Presiding deity : Adhikesavar
Mother : Bhudevi Sridevi
Holy tree : Shenbaga tree
Holy water: Thiruvattaru
Puranam/literature : Purananooru
Reputation : Splendid architecture
Beauty : Sculpture
Scriptural name: Valaneervattaru
District : Kanyakumari
Prayer:
Adhikesavaperumal is all blessingful. Anybody visiting the temple before any undertaking, will have successful results according to experience of the devotees. Business development, children, happy marriage alliances, family prosperity, education, and longevity are the benefits attributed to this temple. People throng the temple and offer Neikathali variety of banana fruits.
Devotees offer Tulasi water, Milk porridge to the Lord and also offer the traditional nivedhanas. Feeding the visitors is also undertaken by devotees. Once in a year, the priests from Thiruvananthapuram come to this temple and perform pushpanjali (performing puja with flowers). Some devotees contribute and partake in the performance as a prayer commitment.
Speciality:
The total darshan of the Lord can be had only from three entrances. The Lord’s full appearance cannot be viewed from a single spot. The sanctum sanctorum is constructed with a strange plan. There are big sculptures on both sides of the mantap. Of these, the statues of Lakshmana, Indrajit, Venugopalan, Gangalanadhar, Parashakthi, Pathanjali, Thandavar, Brahma, Vishnu, Shankathudan, Kalabhairavar, Nandhi, Nammalwar, Vyagrapadhar and Hanuman are a few to mention. A chain made of single piece of wood attracts the visitors. There is also a statue of twin snakes embracing each other.
Reputation :
The presiding deity is in a lying posture of 22 ft long. The presiding deity is made of a mixture of mustard, sugar, leaves and 16008 salagramas. It is not possible to bathe this statue with water. Full figure of the deity cannot be viewed from a single entrance. It can only be viewed in parts from three entrances. The temple resembles the plan and construction of Ananthapadmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram..
The left hand of the lord is in a hanging position while the “Chin Mudra” is held by the right hand. There is no Brahmma in the naval of the Lord. The Lord is facing west. The construction of the temple also resembles the Chinese Architecture, known for its beautiful sculptures. This is one of the oldest Vaishnava temples in South India.
General Information :
Thiruvattaru is 7 km from Marthandam, 30 from Nagarkoil and 57 from Thiruvananthapuram. Those coming to the temple with family can stay in private lodges in Nagarkoil. There are convenient lodges in Nagarkoil, the charges ranging from Rs.150-400.
Adequate bus transport facilities are available from all important places of Tamilnadu to Nagarkoil. Nearest railway stations are Marthandam and Nagarkoil and the Airports are Thiruvananthapuram and Madurai.
Festivals:
Ten day Aarattu Festival during October – November each year is a very important event in the temple attracting more than 10,000 devotees. The procession of the Lord on his Eagle vehicle (Garuda) is a unique experience for the devotees. A similar crowd of devotees gather on ‘Vaikunta Ekadasi Day’ in December-January. During Jan-Feb Sandal Abishekam is performed to the Lord for 10 days.
History:
The demons who secured boons from the Lord misused the power by terrorizing humans. The Sages and the Devas (the celestial beings) prayed to Lord Vishnu to rescue them from the atrocities of the demons. Responding to their prayers, the Lord fought with the Demon Kesan and asked his snake bed Aadhisesha to round up and squeeze his body and kill him. To revenge the killing of her brother Kesi took the form of a river called Paraliaaru. Lord Vishnu directed the river towards the sea and placed 12 snakes on the head of Kesi. It is also said that Lord Shiva was thrilled to see the ferocious war between the demon and Vishnu. He also worshipped Vishnu here. Sage Vashishta was staying near the temple and was worshipping Aadikesava Perumal.
Later the administration of the temple was entrusted to Travancore kings who is taking care of its maintenance and poojas.
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