Aravindalochanar Perumal Temple (Irattai Tirupati - Keezh)

Sthala Purāṇam

This is the Keezh (lower) shrine of the Irattai Tirupati ('twin Tirupati') at Tholaivillimangalam, on the banks of the Thamiraparani in Thoothukudi district, standing about a hundred yards from the Devapiran temple. Here Vishnu is worshipped as Aravindalochanar, also called Senthamaraikannan ('the lotus-eyed one'), giving darshan in the seated posture (veetrirundha kolam), facing east, sheltered by Adishesha; his consort is worshipped as Karunthadankanni Thayar. The two shrines share a single sthala puranam: the sage Athreya Suprabha, cleaning his ritual ground, discovered a balance (thulaam) and a bow (vil), which on his touch became a man and a woman cursed by Kubera; through the sage they obtained release, and because the thulaam and vil were liberated the place became 'Thulam-Vil-Mangalam', evolving into Tholaivillimangalam. The balance stands for the Lord's impartial justice and the bow for devotion, qualities both deities of the twin temples embody. Within the Navagraha scheme of the Nava Tirupati, the Aravindalochanar (lower) shrine of the Irattai Tirupati is the Ketu sthalam, while the twin Devapiran shrine is the Rahu sthalam. Nammalvar consecrated both twin shrines together in his Tiruvaymoli, expressing the yearning of Parankusa Nayaki; during the Vaikasi Garuda Sevai festival of the Nava Tirupati the Alvar's idol is borne on the Anna Vahanam and his pasurams for each of the nine Thamiraparani temples are chanted in their respective shrines.

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