Srivilliputhur Divya Desam

Thiruvilliputhur Divya Desam
Name
Other names:	Vanpudhuvai, Sri Dhanvipuram, Thiruvilliputhur andal kovil
Proper name:	Thiruvilliputhur Divya Desam
Location
Country:	India
State:	Tamil Nadu
District:	Virudhunagar
Location:	Srivilliputhur
Architecture and culture
Important festivals:	Aani Alwar Uthsavam (June–July) Thiruvadipooram (August) Ennaikappu (December–January)
Architectural styles:	Dravidian architecture
Number of temples:	3 (Sri Vadabadhra Sayee, Sri Andal and Sri Periyalwar)
History
Date built: (Current structure)	Before 1 B.C.

Thiruvilliputhoor Divya Desam is a popular 2000-year-old Hindu temple and one of the 108 Divya Desams, the most important abodes of Lord Vishnu. It is the birthplace of two of the most important alvars (saints) in the Vaishnavite tradition: Periyazhvar and Andal. The temple is in the town of Srivilliputtur (ஸ்ரீவில்லிபுத்தூர்), about 74 km from Madurai, India. It is significant that the temple tower is used in the Tamilnadu government's official seal.

History

Bhagavan Sriman Narayanan, during his Varaha Avataram, slayed an asuran called Kalinemi and took rest under the foot of a banyan tree, with his consorts Sri Mahalakshmi and Sri Bhooma Devi in a place called Shenbagaranyam (meaning beautiful forest, in Tamil). Shenbagaranyam was a small part of large kingdom ruled by a queen Malli. Her sons Villi and Puttan were hunters and used to hunt animals in Shenbagaranyam. One day these two hunters went to the forest for hunting and spotted a tiger. They tried to kill it with Puttan vigorously chasing it. Villi lost track of his brother. After some time, the tiger managed to kill Puttan by hiding behind a tree and pouncing on him at an opportune time. Villi came searching for Puttan and, on seeing his dead body, was overcome with grief. After some time he fell asleep.

During his sleep he had a dream. Sriman Narayanan and his consort appeared in his dream and said "O, Villi do not grieve. We will get back your brother's life." He mentioned his previous appearance as Vatapatrasayi in Sayana Thirukolam under the foot of the banyan tree and said that there was a cave near a huge banyan tree where his moorthy (statue) had been lying for a long time. There were also lots of gold coins and jewels near the cave. He instructed Villi to use the money to deforest the place and build a village with a temple after installing the statue in the temple.

Villi woke up to find his brother Puttan alive and narrated his dream him. He then built a small town and a temple by installing the statue of the Lord and thus the Vatapatrasayi temple was built. After a forest full of snake mounds was converted into a town by Villi it came to be known as Villiputhoor. Later with the advent of Sri Andal it got the name Srivilliputtur (the prefix "Sri" being a sobriquet for a holy place).

Deities

Festival deity

Within the temple's sanctum sanctorum is an image of the Lord in a reclining posture; His consorts, Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi, are shown attending to him at His feet. Sage Bhrgu stands near His head and Markandeya is near His feet. The banyan tree — whose leaf is known as Vatapatram, on which the Lord is said to rest in the form of a baby during deluge — is at His head, behind Sage Bhrgu.

Images of Panchamurtis, Thumburu, Narada, Sanatkumara, Kinnara Mithuna, the Sun and the Moon are shown all around Rangamannar as well as representations of Villi and Puttan, who stand reverently at His feet. The sanctum sanctorum has three doorways from which the Lord can be seen in His reclining posture. A flight of stairs leads to the sanctum sanctorum; below them is a large, impressive hall with detailed wooden carvings depicting incidents from the Puranas. These carvings support as well as decorate the ceiling.

Temple significance

Srivilliputtur (Shenbagaranyakshetram) finds mention in the Brahmakaivatsapuranam and the Varaha puranam. The Varaha puranam foretells the existence of Srivilliputtur and the consequent visit of Bhagavan during the Varaha Avataram. The Brahmakaivatsa puranam mentions the location of Vatapatrasayi Temple in Srivilliputtur.

The Srivilliputtur divya desam has the unique distinction among all other divya desams of being the birthplace of two important azhwars among the twelve azhwars, sri periyazhwar, who became the father-in-law of the Lord Ranganatha himself and Sri Andal who was the incaranation of Bhoomadevi and attained union with the Lord Ranganathan at Srirangam. It is one of the few divyadesams where all the Srivaishnava temple traditions and festivals are followed regularly every year. The town, which wakes up to the sounds of Thiruppavai, a sublime atmosphere throughout the day.

Other names

Srivilliputtur is known by other names such as Varaha kshetram, Thenpuduvai, Vadeswarapuram, Vadamahadamapuram, Shenbagaranya kshetram, Vikrama chola chaturvedhi mangalam, and Sridhanvipuri.

References

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  Andal

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  Andal temple car

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  Andal temple car in 1960 (18 years kept idle)

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  Andal temple tower in 1940

External links

• Know more about Srivilliputhur Divya Desam
• Temple information
• Divine home of the Saint Poetess