Nithyakalyana Perumal Temple, Thiruvidanthai

Sthala Purāṇam

The Nithyakalyana Perumal Temple at Thiruvidanthai (Thiru Ida Venthai), in Chengalpattu along the East Coast Road, is reckoned among the 108 Divya Desams. The presiding deity is Lakshmi Varaha, Vishnu in his boar (Varaha) incarnation, shown in the rare form with Bhudevi seated upon his lap, and known as Nithyakalyana Perumal. According to the sthala puranam, the sage Kalava (Galava) had three hundred and sixty daughters and wished them all wedded to Vishnu. In answer to a boon, Lord Varaha married one daughter each day across the year, three hundred and sixty marriages in all, and from this perpetual wedding he earned the name Nithyakalyana Perumal, the one whose marriage is eternal or daily. Because Lakshmi (Periya Pirattiyar) is held to have lived among these maidens and married the Lord here, the place is also called Sripuri, and being the site of the Varaha avatara, Varahapuri. The consort is worshipped as Komalavalli Thayar. The temple was glorified by Thirumangai Alvar in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, who praised the powers of Komalavalli Thayar. The sanctum tower is the Kalyana Vimanam, and the temple tanks are the Kalyana Theertham, the principal tank facing the temple, and the Varaha Pushkarani near the northern wall. The original structure is attributed to the Pallavas, with inscriptions dated to 959 CE, and the shrine is especially revered for prayers seeking marriage.

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