About the Temple & Location:
This temple lies in the Tanjore district of TamilNadu. It’s about 6 miles from Thirunaangur. If taken the route of Keezh salai from Thirunaangur its about 3 1/2 miles. No arrangements for staying are furnished.
Specials:
1. Though Thiruvaali (Thiruvazhi) and Thirunagari are about 3 miles away from each other, these two are considered as a Single Divyadesam only.
2. We can worship first Thirunagari, then Thiruvaali, Thirudevanar Thogai and finally Thiruvellakkulam at one streach.
Thirunagari
Moolavar:
The Moolavar found in this sthalam is Sri Devarajan. Also known as Vayalaali Manavalan. Irundha (Sitting) Thirukkolam facing his thirumugham towards west direction.
Thayaar:
The Thaayar of this sthalam is Amurdha Valli.
Utsavar:
The Utsavar found in this sthalam is Kalyana Ranganathan.
Mangalasasanam:
Both the places are considered as one kshetram and so has gained 42 Paasurams by Kulasekara alwar and Thirumangai alwar. Also Manavala Maamunigal has visited this place many times.
Pushkarani:
Ilaakshani Pushkarani.
Vimanam:
Ashtakshara Vimaanam.
Thiruvaali
About the Temple:
This temple lies in the Tanjore district of TamilNadu. It’s about 6 miles from Thirunaangur. If taken the route of Keezh salai from Thirunaangur its about 3 1/2 miles. No arrangements for staying are furnished.
Sthalapuranam:
Thiruvaali and Thirunagari are both within 3 miles from each other are realted to the history of Thirumangai Alwar.
Thirumangai alwar was born on Thirukurayalur near Thirunagari. His orinigal name was “Neelan” and was the Army chief (Padai Thalapathi) of the Chola Kingdom. He was well versed in Tamil and Sanskrit.
As a reward for his valor, the chola king made Neelan the king of “Aali nadu” a small state whose capital was “Thirumangai”.
Sumangalai was the head of the young ladies of heaven (Deva Kanni) who were involved in the job of fanning the lord using the “Samaram”. Once while saint Kabila was preeching the qualities of Lord Narayana, Sumangali distracted him by making an odd remark of his ugly students. So he cursed to go to earth and take birth.
As a curse, she born on this earth on a lilly flower and was named as “Kumudhavalli”.
Thirumangai Mannan wanted to marry her, but she ordered him to become a Srivaishnavan – a staunch follower of Vaishnavam.
He headed straight to Thirunarayur and asked the Lord to be his Guru and transform him into a pure Vaishnavity.
But Kumudavalli placed another condition for marriage. She ordered him to give food for 1008 Brahmins daily and fill his stomach by accepting the remaining food kept by the Brahmins and drink the water used to wash their lotus feets.
Thirumangai Mannan accepted her terms and married her happily. His extreme love for his wife, brought him into a delicate position of finding enormous money need for the second condition. He even used the many intended to pay the revenue to the chola king.
The king ordered him to pay the revenue, but Thirumangai Mannan was unable to repay it and so he was put in jail. He spent 3 days in the jail without eating food for he took a vow of eating food only after giving food to the Brahmins.
Varadharaja perumal of Kanchipuram, came into his dreams and asked him to come to the Vegavathi river bank to collect the required money.
So along with many Ministers, he came to Kanchi under a tight security and amazingly he found the required money.
But, as the day passed on, he spent all the money he had and was not sufficient to spend. He had no money for the further expenses, so he made up his mind to rob money from rich people.
Once Lord Narayana and Periya Piratti passed along the forest where Thirumangai Alwar was waiting for some rich persons to pass on and so that he could steal money and ornaments from them to serve the Brahmins. Sriman Narayanan and Periya Piratti were dressed as a newly married couples. While they were passing, all people around them sang lots of marriage related songs and on hearing this, Thirumangai Mannan was so happy that he could get lots of ornaments from them. He stopped them and asked for all of their belongings and while the conversation between them was going on, he took away all of their jewles from the marriage party but could not get the precious ring of the Groom. Finally he took the ring by bitting the Groom’s finger.
After that he gathered all the things and asked his servents to lift. But the parcel was too heavy even to Thirumangai alwar. He scolded the groom in suscipion of Chanting Manthra against him. The groom asked alwar to come near him to know the Manthra he chanted and he preeched alwar the most powerful “Ashtaksara Mandiram – Om Namo Narayanaya”. And gave dharsan to him in his original form and gave him the title “Nam Kaliyan”, Nam – Our, Kaliyan – Thief.
After that Alwar became a true addict – devotee to Lord Narayana and totally Mangalsasasanamed 84 Divydesams with thousand two hundred and twenty three paasurams.
He did many great things during his life time. He even built the compund wall of Sri Rangam temple and brought Nammalwar from his isolation to Sri Rangam for a discourse.
Thirumangai alwar has got two specialities:
He is the only alwar, who takes all the honours along with his beloved wife Kumudhavalli.
The terms Nammalwar was rendered to Nammalwar by his devotee Madurakavi alwar, who considered Nammalwar as equivalent to God. i.e The term Nam – our was given to him by his followers.
But the title “Namkaliyan” was revarded to Thirumangai alwar by the lord god itself. ie he was so near to god and the Lord proved it by accepting the self – Praising terms of Alwar in paasurams as the terms praising Lord Narayana.
Touching and performing pooja to the lord by the devotees itself is a North Indian practice. He brought this concept to South India by higging the idol of Lakshmi Narashima at Thiruvaali. The name Thiruvaali too came for that reason only for Thiruvaali = Thiru + Aali. Aali is the term equivalent to Alinganam ie hugging as Alwar hugged the Lord at that place, it was named Thiruvaali
Also the name “Vayalaali Manavalan” too has a special meaning. Vayal means fields. Thirumangai alwar made the pure soles of all the devotees as fields which cultivates Bhakti without any weeds.
Vayalaali means the owner of such Bhakti cultivating lands ie Thirumangai alwar.
As alwar hugged Lord Lakshmi Narashima, he gained the name “Vayalaai Manavalan” (Manavalan means one who is sweet to the hears).
Thirumangai Alwar worshipped five Narashimaars idols througout his life. Out of that 2 of the Narashimars and one small Utsavar idol of ‘Lord Senthaiku eniyan’ are presented at Thirunagai even today.
At Thirunagari, alwar poses a hunter involved in robbery. It’s been said that at Devarajapuram half mile away from Thirunagar, only Alwar robbed Lord Narayana. Today as a token of rememberence a function “Vedupari Utsavam” is conducted on the Panguni uthiram day.
As the Lord posed as groom and bride, the Utsavar perumal at Thirunagari is named as Kalyana Ranganathan (Kalyanam – Marriage), and Moolavar devarajan and Vayalaali Manavalan. The vimaanam is named Ashtaksara vimaanam for this Mandiram only changed alwars life course.
Thirumangai alwar attained mukthi at Thirukurunkudi of Pandya Kingdom. While Thirumangai Alwar’s idol is taken out for procession he is armed with a diamond studded knife. As an Homage to his practice of giving food to Brahmins, even today 10 Brahmins get food from his temple.
In the Utsavar idol of Thirumangai alwar, Namalwar is in his heart and the great social Ramanuja following the foot steps of Alwars.
Thiruvaali has a special credit of having Mangalasasanam by two great kings – Thirumangai Alwar and Kulasekara alwar (Chera Kingdom).
It’s to be noted that two kings – Thirumangai alwar and Nikanzhama prijapathi got perumals special dharsan.
Moolavar:
The Moolavar found in this sthalam is Sri Lakshmi Narashimar. Also known as Vayalaali Manavalan. Irundha (Sitting) Thirukkolam facing his thirumugham towards west direction. Prathyaksham for Thirumangai alwar and Allathi Nikanchama Prajapathi.
Thayaar:
The Thaayar of this sthalam is Amrudhakada Valli.
Utsavar:
The Utsavar found in this sthalam is Thiruvaali Nagaraalan.
Mangalasasanam:
Both the places are considered as one kshetram and so has gained 42 Paasurams by Kulasekara alwar and Thirumangai alwar. Also Manavala Maamunigal has visited this place many times.
Pushkarani:
Ilaakshani Pushkarani.
