Presiding deity : Thiruvengadamudayan – in standing pose
Procession deity : Srinivasa
Mother Goddess : Alamelu
Holy tree : Gooseberry
Holy spring : Srinivasa theertham
Antiquity : 600 years
Offering – Nivedhana : Sugar pudding – Sarkarai Pongal
Ritual procedure: Vaikanasa Agama
Scriptural name : Thirunankoil
Greatly revered Thiruvengadanathapuram equal to the Seven Hills Tirupathi is on the banks of river Tambaraparani near Tirunelveli.
History:
The place in days of yore was a forest area known as Vaipra Rajya. Bailar, the chief disciple of Sage Vyasa, performed penance here on Lord Srinivasa. As there was no idol of the Lord, he held the image of the Lord in his very heart, performed pujas to Him with crore of flowers. After the puja, all the flowers amalgamated together and rose to the sky in the form of a torch. At the bottom of the torch. River Tambaraparani was flowing on which Lord Srinivasa appeared. Excited Bailar began to dance in ecstasy. Lord Srinivasa obliged the appeal of Bailar to have his Abode in this place. The Lord appears here with his Consorts Sridevi, Boodevi and Aalamelumangai.
King Venkatappa Naicker, who didn’t have a child, came to this place after visiting many temples seeking child boon. When the king came back to the bank of Tambaraparani after a dip, he heard a voice telling him to feed thousand poor children to quench their hunger. The king duly followed the direction of the voice. He was blessed with a child whom he named Srinivasan. The king built a temple and made the place fit for human habitation. He named the place after him as Venkatanathapuram.
Reputation:
When the Lord took up the war Hiranyaksha to protect Planet Earth, he left his conch and the wheel with Garuda directing him to protect the people. Garuda represented the Lord in protecting the world and was waiting for the return of the Lord to return his conch and wheel. The Garuda in this temple therefore, holds the Conch (Sangu) and the wheel (Chakram) in his hands.
As the temple closely resembles the Tirupathi form, it is called Then Tirupathi (Tirupathi of South). As there is Kalahasti and the Venkatachalapathi on the seven hills in Tirupathi, in Thiruvengadanathapuram, there is Sangani Kailasanathar temple here. There are also seven ups and downs here representing the seven hills. As there is Pushkarani theertha in North Tirupathi, here too is the Srinivas Katta theertham.
Speciality:
According to Tradition, the 12 Alwars desired to be steps to the temple of Venkatesa Perumal ’s sanctum sanctorum. The presiding deity appears with his conch and the wheel in a majestic pose with Anjaneya in his left front sitting with folded legs and hands up in a worshipping vehicle form. Those who cannot afford to go to North Tirupathy, come here and offer their prayer commitments for solving marriage problems, cure from illness, remedy from Nagadoshas, business promotions and family peace and prosperity.
Prayer commitments.
Devotees offer clothing to the flag post, abishek to the lord. Perform Garuda Seva, Milk porridge, offering things equal to their weight (Thulabaram) etc.
Festivals:
Brammotsavam in Tamil Chitra month (April-May). Saturdays in Purattasi (September-October), Parivettai, Karthikai deepam, Vaikunda Ekadasi, Unjal Utsav in Tamil Panguni (March-April) and Garuda festival are the important ones in the temple festival list.
General information:
Thiruvengadanathapuram is just 9 kilometres from Tirunelveli junction. No. 6 bus is available only at fixed hours. It would be convenient to hire an Auto rickshaw to reach the temple easily.
The temple is open from 6.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.
Temple Archaka L. Padmanabhan can be contacted on phone 0462-2341292 and Archaka U.V. Murali on 0462-2340075. Nearest railway station is Tirunelveli and airport Thoothukudi.
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