Natham is the Lord KaasinaVenthar temple at Thirupulingkudi. The east-facing Lord is seen in a reclining posture with a lotus stalk from his navel terminating in a flower on Brahma's image on the wall of the sanctum.

The story goes that Vishnu, along with Goddess Sridevi, came down to visit this place. Angered at being ignored for the trip,Goddess Bhoodevi hid herself in the netherworld.

After Vishnu pacified her, it is believed that the two goddesses came back together and gave darshan here with the Lord. An interesting feature of the temple is that Vishnu's feet can be viewed through a small window in the passage.For details, contact Gopalan Bhattar at 04630 256476

Irettai Tirupathi or twin temples that lie within a 100 yards of each other in the middle of a jungle. The first of the two temples has Lord Devapiran in a standing posture facing east.

Sage Suprabhar who performed a yagna at this place relieved a man and a woman from Kubera's curse, which had turned them into a measuring scale (tulai) and a bow (villi). Hence this place is called Tulai Villi Mangalam.

At the second temple, one finds Lord Aravindalochanar in a seated posture facing east. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu was impressed with Sage Suprabhar's daily lotus pooja and gave darshan to the sage on the northern banks of Tamaraibarani. Hence, it is believed that one who does special 'Lotus Flower' pooja at this temple will be relieved of all sins. For details contact: Seshamani Bhattar@04630  256372

Maayakoothan temple

The Maayakoothan temple at Thirukuzhandhai is about 10 kms east of SriVaikuntam. Legend has it that Vishnu went on his Garuda Vaahan to rescue Goddess Lakshmi from an Asura. Hence, one finds Garuda as the Utsav deity here.

In the battle that ensued, Vishnu is said to have performed his victory dance standing on Asura's body and hence the name 'MaayaKoothan'. Contact  MaayaKoothar Bhattar @ 04630  256372

On the South bank of Tamaraibarani, one finds the big Nigaril Mugilvannan temple at ThenThiruperai, where the Lord is seen in a seated posture facing east. Legend has it that Goddess Bhoodevi found two fish-shaped ear rings while performing a penance to relieve herself of Sage Durvasa's curse and offered it to the Lord.

Another story is that Varuna (the rain god) performed a penance here to be relieved of his curse. As a mark of this episode, it is believed that Varuna, visits this temple, every year, on the full moon day in the month of Panguni (March-April) and worships Vishnu. For details contact Anantha Padmanabha Bhattar @ 04639 273902

Vaitha Maa Nidhi temple

Three-km south west of Thiruperai is the Vaitha Maa Nidhi temple at Thiru Kolur, where the Lord is in a reclining posture facing east. This is the birth place of MaduraKaviAzhvaar, the ardent devotee of Nammazhvaar.

Legend has it that Kubera attained salvation from Goddess Parvati's curse at this place and it was here that his Nava Nidhis were restored. It is said that a visit to this temple will help one recover lost wealth. For details contact Srinivasa Bhattar at 04630 291634

AadiNaathan temple

Our last halt at the Nava Tirupathi temples is the AadiNaathan temple. Lord Nambi of Thirukkurungkudi is believed to have been born here as Nammazhvaar. When born, Nammazhvaar is said to have not opened his eyes or cried.

He resided under a tamarind tree within the temple for 16 years till he met Madurakavi (who was to later become his disciple) who posed some interesting questions about life. So impressed was MaduraKavi (Azhvaar) with Nammazhvaar's answers, that he said, "I do not need god, Nammazhvaar is enough".

An important festival at this temple is the Vaikasi Utsav, when the deities from all the Nava Tirupathi temples congregate here to listen to the Paasurams with Nammazhvaar seated on the Hamsa Vaahan.

This is one of the three Divya Desams in TN where Araiyar Sevai, the visual song and dance enactment of the Paasurams is still being performed. Most of the inscriptions here date back to 1000 years. For details contact Appu Sadagopachari 04639 273984.

At the end of Nava Tirupathi temples, one can come back to Tirunelveli. From Tirunelveli, one can then visit Vaanamaamalai and Thirukurungkudi and end the Divya Desam trip with Srivilliputhur.

Situated about 30 km south of Tirunelveli, off the Nagercoil NH7, is the Lord Vaanamaalai Thothadri Nathar temple.

A speciality of this Divya Desam is that an oil pooja is performed daily for the main deity and this oil is deposited in the 25 feet open well within the temple. The oil is said to have medicinal values and is believed to cure both internal and external illness, including ulcer and skin diseases. For details contact Nambi Srinivasa Bhattar 04365 250119

Known as the South Badri, Azhagiya Nambi temple at Thirukkurungkudi is about 15 km from Nanguneri. While the Lord lectures Ramanuja at (North) Badri, the Lord here took the role of a disciple and obtained Vaishnava initiation from Ramanuja.

Chola, Pandya and Naayak Kings are said to have played a significant role in the construction of this temple. Culverts show that this temple is at least 700-years-old. Eight kms from here is the Thirumalai Nambi temple, from where Lord Hanuman is said to have taken the leap to Lanka.

The  Araiyar Sevai originated from Thirukkurungkudi. Legend has it that the Lord used to listen to Araiyar's Abhinaya hiding behind a wall.Thirukkurungkudi is said to be the home to the Vaishnava tradition of Kaisika Ekadesi. For details contact: Murali Bhattar@ 94432 05739

Located 90 kms from Tirunelveli, Srivilliputhur is among the holiest of the Divya Desams as it is the birthplace of two Azhvaars and a father-daughter, Peri-Azhvaar and Andal. The temple dates back to first century AD.

The 196-ft high temple tower which is second only to Srirangam's Rajagopuram, has the TN Government logo enshrined on it. A  tradition followed to this day at this temple is that Lord Vadapatrasayi adorns every morning the garland worn the previous evening by Andal.

Andal's Thiruppavai is one of the most beautifully composed songs among the 4000 Paasurams. It is believed that singing these 30 verses will bring peace and prosperity as well as god's grace. A big attraction at the temple is the Araiyar Sevai during Margazhi. For details contact Bala Mukunda Araiyar @ 94438 67345

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