Thiruvazhmarban temple

The Thiruvazhmarban Temple, also known as Sri Kuralappa Perumal Temple in Thiruppathisaram, a village in Kanyakumari district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Thiruvazhmarban Temple is located about 5 km far, north-easterly to Nagercoil, 20 km far, north-westerly to Kanyakumari and 45 km south-west of Nanguneri Divya Desam. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams of malayala nadu divyadesham dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Thiruvazhmarban and his consort Lakshmi as Kamalavalli in kerala tantric traditions .

The oldest inscription in the temple is from 1139 CE indicating gifts to the temple. A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines. The temple tank is located opposite to the temple, outside the main entrance.

Thiruvazhmarban is believed to have appeared to the Saptarishis, the seven sages, and to Udayanangai, the mother of Nammalvar. The place is the birthplace of Nammalvar, one of the twelve Alvar saints in Vaishnava philosophy. The temple follows Thenkalai tradition of worship. Six daily rituals and many yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the ten-day Chittirai Brahmotsavam during the Tamil month of Chittirai (April – May), Aadi Swati festival for Kulasekara Alvar, Navaratri during September – October and Vaikunta Ekadasi during Margali (December – January) being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by Kanyakumari Devasthanam.

Legend

As per Hindu legend, Saptarishis, the seven sages of Hindu Mythology are believed to have worshipped Vishnu at this place. Vishnu was pleased by their devotion and appeared at this place.

As per another legend, king Kulasekara, who would go on to become Kulashekhara Alwar came to this place after a conquest. His horse was lost and he was in search of the horse. He found that the horse was grazing peacefully on the banks of Soma Tirtham, the temple tank. After bathing in the tank, he felt rejuvanted worshipping the Vishnu temple in the banks. He is believed to have constructed the temple and named the place Thiruvanparisaram (pari in Tamil indicates horse). Thiru indicates respect, vazh means live and marban indicates the heart of the person. Since Vishnu held his consort in his heart in this place, he is commonly referred Thiruvazhmarban.

History

The exact history of the temple could not be ascertained from the inscriptions. The oldest inscription is dated from 1139 CE, when a person by name Natesan Chetti from Rajendra Cholapattinam offering donations to the temple. Two other inscriptions from the temple are dated 1613 and 1785 indicating record of offerings to the temple. A local historic account states that famous Nayak king Thirumalai Nayak (1623-59 CE) visited the place and constructed the stepped temple tank. The inscriptions in the temple refer the place is Thiruvanparisaram.