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{{Short description|Poet-saint of Tamil Hindu tradition}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox Hindu leader
| name = Tiruppan Alvar
| image = Thirupaan Azhwar.jpg
| caption = Image of the granite and festival image of Tiruppan in [[Alwarthirunagari Temple]]
| religion = [[Hinduism]]
| birth_date = November 20–21, 2760 BCE<ref>{{cite book|title=Music and temples, a ritualistic approach|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yj8UAQAAIAAJ|page=23|author=L. Annapoorna |year=2000|isbn=9788175740907}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Ancient India: Collected Essays on the Literary and Political History of Southern India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=htArUg0OMpcC|pages=403–404|author=Sakkottai Krishnaswami Aiyangar |year=1911|isbn=9788120618503}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Uraiyur]]
| birth_name =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| guru =
| philosophy = [[Vaishnavism]]
| honors =
| literary_works = [[Amalanatipiran]]
| footnotes =
| image_size = 200px
}}

'''Tiruppan Alvar''' ({{Langx|ta|திருப்பாணாழ்வார்|translit=Tiruppāṇ Āḻvār}}) was one of the twelve ''[[azhwars|Alvars]]'' of South [[India]], who were poet-saints known for their affiliation to the [[Sri Vaishnavism|Sri Vaishnava]] tradition of [[Hinduism]]. The verses of the ''[[azhwars|Alvars]]'' are compiled as the ''[[Nalayira Divya Prabandham|Naalayira Divya Prabandham]]'' and the 108 temples revered in the text are classified as ''[[Divya desam|Divya Desams]]''. Tiruppan Alvar is considered the eleventh in the line of the twelve Alvars.

As per local traditions, he was born to a couple from the ''[[Tamil Panar|Panar]]'' community. Tiruppan Alvar is known for his affiliation to [[Ranganatha]] of the [[Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple]] and is traditionally believed to have merged with the deity upon his demise.

The ten verses of Tiruppan Alvar are called the ''[[Amalanadhipiran|Amalanatipiran]]'', and his contributions amount to ten verses among the 4000 stanzas in the ''[[Naalayira Divya Prabandham|Naalayira Divya Prabandam]]''. The works of Tiruppan Alvar contributed to the philosophical and theological ideas of Vaishnavism.

In South Indian Vishnu temples, Tiruppan Alvar has images and festivals associated with him. The Tiruppan Alvar Avathara Utsavam is celebrated in Srirangam and for ten days in [[Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple|Alagiya Manavala Perumal Temple]] in [[Woraiyur]]/ The verses of Tiruppan Alvar and the other twelve Alvars are recited as a part of daily prayers and during festive occasions in several Vishnu temples in South India.

==Alvars==
{{Main|Alvars}}
Though the word ''Alvar'' has traditionally been etymologized as from Tamil. '''Āḻ''<nowiki/>' (ஆழ்), 'to immerse oneself' as one who dives deep into the ocean of the countless attributes of god, a seminal research<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/9668394|title= Āḻvār or Nāyaṉār: The Role of Sound Variation, Hypercorrection and Folk Etymology in Interpreting the Nature of Vaiṣṇava Saint-Poets |journal=South-Indian Horizons |page=63 |last1=Palaniappan |first1=S. }}</ref> by the Indologist S. Palaniappan has established that this word is actually a corruption of the original inscriptionally attested pre-11th century 'Alvar' 'one who rules' or 'a great person' which should be compared with the epithet 'Āṇḍãḷ' (ஆண்டாள்) for the female canonized Vaishnava saint Kōtai (கோதை). ''[[Azhwars|Alvars]]'' are considered the twelve supreme devotees of [[Vishnu]], who were instrumental in popularising [[Vaishnavism]] during the 5th to 8th centuries CE. The religious works of these saints in [[Tamil language|Tamil]], songs of love and devotion, are compiled as ''[[Nalayira Divya Prabandham|Naalayira Divya Prabandham]]'' containing 4000 verses and the 108 temples revered in their songs are classified as ''[[Divya desam]]''.<ref name="Rao"/><ref name="Dalal21">[[#Dalal|Dalal]] 2011, pp. 20-21</ref> The saints had different origins and belonged to different castes. As per tradition, the first three ''Alvars'', Poigai, Bhutha and Pei were born miraculously. Tirumialisai was the son of a sage, Thondaradi, Mathurakavi, Peria and Andal were from the [[Brahmin]] community, Kulasekhara from ''[[Kshatria|Kshatriya]]'' community, Namm was from a cultivator family, Tiruppan from the ancient musical [[Tamil Panar|pāṇar]] community and Tirumangai from ''kaḷvar'' community. ''Divya Suri Saritra'' by Garuda-Vahana Pandita (11th century CE), ''Guruparamparaprabavam'' by Pinbaragiya Perumal Jiyar, {{Transliteration|hi|Periya tiru mudi adaivu}} by Anbillai Kandadiappan, ''Yatindra Pranava Prabavam'' by Pillai Lokacharya, commentaries on ''Divya Prabandam'', Guru Parampara (lineage of Gurus) texts, temple records and inscriptions give a detailed account of the ''Alvars'' and their works. According to these texts, the saints were considered incarnations of some form of Vishnu. Poigai is considered an incarnation of ''Panchajanya'' (Krishna's conch), Bhoothath of ''Kaumodakee'' (Vishnu's Mace/Club), Pey of ''Nandaka'' (Vishnu's sword), Thirumalisai of ''Sudarshanam'' (Vishnu's discus), Namm of ''Vishvaksena'' (Vishnu's commander), Madhurakavi of ''Vainatheya'' (Vishnu's eagle, Garuda), Kulasekhara of ''Kaustubha'' (Vishnu's necklace), Periy of Garuda (Vishnu's eagle), Andal of Bhudevi (Vishnu's wife, Lakshmi, in her form as Bhudevi), Thondaradippodi of ''Vanamaalai'' (Vishnu's garland), Tiruppan of ''Srivatsa'' (An auspicious mark on Vishnu's chest) and Thirumangai of ''[[Sharanga (Hindu mythology)|Saranga]]'' (Rama's bow). The songs of ''Prabandam'' are regularly sung in all the Vishnu temples of South India daily and also during festivals.<ref name="Dalal21"/><ref>{{cite book|title=Historical Dictionary of the Tamils|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H4q0DHGMcjEC&q=poygai&pg=PA14|page=211|last=Ramaswamy|first=Vijaya|publisher=Scarecrow Press|year=2007|isbn=9780810864450}}</ref>

According to traditional account by [[Manavala Mamunigal]], the first three ''Alvars'' namely Poigai, Bhoothath and Pey belong to ''[[Dvapara Yuga]]'' (before 4200 BC). It is widely accepted by tradition and historians that the trio are the earliest among the twelve ''Alvars''.<ref name="Rao">{{Cite book |last=Rao|first=P.V.L. Narasimha |title=Kanchipuram – Land of Legends, Saints & Temples|year=2008|publisher=Readworthy Publications (P) Ltd.|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-93-5018-104-1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GTMTQLuCNSMC&q=poigai+azhwar&pg=PA27|page=27}}</ref><ref name="Dalal21"/><ref>{{cite book|title=Early history of Vaishnavism in south India|url=https://archive.org/details/earlyhistoryvai00aiyagoog|quote=poigai azhwar.|pages=[https://archive.org/details/earlyhistoryvai00aiyagoog/page/n35 17]–18|last=Aiyangar|first=Sakkottai Krishnaswami |publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1920}}</ref><ref name="James">{{cite book|title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z|url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch|url-access=registration|quote=poygai.|last=Lochtefeld|first=James|page=[https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch/page/515 515]|publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group|year=2002|isbn=9780823931804}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Book Of Vishnu|last=Krishna|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f9cSlaLMlgEC&q=poygai&pg=PA136|page=136|publisher=Penguin Books India|year=2009|isbn=9780143067627}}</ref> Along with the three Saiva [[nayanmars]], they influenced the ruling [[Pallava]] kings, creating a Bhakti movement that resulted in changing the religious geography from [[Buddhism]] and [[Jainism]] to these two sects of [[Hinduism]] in the region. The ''Alvars'' were also instrumental in promoting the [[Bhagavata]] cult and the two epics of India, namely, ''[[Ramayana]]'' and ''[[Mahabaratha]]''.<ref>[[#B.S.|B.S.]] 2011, p. 42</ref> The ''Alvars'' were instrumental in spreading ''[[Vaishnavism]]'' throughout the region.<ref>[[#B.S.|B.S.]] 2011, p. 47-48</ref> The verses of the various ''Alvars'' were compiled by [[Nathamuni]] (824-924 CE), a 10th-century Vaishnavite theologian, who called it the "Tamil Veda".<ref>{{cite book|title=A Dictionary of Indian Literatures: Beginnings-1850 Volume 1 of A Dictionary of Indian Literature, A Dictionary of Indian Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YCJrUfVtZxoC&q=poygai&pg=PA15|page=15|last=Mukherjee|publisher=Orient Blackswan|year=1999|isbn=9788125014539}}</ref><ref name="Garg">{{cite book|title=Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World: Ak-Aq|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WjDcd0cTFxQC&q=poygai&pg=PA352|pages=352–354|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|last=Garg|first=Gaṅgā Rām|year=1992|isbn=9788170223757}}</ref>

==Early life==
[[File:Nachiyar9.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Shrine of Tiruppan Alvar in [[Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple]], believed to be his birthplace.]]
Tiruppan Alvar was born in Purthurmadhi year, ''Kaarthigai'' (Nov-Dec) month, on a Wednesday in the ''Rohini [[Nakshatra]]'' (star) in a small village of Alagapuri near [[Srirangam]] in the 8th or 9th century CE.<ref name="p1378">[[#Govindāchārya|Govindāchārya]] 1902, pp. 137-138</ref> ''Paanars'' are a community of musicians and traditional song makers who are capable of moving their audiences to states of ecstasy and [[wikt:bliss|bliss]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rajarajan|first=R.K.K.|title=Master-Slave Ambivalence in the hagiography of the Āḻvārs|journal=Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society |url=https://www.academia.edu/27087316|language=en}}</ref> While later traditional legends treat the Tamil Tiruppan community as outcastes historically they have never been outcastes or untouchables as established by Palaniappan. The community has traditionally been treated as untouchables by the Tamil hagiographical literature. In reality they have never been untouchable till today. In fact medieval inscriptions present evidence for their performing [[Sanskrit drama]] and for singing and training temple dancers in temples.<ref>Palaniappan, S. "Hagiography Versus History: The Tamil Pāṇar in Bhakti-Oriented Hagiographic Texts and Inscriptions", [https://www.academia.edu/36614589/Hagiography_Versus_History_The_Tamil_P%C4%81%E1%B9%87ar_in_Bhakti-Oriented_Hagiographic_Texts_and_Inscriptions Hagiography Versus History"], 2016.</ref> As Palaniappan states therein: "What is interesting about the traditional views regarding the social status of the Pāṇars is that they were not informed by any real data on the Paṇars actually living in Tamil Nadu during medieval times. Such real data are indeed available to us from Tamil inscriptions, which present a drastically different picture of the social status of the Pāṇars".

It is believed that he is the ''amsam'' (form) of the small mark on Vishnu's chest (legend has it that all [[Alvars]] are avatars of some part of Vishnu), called the ''[[Shrivatsa|Srivatsam]]'' on the chest of [[Vishnu|Narayana]].

Being a divine child, his instincts were heavenly and he grew as a man leaving all glamour of the world. Having a ''[[veena]]'' (string instrument) in his hand, he was always to be seen singing the glories of [[Vishnu]]. He was soon famous in and around these [[Tamil people|Tamil]] lands of [[Southern India]]. His skills as a ''[[bhakti]]'' (divine) musician and his abilities to express and invoke ''bhakti'' amongst his listeners, drew audiences from afar. He was soon to be known as "Tiruppan perumal".<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rajarajan|first=R.K.K.|year=2016|title=Master-Slave Ambivalence in the hagiography of the Āḻvārs|url=https://www.academia.edu/27087316|journal=The Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society|volume=107|issue=1|pages=44–60}}</ref> One of the strictures on outcastes was that they were not allowed to use some shores of [[Cauvery]] river, considered sacred and pure by the people of the region. Following this stricture, Paan Perumal did not come near the [[Kaveri]] river, but mostly stood alongside its banks facing the [[Srirangam]] temple and sang his praises to Ranganatha, the presiding deity of the temple. He believed that the conventions and spiritual sense specified by ''[[sastras]]'' lies in moral conduct.<ref name="p1378"/>

==Legend of Amalanatipiran==
[[File:Srirangam14.jpg|250px|thumb|Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple]]
According to regional legend, a sage by the name Loka Saranga came to the river Kaveri for drawing water for the temple. Tiruppan was in deep devotion and was unaware of his surroundings that he missed the voice of Saranga asking him to leave way. The sage threw a small stone in his direction to wake him, but the stone accidentally hit the forehead of Tiruppan and he started to bleed. Tiruppan realised what had happened and quietly retired. Unaware of the injury caused to Tiruppan, the sage returned to the temple. He was taken aback on seeing blood oozing out from the forehead of the image of [[Ranganatha]]. That very night, Vishnu appeared in the dream of Loka Saranga and commanded him to fetch Tiruppan to the temple the next morning in his shoulders. Accordingly, Loka Saranga requested Tiruppan to come to the temple. But, Tiruppan, referring to his lowly birth, declined to enter the holy place. When he was told of Vishnu's commandment, Tiruppan was beside himself and was lost in a deep trance. Loka Saranga said that if that were his objection, he could carry him on his shoulders to the temple. When they reached the sanctum, Tiruppan experienced the bliss of Ranganatha and composed the ''Amalanadhipiraan,'' a poem describing the beauty from the divine feet to the face of the Lord of Srirangam in ten verses, and ultimately laid his life at the feet of the deity. Thus, it also portrays how a devotee should pray at any temple starting to first look at the divine feet and be immersed in the Lord's presence.
<ref>{{cite book|title=Twelve Azhvars - Twelve saints of Sri Vaishnavism|last=Rajagopal|first=Gowri|year=2009 |pages=71–76|publisher=Sri Ramakrishna Math|location=Chennai|isbn=978-81-7883-592-1}}</ref> The poem is considered to be sweeter than even the sound of music of the [[veena]].<ref name="hindu">{{cite news|title=Ranganatha suffered his pain|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/ranganatha-suffered-his-pain/article2778704.ece|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=6 January 2012|access-date=2013-07-21|last=S.|first=Prabhu}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Where Kamban released his Ramayana|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-editorialfeatures/where-kamban-released-his-ramayana/article4233370.ece|last=Nandakumar|first=Prema|work=The Hindu|date=24 December 2012|access-date=2013-07-07}}</ref><ref name="iskcon">{{cite journal|title=Krishna Voice|pages=11–12|url=https://www.iskconbangalore.org/sites/default/files/kv-March-2013.pdf|last=Dasan|first=Sampathkumar Ramanuja|volume=14|issue=3|date=March 2013|publisher=Sankirthana Seva Trust|location=Bangalore|access-date=2013-09-09|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130819024145/http://iskconbangalore.org/sites/default/files/kv-March-2013.pdf|archive-date=2013-08-19}}</ref>

==Works==
The first ''pasuram'' (hymn) sung by this Alvar describes Arangan's feet. On seeing the ''thiruvadi'' (lotus feet) of Ranganatha, he sang:
<blockquote>
''Neel madhil Arangathamman thrukkamalpadham vandhu en Kanninullana okkinrathe.''
</blockquote>
He then started to see the whole thirumeni (body) of Ranganatha, and he sang a total of ten ''pasurams'' (hymns) which explain the beauty of Sri Ranganathar from his ''thiruvadi'' (foot) to ''thirumudi'' (head). He explains in his ten ''pasurams'' (hymns) about the clean saffron cloth which is worn on the body of Ranganathar, his jewels the ''thiru vayiru'' (stomach) from where Lord Brahma originated, the broad chest, the red lips and finally on explaining the beauty of the two broad eyes, he fell down. After some time, Tiruppan Alvar was not found and he went in to the body of Thiruvaranganathan. Like Andal, whose thoughts were always on Aranganathan, and was enraptured by the love of the Perumal, Tiruppan Alwar was also captured by this love and he became a part of the Lord along with his mortal sheath. He composed a total of ten pasurams, where he explains how a humans should lead their life. His principal purport in them is : "Perumal is the principal supreme entity and our aims and aspirations should be to attain Him through total surrender to him signified by our placing all of ourselves at his lotus feet".<ref name="Amaladhipiran">{{cite news|
title=''Amaladhipiran''| work=ibiblio.org| url=http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/srirangasri/archives/srsvol/msg00134.html| access-date= 2007-07-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Classified catalogue of Tamil printed books|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.106253|quote=tirupan azhwar.|pages=xcviii-xcix|last=Murdoch|first=John|publisher=The Christian vernacular education society|year=1865}}</ref>

One of the verses reads
<blockquote>
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
{{center|
Transliteration 
''Kondal vannanaik kovalanay venney'' 
''Unda vayan en ullam kavarndhanai'' 
''Andar kon ani arangan en amudhinaik'' 
''Kanda kangal marronarinaik kanave''<ref name="koNdal vaNNanaik">{{cite news|
title=''koNdal vaNNanaik''
|work=ramanuja.org
| url=http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/alvars/paan
| access-date= 2007-07-22}}</ref>
}}
{{Col-break}}
{{center|
Meaning 
I have seen the One whose color is like dark rainclouds 
He is the one with the mouth that swallowed the butter of cowherds, 
He is the Lord of the devas, 
He is Lord Ranganatha, 
He is my nectar, my life! 
My eyes have seen my Lord and will not see anything else!
}}
{{col-end}}
</blockquote>

== Commentary and interpretations ==
Tiruppan Alvar's ten verses ''Amalanatipiran'' and the ''[[Alvar]]'s'' ''Bhagavad Anubhavam'' (experiences of the divine) moved many [[Vaishnava]] [[Acharyas]] (gurus). The ten verses are compiled in the ''sixth Prabhandam'' of the ''Mudalayiram'' of ''[[Divya Prabandha]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/ebooks/vdesikan/munivahana_bhogam/index.html#commentary|title=Commentary of Munivahana Bhogam|access-date=26 November 2017}}</ref> [[Vedanta Desikan]] was moved by the composition of the Alvar, and wrote a commentary called ''Munivahana Bhogam'' in Sanskritized Tamil - [[Manipravalam]]. He also composed four verses in Tamil in his ''Prabhanda Saaram'' to elaborate on the significance of the contribution of the saint. He went on to compose a ''[[Śloka|stotram]]'' (divine text) in [[Sanskrit]] known as ''Sri Bhagavad Dhyana Sobhanam''. Vedanta Desikan was so moved by the ten verses of ''Amalanatipiran'' that he paid multiple tributes to the saint. Desikan was so overwhelmed by the profundity of the saint's B''hagavad Anubhavam'' that he declared the ten verse compendium to be the essence of countless Vedic texts.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

==Significance==
The devotees of the Sri Vaishnava sect of Hinduism accord veneration to the Alvars along with their worship of Vishnu. The verses of the Alvars are recited as a part of daily prayers and during festive occasions in several Vishnu temples in South India. There are shrines dedicated to the Alvars in several of the Vishnu temples in South India.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Castes and Tribes of H.E.H. the Nizam's Dominions, Volume 1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lYSd-3yL9h0C&q=tirupan+azhwar&pg=PA130|pages=130–131|last=Ul Hassan|first=Syed Siraj|publisher=Asian Educational Services|year=1920|isbn=9788120604889}}</ref> In Srirangam's Ranganthaswamy temple, a yearly birth festival of Tiruppan Alvar is celebrated with the ''Vishvarupa darshana'' of Ranganatha at the sanctum on his birthday. The festive idol of Tiruppan Alvar is brought from his birthplace in [[Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple|Sri Alagiya Manavala Perumal Temple]] at modern day [[Woraiyur]] to Srirangam. Tiruppan is accorded with grand honours called "Keela Padi Honours". A ''Parivattam'' (silk turban) is tied on the Alvar's head, adorned with garland, shawl is wrapped around his shoulders and sacred sandal paste is handed to him, all of which are believed to bring a smile on the face of the Alvar. An hour later, the image of the Alvar is taken to Nammalvar shrine and then Thayar shrine, with the chanting of ''Naalayira Divya Prabandham'' with the verses of the Alvar's work, ''Amalanatipiran''. In the Alagiya Manaval Perumal temple, a 10-day festival is celebrated that included ''Araiyar sevai'', ''Veda Paaraayanam'' (reciting of ''[[Vedas]]''), special ''thirumanjanam'' (ablution) and procession inside the temple.<ref name="hindu"/>

==Venerated shrines==
There are 13 of his pasurams in the 4000 [[Divya Prabhandham]]. He has sung in praise of three temples.<ref>{{cite book | title=A Primer of Tamil Literature| last=Pillai| first=M. S. Purnalingam | year=1904| publisher=Ananda Press|location=Madras|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QIeqvcai5XQC&q=tirumalisai&pg=PA183|pages=182–83|isbn=9788120609556}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="background:#FFC569"
! scope="col" | S.No.
! scope="col" | '''Name of the temple'''
! scope="col" | '''Location'''
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | '''Photo'''
! scope="col" | '''Number of Pasurams'''
! scope="col" | '''Presiding deity'''
! scope="col" | '''Notes/Beliefs'''
|- align ="center"
|- style="background:#ffe;"
|-
|1
| [[Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam|Srirangam]].
|[[Srirangam]], [[Trichy district]] [[Tamil Nadu]] {{coord|10.8625| 78.689722}}
|[[File:Srirangam14.jpg|130px|center]]
|10
|Ranganayagi Ranganathar (Periya Perumal)
|Srirangam temple is often listed as the largest functioning [[Hindu temple]] in the world, the still larger [[Angkor Wat]] being the largest existing temple. The temple occupies an area of 156 acres (631,000 m2) with a perimeter of 4,116m (10,710 feet) making it the largest temple in India and one of the largest religious complexes in the world.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mittal |first1=Sushil|first2=G.R.|last2=Thursby|page=456|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fz6KBkgEacAC&q=The+Hindu+World+%2B+srirangam&pg=PA456 |title=The Hindu World|year=2005 |publisher=Routelge |location=New York |isbn=0-203-67414-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Vater |first=Tom |title=Moon Spotlight Angkor Wat|year=2010 |publisher=Perseus Books Group |location=USA |isbn=9781598805611|page=40}}</ref> The annual 21-day festival conducted during the Tamil month of ''Margazhi'' (December–January) attracts 1 million visitors.<ref>{{cite book |last=Jones |first=Victoria|page=4 |title=Wonders of the World Dot-to-Dot|year=2004 |publisher=Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. |location=New York |isbn=1-4027-1028-3}}</ref>
|-
|2
| [[Vaikuntha|Paramapadam]]
| Heavenly
|
|1
|Lakshmi Vishnu
|Vaikuntha is the celestial abode of [[Vishnu]]<ref>{{cite book|last1=Maehle|first1=Gregor|title=Ashtanga Yoga The Intermediate Series: Mythology, Anatomy, and Practice|date=2012|publisher=New World Library|isbn=9781577319870|page=207|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OhYeGdNK0UoC&q=home%20OR%20abode%20%22Vaikuntha%20Vishnu%22%20-lord&pg=PA207|quote=Vaikuntha (Vishnu's celestial home)}}</ref> who is one of the principal deities of Hinduism and the supreme being in its Vaishnavism tradition.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Orlando O. Espín|author2=James B. Nickoloff|title=An Introductory Dictionary of Theology and Religious Studies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k85JKr1OXcQC&pg=PA539|year=2007|publisher=Liturgical Press|isbn=978-0-8146-5856-7|page=539}}</ref><ref name="Flood 1996, p. 17">[[Gavin Flood]], ''[https://books.google.com/books/about/An_Introduction_to_Hinduism.html?id=KpIWhKnYmF0C An Introduction to Hinduism]'' (1996), p. 17.</ref> Vaikuntha is an abode exclusive to him, his consort the goddess [[Lakshmi]] and other liberated souls that have gained [[moksha]]. They are blessed with pure bliss and happiness in the company of the supreme being for all eternity.
|-
|3
| [[Tirumala Venkateswara Temple|Tirupati]]
| {{coord|13.143|79.907}}
| [[File:Tirumala 090615.jpg|130px|center]]
|2
|Alamelumanga [[Venkateswara]]
|Venkateswara Temple is a landmark Vaishnavite temple situated in the hill town of [[Tirumala]] at [[Tirupati]] in [[Chittoor district]] of [[Andhra Pradesh]], India. The Temple is dedicated to Lord [[Venkateswara|Sri Venkateswara]], an incarnation of [[Vishnu]], who is believed to have appeared here to save mankind from trials and troubles of [[Kali Yuga]]. Hence the place has also got the name Kali Yuga [[Vaikuntham]] and Lord here is referred to as Kali Yuga Prathyaksha Daivam. The temple is also known by other names like Tirumala Temple, Tirupati Temple, Tirupati Balaji Temple. Lord Venkateswara is known by many other names: Balaji, Govinda, and Srinivasa.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tirumala.org/maintemple_about.htm |title=Tirumala Temple |access-date=13 September 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011032254/http://tirumala.org/maintemple_about.htm |archive-date=11 October 2007 }}</ref> Tirumala Hills are part of [[Seshachalam Hills]] range. The hills are {{convert|853|m|ft}} above sea level. The Temple is constructed in Dravidian architecture and is believed to be constructed over a period of time starting from 300 CE. The Garbagriha (Sanctum Sanctorum) is called AnandaNilayam. It is the richest temple in the world in terms of donations received and wealth.<ref name="ndtv">{{cite web | url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070026005| title=NDTV Report | access-date=13 September 2007}}</ref><ref name="CSHindu">{{cite book |last1=Sivaratnam |first1=C |year=1964 |title=An Outline of the Cultural History and Principles of Hinduism |publisher= Stangard Printers |location=Colombo |edition=1 |oclc=12240260 |quote=Koneswaram temple. Tiru-Kona-malai, sacred mountain of Kona or Koneser, Iswara or Siva. The date of building the original temple is given as 1580 BCE according to a Tamil poem by Kavi Raja Virothayan translated into English in 1831 by Simon Cassie Chitty ... }}</ref><ref name="HLtoSL">{{cite book |last1=Ramachandran |first1=Nirmala|year=2004 |title=The Hindu legacy to Sri Lanka|publisher=Stamford Lake (Pvt.) Ltd. 2004 |location=Pannapitiya|oclc=230674424|isbn=9789558733974|quote= Portuguese writer De Queyroz compares Konesvaram to the famous Hindu temples in Rameswaram, [[Ekambareswarar Temple (Kanchipuram)|Kanchipuram]], Tirupatti-Tirumalai, Jagannath and Vaijayanthi and concludes that while these latter temples were well visited by the Hindus, the former had surpassed all the latter temples by the early 1600s}}</ref> The temple is visited by about 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims daily (30 to 40 million people annually on average), while on special occasions and festivals, like the annual Brahmotsavam, the number of pilgrims shoots up to 500,000, making it the most-visited holy place in the world.<ref name="The Hindu">{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2003/09/30/stories/2003093003080300.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031003153946/http://www.hindu.com/2003/09/30/stories/2003093003080300.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=3 October 2003 |location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Ghazal programme at Tirumala temple | date=30 September 2003}}</ref>
|}

==Notes==
{{reflist|20em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|20em}}
* {{cite book|title=History of People and Their Environs|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=crxUQR_qBXYC&q=poygai&pg=PA47|publisher=Bharathi Puthakalayam|year=2011|last1=B. S.|first1=Chandrababu|last2=S.|first2=Ganeshram|last3=C.|first3=Bhavani|isbn=9789380325910|ref=B.S.}}
* {{cite book|title=Philosophy and Theistic Mysticism of the Āl̲vārs|first= S. M. Srinivasa|last= Chari|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers|year=1997|isbn=9788120813427|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8TwHhuZrZ-wC&q=poygai&pg=PA16|ref=Chari}}
* {{cite book|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&q=poigai&pg=PA308|last=Dalal|first=Roshen|ref=Dalal|publisher=Penguin Books India|year=2011|isbn=9780143414216}}
* {{cite book | title=A history of Indian literature, 500-1399: from courtly to the popular| last=Das| first=Sisir Kumar|author2=Sāhitya Akādemī | year=2005| publisher=Sāhitya Akādemī|location=chennai|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BC3l1AbPM8sC&q=madhurakavi+azhwar&pg=PA29|isbn = 81-260-2171-3|ref=Das}}
* {{cite book|first=Attipat Krishnaswami |last=Ramanujan|title=Hymns for the Drowning: Poems for Vishnu|publisher=Penguin Books|year=2005|isbn=9780144000104|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9pa7-h0jhB0C&q=nammalvar|ref=Ramanujan}}
*{{cite book|title=The Holy Lives of the Azhvârs: Or, the Drâvida Saints|last=Govindāchārya|first=Aḷkoṇḍavilli |url=https://archive.org/details/holylivesazhvrs00govigoog|quote=periyazhvar.|publisher=G. T. A. Press|year=1902|location=Mysore|ref=Govindāchārya}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCyudOTuSns Audio Link of amalanAdhipirAn]

{{Azhwars}}

[[Category:Dalit Hindu saints]]
[[Category:Vaishnava saints]]
[[Category:Indian poetry]]
[[Category:Alvars]]
[[Category:Tamil Hindu saints]]

Tiruppan Alvar - Revision history

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