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Alwar Tirunagari is a famous Vaishnavite centre, the
birthplace of Saint Nammalwar and Manavalamuni. It is one of the largest
temples in the district of Tirunelveli,
dedicated to Lord Vishnu as Adinathaswamy (also spelt as Adinathswami).
Alwar Tirunagari is also known for Araiyar Sevai, where the Divya
Prabanda Pasurams (verses) are recited with expression, music and rhythm
as in Srirangam and
Srivilliputtur.
Some Unique Features
This temple covers an area of 5 acres. The temple is a grand structure
with lofty Mandapams through which the main entrance leads to the inner
precincts. The Tirumanjana Mandapam, the Tirumamani Mandapam and the
Kannadi Mandapam are of great beauty. A number of paintings depicting
scenes from the Ramayana are found here.
There are some remarkable pillars, 48 in numbers, carved out of a single
block of granite. There is also a gold-plated chariot for the ceremonial
drive of Lord Adinathaswamy during the Vaikasi (May-June) festival.
The Tamarind Tree Within The Temple
Within the temple walls, there is a very big tamarind tree whose bark is
stripped by devotees for using as a medicine for the cure of incurable
diseases. During the flowering season, the tree is loaded with flowers,
but bears no fruit. The origin of the tree dates back to thousands of
years and is known only by legend, which has held it in great sanctity
from the hoary past.
Legend Of Saint Nammalwar
On the suggestion of the divine architect Vishwakarma, Lord Shiva sent
Agastya, who had come to Kailash to witness the marriage of Lord Shiva, to
the South to restore the balance of the land upset by the Gods.
Angry with Vishwakarma for preventing him from beholding Lord Shiva's
marriage, Agastya cursed him saying, "Though you are a first-rate
architect and engineer, your work shall not be accepted as original or
genuine and you shall not be paid the worth of your skill and labour".
Getting angry at this, Vishwakarma cursed him in return: "Though you
are a great Tamil Saint your language shall not be deemed perfect and rich
however much you may try."
These legendary curses were supposed to bear their immediate
consequences. So Sage Agastya prayed to Lord Shiva to grant him the boon
that the Tamil language might attain the same importance and glory as the
language of the Vedas. Lord Shiva appeared before him and said that soon
an Alwar (one continuously immersed in contemplation of God) would be born
on the earth and he would raise the language to its full height.
The Birth Of Saint Nanimalwar
There is a reference in Sri Bhagavata, Chapter V, in verses 38 to 40,
prophesying the birth of holy saints in the Dravida land by the side of
holy rivers. Saint Nammalwar is one of the Mahatmas in the galaxy of
saints, who was born in the Kali Yuga, BC 3,102 just 43 days after the
departure of Lord Krishna from the world at the end of "Dwapara Yuga".
It is stated that the holy men born in the "Krita", "Treta"
and "Dwapara" Yugas wished to take birth in the "Kali Yuga"
because they knew that in Kali Yuga, great souls devoted to 'Narayana' or
God would be born.
Saint Nanimalwar is considered to be the chief among the Alwars. The
Bhavishya Purana foretold that in the beginning of the Kali Yuga and on
the day when the full moon is in conjunction with the constellation
Visakha, Senesa or Vishwaksena, the chief of the archangels, would
incarnate as Nammalwar in order to popularise the path of Love or Bhakti
to Vishnu. His place of birth was fixed thus: "In the Pandya land,
there is a town called "Srinagari" (Tirunagari) situated on the
banks of the river Tamravarni where the Conqueror of the Senses is himself
seen in the image of Nammalwar."
Festivities
The Tamil month of Vaikasi ('Vishaka Asterism' - the birthday of
Nammalwar) witnesses the grand Garuda Sevai, where festival images from
all of the nine Nava Tirupatis congregate here. Nammalwar is mounted on
the Hamsavahanam. The Paasurams on each of these deities are recited
during this grand festival. The image above is that of Perumal from
Tirupperai.
Road:Alwar Tirunagari is 20 miles east of
Tirunelveli and 17 miles west of
Tiruchendur and 3 miles from Srivaikuntam on the Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur
branch of Southern Railway.
Road:There are regular buses to the temple from
Tirunelveli and Tiruchendur.
Accommodation is available at the moderate class hotels and lodges in Tirunelveli or Tiruchendur.