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{{Short description|Perumal temple in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{Infobox temple
| name = Sri Vanamamalai Perumal Temple
| image = Naguneri18.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|8|29|30.9|N|77|39|26.5|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| native_name = Thiruvaramangai
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Tirunelveli]]
| location = [[Nanguneri]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = Thothadrinathan([[Vishnu]])
Varamangai([[Lakshmi]])

| facade_direction =
| tower = Nandhavarthana Vimanam
| Prathyaksham =
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
The '''Vanamamalai Perumal Temple''', also known as '''Arulmigu Sree Vanamamalai Totatri Perumal Temple''' is a [[Hindu]] [[Hindu temple|temple]] dedicated to the god [[Vishnu]], in Vanamamalai or Totadrikshetram ([[Nanguneri]]), [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]] on the banks of [[Thamiraparani]] river. Constructed in the [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian style of architecture]], the temple is glorified in the ''[[Divya Prabandha|Nalayira Divya Prabandham]]'', the early medieval [[Tamil literature|Tamil]] canon of the [[Alvars|Alvar]] saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 ''[[Divyadesam|Divya Desams]]'' shrines dedicated to Vishnu. Vishnu is worshipped here as Vanamalai Perumal and his consort [[Lakshmi]] as Varamanagi.<ref>{{cite book|title=108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams: Divya desams in Pandya Nadu|last=M. S. |first=Ramesh|publisher= Tirumalai-Tirupati Devasthanam}}</ref> The temple is believed to have been built by the [[Pandyas]], with later contributions from [[Vijayanagar Empire|Vijayanagara kings]] and [[Madurai Nayaks]]. The temple covers an area of {{convert|5|acre|sqm|abbr=on}} and has a five-tiered temple tower.

The temple is one of the eight ''[[Swayambhu|Svayambu]]'' Kshetrams, the eight temples associated with Vishnu, that manifested on its own. Vanamamalai is believed to have appeared to [[Shesha|Adishesha]] and [[Garuda]]. Six daily rituals and a dozen yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the chariot festival, celebrated during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] month of ''[[Tamil calendar|Chittirai]]'' (March–April), is the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Vanamamalai Mutt.

==Legend==
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The details about the presiding deity finds mention in ''Brahmananda Purana'', ''Skanda Purana'' and ''Narasimha Purana''. Sage [[Narada]] got the narration about the features of Thodatri and Sargunamangai from [[Shiva]].<ref name=hindu1/> As per [[Hindu]] legend, [[Lakshmi]], the consort of [[Vishnu]], is believed to have been born at this place as Srivaramangai (meaning ''lady'') and hence the place came to be known as Varangunamangai. As per another legend, [[Adisesha|Adishesha]], the serpent performed penance at this place to seek the grace of Vishnu to lay on him. Vishnu was pleased by his devotion and rested on the serpent. [[Garuda]], the eagle-mount of Vishnu, also performed penance and was granted a wish to be guarding [[Vaikunta|Vaikuntha]], the abode of Vishnu.<ref name=R>{{cite book|title=An introduction to religion and Philosophy - Tévarám and Tivviyappirapantam|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.jZY9lup2kZl6TuXGlZQdjZY2lZpy.TVA_BOK_0006115|last=R.|first=Dr. Vijayalakshmy|publisher=International Institute of Tamil Studies| location=Chennai|year=2001|edition=1st|pages=4955–6}}</ref>

As per local legend, a childless king named Kaaarya worshiped Vishnu at this place. Vishnu directed him to Nanguneri under the earth. The king dug up the earth to see blood oozing from the place. To stop the blood, the king was asked to perform ablution on the presiding deity with oil every day. Blessed with children, the king constructed the temple.<ref name=hindu1/>

==History==
The temple has many inscriptions, the earliest of which is from 1236 CE. The inscription is from the period of [[Sundara Pandya I]] indicates a gift from him on the occasion of Adi Puram. Another inscription from 1275 from [[Kulasekara I]] indicates the details of tax collection in the region. The inscription on the Eastern Gopuram from the period of [[Sundara Pandya II]] in 1284 indicates gift of land to the temple. The gift of [[Vikrama Pandya III]] is inscribed on the northern wall in 1299. A gift of money to sculpt the image of Sadagopar in 1305 is found in the Eastern wall in the second precinct.<ref name=hindu1>{{cite news|title=Headquarters of Vanamamalai Mutt|url= http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/headquarters-of-vaanamamalai-mutt/article3500755.ece|date=7 June 2012|access-date=13 August 2016|last=S.|first=Prabhu}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Lists of the Antiquarian Remains in the Presidency of Madras, Volume 1|url=https://archive.org/details/listsantiquaria00sewegoog|last=Sewell|first=Robert|publisher=E.Keys|year=1882|page=[https://archive.org/details/listsantiquaria00sewegoog/page/n330 315]}}</ref> From the Vijayanagara rulers, the temple came under the administration of kings of Travancore. A [[sanyasi]] named Pushpanjali was entrusted with the donations from the kings. During 1447, the temple came under the administration of Vanamamalai Mutt. The first pontiff of the temple arranged for the installation of the idol of the consort of Vanamamalai from Tirupathi. The Namboodris were also replaced by the priests from Tirupathi during the period. During the 17th century, the then pontiff sought the help of the ruling Naik king to resolve local disputes. During 1794, the Nawab of Carnatic, Abdul Umra, endowed extensive lands to the Mutt.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vanamamalai Math's history|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2002/11/30/stories/2002113000930900.htm|date=30 November 2002|access-date=7 January 2017|work=[[The Hindu]]|location=Chennai}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

The presiding deity is called Devapiran as he is believed to have married Varamangai, the daughter of the pontiff of Vanamamalai Mutt. The temple is maintained and administered by the pontiff in modern times.<ref name=hindu1/>

==Architecture==
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|footer=Image of shrines in the temple
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The temple has a large five-tiered [[gopuram]] (gateway tower) and a large temple compound having two [[prakarams]] (closed precincts of a temple).<ref>Tourist Guide to South India. Various authors. Page 117.</ref> There are various pillared halls in the temple. The presiding deity, Vanamamalai Perumal is seen seated on the [[Adisesha]], the serpent deity. Sridevi and Bhoodevi, the two consorts of Perumal are seen on either sides of the presiding deity.<ref name=Meena>{{cite book|title=Temples in South India|last=V.|first=Meena|publisher=Harikumar Arts|location=Kanniyakumari|pages=8–9}}</ref> The shrine of the presiding deity is located axial to the gateway tower and approached through Ardhamandapam and Mahamandapam, pillared halls. There are three precincts in the temple, with the shrine of Thayar located in the second precinct. There is a festival hall in the second precinct in the temple facing South that has sculpted pillars indicating various legends of the ''[[Puranas]]''. The most notable of them being a legend of ''[[Mahabharata]]'' where [[Bhima]] attacks a lion legged person with his club. The second precinct has pillared halls that has smaller sculpted representation indicating various [[avatar]]s of [[Vishnu]].<ref>{{cite journal|title='Expanding Form': The Architectural Sculpture of the South Indian Temple, ca. 1500-1700|page=237|first=Crispin |last=Branfoot|volume=62|issue=2|year=2002|journal=Artibus Asiae|publisher=Artibus Asiae Publishers|doi=10.2307/3250266 |jstor=3250266}}</ref>

==Religious importance==
The temple is considered one of the eight ''Sywayambu Kshetras'' of Vishnu where presiding deity is believed to have manifested on its own. Seven other temples in the line are [[Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple]], [[Bhu Varaha Swamy temple]], and [[Tirumala Venkateswara Temple]] in [[South India]] and [[Muktinath|Saligrama]], [[Naimisaranya]], [[Pushkar]] and [[Badrinath Temple]] in [[North India]].<ref name=hindu>{{cite news|title=Symbolising religious unity|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/religion/symbolising-religious-unity/article3404308.ece|work=The Hindu|last=S.|first=Prabhu|date=10 May 2012|access-date=13 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Lord of Vengadam|last=S.|first=Ramanujjan|page=54|publisher=PatridgeIndia|year=2014|isbn=978-1482834628}}</ref> The temple is revered in ''[[Nalayira Divya Prabandham]]'', the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by [[Nammazhwar|Nammalvar]] in ten hymns. The temple is classified as a ''[[Divyadesam|Divya Desam]]'', one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book.<ref name="dinamalar"/> As per the accounts of the Jeeyar, the head of the Vanamamalai Mutt, Janakapuri in Nepal, where [[Rama]] (an [[avatar]] of Vishnu) married [[Sita]], also has a place called Nanguneri, similar to the Vanamamalai temple.<ref>{{cite news|title=The great temple in Nanguneri|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2002/12/02/stories/2002120201390900.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040129212028/http://www.thehindu.com/2002/12/02/stories/2002120201390900.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 January 2004|date=2 December 2012|access-date=8 January 2017|work=[[The Hindu]]|location=Chennai}}</ref>

==Festivals and religious practices==
[[File:Naguneri11.jpg|180x225px|thumb|Life size temple sculptures]]
The temple priests perform the ''[[puja (Hinduism)|pooja]]'' (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis based on Vaiksana Agama. As at other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnava]] community, from the Brahmin class.<ref name="dinamalar">{{cite web|title=Sri Thodatri Nathan Perumal temple|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=172|publisher=Dinamalar|year=2011|access-date=5 September 2015}}</ref> The major festival, the twelve-day Brahmotsavam is celebrated during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil month]] of Thai (January - February).<ref name="dinamalar"/>

Vishnu is considered as ''{{Transliteration|hi|alankara priyar}}'' (one who prefers decoration), and [[Shiva]] as ''{{Transliteration|hi|abisheka priyar}}'' (one who prefers ablution). Vanamamlai temple is one of the few Vishnu temples where ablution is done for the presiding deity on a daily basis. At around 7 am every day, ablution is performed on the presiding deity with milk, curd and other [[Puja (Hinduism)|pooja]] items. The ghee used for ablution is poured in the oil well in the temple, which is considered sacred.<ref name="dinamalar"/> During the festival occasions, the festival idols are brought to the Vanamamalai Mutt located outside the premises of the temple.<ref name=hindu1/>

==Vanamamalai Mutt==
Vanamamalai Mutt is a [[Sri Vaishnavism#Vadakalai and Tenkalai denominations|Tenkalai]] [[Sri Vaishnava]] [[Matha|Mutt]] and the jiyars of mutt are the hereditary trustees of Vanamamalai Perumal temple. The history of Vanamamalai Mutt can be traced back to the time of [[Manavala Mamunigal]]'s disciples. The first head of the Mutt in 1447 was Vanamamalai Ramanuja Jeer and it has an unbroken continuity of Guru Parambara Jeeyars.<ref>{{cite book |title=Tamil Nadu State: Tirunelveli District |date=2002 |publisher=Government of Tamil Nadu, Commissioner of Archives and Historical Research |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JhRWAAAAYAAJ&q=Vanamamalai+jiyar+mutt |language=en}}</ref> The current head is HH Vanamamalai Madhurakavi Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamy. It had [[Telugu people|Telugu]] connections and has attracted non-brahmin [[Naidu]]s from [[Telugu language|Telugu]]-speaking families. Today, the mutt has more than 200 subsidiaries [[mathas]] called Totadri throughout India.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Young |first1=Katherine |title=Turbulent Transformations: Non-Brahmin Śrīvaiṣṇavas on Religion, Caste and Politics in Tamil Nadu |date=2021 |publisher=Orient BlackSwan |isbn=978-81-949258-8-0 |page=42 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JgVGzgEACAAJ |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Vanamamalai Perumal Temple}}

{{Famous Vishnu temples}}

[[Category:Divya Desams| ]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Tirunelveli district]]

Vanamamalai Perumal Temple - Revision history

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