| Description Tiruttolaivillimangalam
constitutes the third and fourth of the nine Nava Tiruppatis in Tirunelveli district in
the belt between Tirunelveli and
the coastal shrine of Tiruchendur. Tolaivilimangalam is hailed as a Ketu Stalam. Only
Nammalwar, who resided at Alwar Tirunagari,
has sung of these nine shrines Tiruvaikuntham, Varagunamangai, Pulinkudi,
Tolaivillimangalam, Tirukkulandai,
Tirukkolur, Tirupperai
and Tirukkurugoor collectively referred to as
Alwar Navatiruppati. Tolaivillimangalam referred
to as Irattai Tirupati, counts as two in the scheme of Nava Tirupatis, but as one of the
108 Divya Desams.
Nammalwar has sung of these Tiruttolaivillimangalam in a total of 11 verses where he
refers to Vishnu as Nedumaal, Devapiraan, Tamaraitadankannan and Aravindalochanan.
Deities: The first of the two temples, here enshrines Srinivasan
(Devapiran) in a standing posture facing east. This temple has two prakarams. The second
temple with 2 prakarams enshrines Aravindalochanan in a seated posture facing east and his
consort is Karuntadankanni Naachiyaar. These temples underwent renovation in 1998.
Legend has it that a man and a woman who had been cursed by Kuberan to
assume the forms of a measuring scale (Tulai) and a bow (Villi), were relieved of their
curse by a sage Atreya Suprabha here, hence the name Tulaivillimangalam. Legend also has
it that Indra, Vayu and Varuna worshipped Vishnu here. The senthaamaraikkannan -
Aravindalochanan temple has a different set of legends related to the Ashwini twins
worshipping Vishnu here with red lotus flowers. |
