Nangur Vishnu Temples

Thirumangai Alvar
Thirumangai Alvar (left) with his wife Kumudavalli (Thirunangur Tirupathis closely associated with the poet)

The Vishnu temples at Nangur are a group of 11 temples near Nangur in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu, India. The eleven temples are part of the 108 Divya Desams of the Hindu god Vishnu. The temples at Nangur are believed to have been sanctified by Tirumangai Alvar, one of the 12 Azhwars. The oldest of them have been dated to the reign of the Medieval Chola king Parantaka I.^[1]

Festival

The Thirumangai Alvar Mangalasasana utsavam(festival)^[2] in the month of Thai(Jan-Feb) witnesses 11 Garudasevai a spectacular event in which festival images idols from the 11 Thirunaangur Divyadesam shrines in the area are brought on Garuda mounts to Thirunangur. An idol of Thirumangai Alvar is also brought here on a Hamsa Vahanam(palaquin) and his paasurams(verses) dedicated to each of these 11 temples are recited. The Utsavar(festival deity) of Thirumangai Alvar and his consort Sri Kumudavalli Naachiyar are taken in a palanquin to each of the 11 temples, through the paddy fields in the area. The paasurams(poems) dedicated to each of the 11 Divyadesams are chanted in the respective shrines. This is the most important of the festivals in this area, and it draws thousands of visitors.

Thirunangur Tirupathis

• Thirukkavalampadi
• Thiruvanpurushothamam
• Thiruarimeya Vinnagaram
• Thiruchsemponsey
• Thirumanimadam
• Thiruvaikunda vinnagaram
• Thiruthevanartthogai
• Thiruthetriyambalam
• Thirumanikkoodam
• Thiruvellakkulam
• Thiruppaarththanpalli

References

1. ^ Tourist Guide to Tamil Nadu. Sura Books. p. 64. ISBN 81-7478-177-3, ISBN 978-81-7478-177-2. 
2. ^ "Garuda Sevai'". [1]. http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/ramanuja/archives/feb08/pdfUQOxvBFB4v.pdf. Retrieved 2011-08-19.