Vaithamanidhi Perumal Temple

Sri Vaithamanidhi Permual Temple is one of the Nava Tirupathi.,[1] nine Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli route, Tamil Nadu, India in the southern bank of Thamiraparani river.Thirukkolur is located at a distance of 4 km from Alwarthirunagari.This is the eighth temple of Nava thirupathi and is for mars (Sevvai). It is also called as Kuberasthalam.[2] All these 9 temples are classified as "Divya Desams", the 108 temples of Vishnu revered by the 12 poet saints, or Alwars.[3]

Sri Vaithamanidhi Perumal Temple
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DistrictTuticorin
DeityVaithamanidhi
(Vishnu) Kumudavalli,
Kolurvalli(Lakshmi)
Features
  • Tower: Srikara
  • Temple tank: Kubera
Location
LocationTirukkolur
StateTamil Nadu
CountryIndia
Location in Tamil Nadu
Geographic coordinates8°35′48″N 77°57′28″E
Architecture
TypeDravidian architecture
Website
http://navathirupathitemples.tnhrce.in/

The Temple
Image of a hall inside the temple

The temple has two prakaram(closed precincts of a temple). The main deity has a reclining posture, facing east. Vaithamanithi perumal is in reclining pose with the wooden measurement tool (Marakkal) as his pillow to measure the wealth and looking at the palm of his left hand to watch over location of the wealth.[2] It is believed that people pray here are blessed with great wealth.[2]

History

Kubera the lord of wealth lost his prominence due to the curse of Lord Shiva for Kubera's evil glance on Parvathi. When he repented for his sin and sought forgiveness from Shiva and Parvathi, they advised him to do penance at Thirukkolur. After his penance at Thirukkolur, Vaithamanithi perumal blessed him with his original position with the wealth.[2]

The place is the birthplace of Madhurakavi Alvar.

Festival
Elephant (Kumuthavalli) in the temple

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 an Anna Vahanam (palanquin) 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 Divyadesams are chanted in the respective shrines. This is the most important of the festivals in this area, and it draws thousands of visitors.[4][5]

References
  1. 15 Vaishnava temples of Tamil Nadu. M. Rajagopalan
  2. Adinathar Alwar thirukkoil Sthala varalaru; Temple publication; Page 8,9
  3. 108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams: Divya desams in Pandya Nadu. M. S. Ramesh, Tirumalai-Tirupati Devasthanam.
  4. Suriya (2015). Jothirlingam: The Indian Temple Guide. Partridge Publishing. p. 30. ISBN 9781482847864.
  5. Anantharaman, Ambujam (2006). Temples of South India. East West Books (Madras). pp. 33–43. ISBN 978-81-88661-42-8.
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