Vanamamalai Perumal Temple

Sthala Purāṇam

Thiruvaramangai, the Vanamamalai Perumal temple at Nanguneri in Tirunelveli, enshrines Lord Thothadrinathan (Vanamamalai Perumal), seated upon Adisesha and facing east, with the festival deity Deivanayaga Perumal. It is revered as one of the eight Swayam Vyaktha (self-manifest) kshetras of Vishnu. The principal consort Goddess is Srivaramangai Nachiyar, a form of Mahalakshmi born here, after whom the place is named Thiruvaramangai; Bhudevi and Neeladevi are also present. The name Nanguneri is commonly traced to the four (naangu) lakes that once surrounded the town, and Thothadri denotes the sacred hill, the name carrying the sense of the removal of sins. The temple's most famous feature is the daily oil-abhishekam: the Moolavar receives an ablution of sesame and sandalwood oil, which drains into the Setru Thamarai well that holds oil and clay rather than water; the oil is believed to be curative, especially of skin ailments, and the Lord is called Aadhi Maruthuvan, the primordial physician. The other tirtham is the Indira Theertham, where Indra is said to have bathed to be cured of disease. The vimana is the five-tiered, golden Nanda Varthana Vimana. This Divya Desam was hymned by Nammalvar alone; here, in the padhigam beginning nORRa nOnbilEn (Thiruvaimozhi 5.7), the Alvar performs his first saranagathi, his self-surrender, and remarkably he has no separate vigraha here, being present within the Satari of the Lord Himself. The temple is the seat of the Vanamamalai Mutt, whose founding pontiff, Ponnadikkal Jeeyar, was the foremost disciple of Manavala Mamunigal.

Gallery

Tap an image to view it larger — use ‹ › to browse, ✕ to close. Images via Wikimedia Commons.

Plan your visit

📍 8.49192, 77.65736

Routes, distances, hotels and restaurants open in Google Maps with live data. Build a phased pilgrimage plan →