About the Temple & Location:
This sthalam is in Tirunelveli district near Thirukkurungudi. We have to get down in Nanguneri when travelling from Tirunelveli to Thirukkurungudi. Bus and lodging facilities are available.
Legend
The details about the presiding deity find mention in Brhamananda Purana, Skanda Purana and Narasimha Purana. Sage Narada got the narration about the features of Thodatri and Sargunamangai from Shiva. As per Hindu legend, Lakshmi, the wife of Vishnu is believed to have been born at this place as Srivaramangai (meaning lady) and hence the place came to be known as Varangunamangai. As per another legend, Adisesha, the serpent performed penance at this place to seek the grace of Vishnu to lay on him. Vishnu was pleased by his devotion and rested on the serpent. Garuda, the eagle also performed penance and was granted a wish to be guarding Vaikunta, the residence of Vishnu.
As per local legend, a childless king named Kaaarya worshiped Vishnu at this place. Vishnu directed him to Nanguneri under the earth. The king dug up the earth to see blood oozing from the place. To stop the blood, the king was asked to perform ablution on the presiding deity with oil every day. Blessed with children, the king constructed the temple.
History
The temple has many inscriptions, the earliest of which is from 1236 CE. The inscription is from the period of Sundara Pandya I indicates a gift from him on the occasion of Adi Puram. Another inscription from 1275 from Kulasekara I indicates the details of tax collection in the region. The inscription on the Eastern Gopuram from the period of Sundara Pandya II in 1284 indicates the gift of land to the temple. The gift of Vikrama Pandya III is inscribed on the northern wall in 1299. A gift of money to sculpt the image of Sadagopar in 1305 is found in the Eastern wall in the second precinct. From the Vijayanagara rulers, the temple came under the administration of kings of Travancore. A sanyasi named Pushpanjali was entrusted with the donations from the kings. During 1447, the temple came under the administration of Vanamamalai Mutt. The first pontiff of the temple arranged for the installation of the idol of the consort of Vanamamalai from Tirupathi. The Namboodris were also replaced by the priests from Tirupathi during the period. During the 17th century, the then pontiff sought the help of the ruling Naik king to resolve local disputes. During 1794, the Nawab of Carnatic, Abdul Umra, endowed extensive lands to the Mutt.
The presiding deity is called Devapiran as he is believed to have married Varamangai, the daughter of the pontiff of Vanamamalai Mutt. The temple is maintained and administered by the pontiff in modern times.
Architecture
The temple has a large five-tiered gopuram (gateway tower) and a large temple compound having two prakarams (closed precincts of a temple). There are various pillared halls in the temple. The presiding deity, Vanamamalai Perumal is seen seated on the Adisesha, the serpent deity. Sridevi and Bhoodevi, the two consorts of Perumal are seen on either side of the presiding deity. The shrine of the presiding deity is located axial to the gateway tower and approached through Artha Mandapam and Maha Mandapam, pillared halls. There are three precincts in the temple, with the shrine of Thayar located in the second precinct. There is a festival hall in the second precinct in the temple facing South that has sculpted pillars indicating various legends of the Puranas. The most notable of them being a legend of Mahabharata where Bhima attacks a lion legged person with his club. The second precinct has pillared halls that has smaller sculpted representations indicating various avatars of Vishnu.
Religious importance
The temple is considered one of the eight Sywayambu Kshetras of Vishnu where the presiding deity is believed to have manifested on its own. Seven other temples in the line are Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple, Bhu Varaha Swamy temple, and Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in South India and Saligrama, Naimisaranya, Pushkar and Badrinath Temple in North India. The temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by Nammazhwar in ten hymns. The temple is classified as a Divyadesam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. As per the accounts of the Jeeyar, the head of the Vanamamalai Mutt, Janakapuri in Nepal, where Rama (an avatar of Vishnu) married Sita, also has a place called Nanguneri, similar to the Vanamamalai temple.
Festivals and religious practices
The temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis based on Vaiksana Agama. As at other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Vaishnavite community, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals are performed six times a day: Ushathkalam at 7 a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 p.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at 7:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 10:00 p.m. Each ritual has three steps: alangaram (decoration), nivedhanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Vanamamalai Perumal and Thayar. During the last step of worship, nagaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion instrument) are played, religious instructions in the Vedas (sacred text) are recited by priests, and worshippers prostrate themselves in front of the temple mast. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals performed in the temple. The major festival, the twelve-day Brahmotsavam, is celebrated during the Tamil month of Thai (January - February).
Vishnu is considered as alankara priyar (one who prefers decoration), and Shiva as abhisheka priyar (one who prefers ablution). Vanamamalai temple is one of the few Vishnu temples where ablution is done for the presiding deity on a daily basis. At around 7 am every day, ablution is performed on the presiding deity with milk, curd and other pooja items. The ghee used for ablution is poured in the oil well in the temple, which is considered sacred.During the festival occasions, the festival idols are brought to the Vanamamalai Mutt located outside the premises of the temple.
Sthalapuranam :
This sthalam is also named as Naanguneri, Seeravaramangai and Vanamamalai. Since there are 4 big Lakes in this sthalam, this sthalam is named as “Naangu Neri”. (Naangu means four). But at present only one is found. This sthalam is one of the Ashta (eight) swayambhu (Which grows (or)develops on its own) sthalams. Other seven sthalams are Badri Narayanam, Mukthi Narayanam, Naimisaranyam, Pushkaram, Tiruvenkadam, SriMushnam and Thiru Varaagam.
It is said that the Moolasthanam was immersed in the lake water. Even if the lake is flooded with water, there will be around 2 feet high of water around the Garbhagriha (Moolasthanam).
Inside this sthalam is an oil well of 25 feet height and 15 feet width. The well doesn't have water but has a rich oil, which extracts oil instead of water. The oil which is found in the well is said to have medicinal values and said that it cures many diseases. Daily, the Emperumaan of this sthalam is done the thirumanjanam using 6 padis (1 padi= around 1 1/2 Kgs) of Gingelly oil and Sandalwood oil. After the thirumanjanam is over, the oils are poured into the well itself .
If any devotee needs some amount of oil from the well, they must give the same amount of gingelly oil to the devasthanam and it is poured into the well and given the medicinal oil.
To get the Aathma Gnanam, Aathma Arul (blessing) and Aathma Bhakthi, the permanent soul (or) Aathma which resides on the temporary body should be clean and purified. Having this as cleared only, we get to achieve all other things. Our body, speech and activity should be clean. Old age is the caution for death and it is the final action for the free of our soul. Till the soul is in our body, it should be without any harm and diseases and should be clean. To explain this, the Emperumaan of this sthalam gives his seva and also gives the oil which cures many diseases.
So bhaktaas who worship this sthalam can get the dharshan of the Emperumaan and also the curable oil.
This sthala perumal gave his pratyaksham to Indiran, Romasa Maharishi, Brighu Muni and Maarkandeya Maharishi. He gave his sev to these four great aathmas as “Aadhi Maruthuvan” (Maruthuvan means doctor). The persons who has the diseases are given the treatment by facing him towards East – west direction. As the same way, the perumal Thothatri Naathan gives his seva facing his thirumugam towards the east direction.
It is said that a king who belonged to the Sindhu empire got the sabham from Romasa Maharishi to become like a dog. After becoming the dog, the king came to this sthalam and took a bath in the sthala pushkarani to get out of the Sabham.
On the entrance of the Temple is the Pandhal Mandapam and along the side, we can find very big mandapams where Golden Chariot and Golden Chapparam (another kind of perumal’s Vaaganam) are kept. These are taken out during the utsavam done in Panguni Uthiram. On the north side, we can find the Vaanamamalai Jeeyar Madam.
When entering into the main temple, we can find Sevvanthi Mandapam which is built by Sevvanthi Naayakar. In this mandapam only, the utsavar gives his seva during utsava times. On the left side of this mandapam, we can find Veerappa Naayakkar mandapam, in which all the pillars are beautifully sculptured with numerous shapes. When passing through this mandapam, sannadhis for Lakshmi Narayanan, Lakshmi Varagar, Venugopalan and Dasavatharam are found.
After crossing the Kodi maram, we can find Kulasekaran mandapam. Here vadakku Naachiyaar, Therku Naachiyaar, Manavala Maamunigal, Udayavar, pillai ulaga Asiriyar and except Nammalwar, all the Alwars are found in separate sannadhis. Nammalwar is found as “Sadagopar” in “Sadaari” (this is kept on our head in Vishnu temples) as “Sadagopar Sadaari” in utsavar sannadhi. Also, separate sannadhis for Sri Ramar, Sri Kannan, Chakaratalwar are found.
After crossing all these, we can reach towards the main moolavar sannadhi and can find Thothadri nadhan in Veetrirundha thirukkolam and opposite to him Garudalwar is found.
Moolavar is found along with two pirattiyaars in veetrirundha kolam and Rambhai, Thilothamai who are called the “Deva loga women” serve the perumal, Brighu Maharishi, Maarkandeya Maharishi, Chandra – Soorya, Vishwakshenar are found. The Aadhiseshan, serves as the Umbrella for Thothatri Nathan, he is giving his seva to the bhaktaas.
Utsavar Deiva Nayagan is found along with this pirattiyaars, Srivara Mangai thaayar and Andal by having Maga Kandigai (which is said to be the most precious and valuble ornament of the perumal) in very big peetam is found.
This sthalam is also called as “Vaanama malai” because a pandiya king married a Cheran daughter and he got the name as “Vaanavan”. Since he built this temple, this sthalam is called “Vaanama malai”. It is one of the said story about this sthalam.
Specials:
An oil well is there, which is said to cure all sorts of incurable diseases.
Moolavar and Thaayar:
The Moolavar of this temple is Sri Kotagiri Nathan also named as Vaanamamalai. Pratyaksham for Brahmadevan, Indiran, Ramasa Rishi, Brighu Rishi, Maarkandeya Rishi. Moolavar in Veetrirundha Kolam facing East direction.
The Thaayar of this temple is Sirivaramangai Naachiyaar – Periya piratti, Bhoomi piratti and Neela devi are the three Naachiyaars of this sthalam. Periya piratti and Bhoomi piratti are the two naachiyaars who are found along with the Moolavar and they have their own sannadhis.
Utsavar :
The Utsavar of this temple is Sri Deiva Naayaga Perumal.
Mangalasasanam:
Nammalwar – 11 Paasurams.
Total – 11
Pushkarani:
Indira theertham, Setru thaamarai theertham. Since this pushkarani is without water and found only oil and mud and clay, the pushkarani is called “Setry thamarai theertham”. And since, Indiran took bath in this to get out of the diseases, the Pushkarani is called Indira theertham.
Vimanam:
Nanda Varthana Vimaanam.
