Pambanaiappan Mahavishnu Temple, Thiruvanvandoor

Sthala Purāṇam

Thiruvanvandoor, near Chengannur in Alappuzha district, is the Divya Desam where the Lord is worshipped as Pambanaiappan, also called Kamalanathan. The name Pambanaiappan is traditionally derived from Paambu-anai-appan, linking the Lord to the serpent-couch and to the nearby Pamba river. The Thaayar is Kamalavalli Nachiyar, and the deity stands in Nindra Thirukkolam (standing posture). The Vimanam is the Vedasara (Vedhalaya) Vimanam and the sacred theerthams include the Pamba Theertham. This is one of the five Pancha Pandava temples of the Chengannur area, attributed to Nakula, the fourth Pandava, who is believed to have installed the image during the brothers' post-war pilgrimage, when each prince consecrated a form of Krishna along the Pamba. The chief sthala purana relates that the sage Narada, having received a curse (sabham) from Brahma, came here and worshipped Pambanaiappan; the Lord appeared before him and expounded the Naradeeya Purana, conveying knowledge (gnana) and the harmony of devotion. The immortal sage Markandeya is also said to have received the Lord's grace at this shrine. The temple was sung by Nammalvar, who composed ten paasurams in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham glorifying this Lord, counting it among the 108 Divya Desams. It is built in the Kerala style.

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