Sri Vadapathrasai, Andal temple (90th Among the 108 Divyadesas)

Moolavar	:	Vadapathrasai, Rangamannar
Urchavar	:	-
Amman / Thayar	:	-
Thala Virutcham	:	-
Theertham	:	-
Agamam / Pooja	:	-
Old year	:	1000-2000 years old
Historical Name	:	-
City	:	Srivilliputhur
District	:	Virudhunagar
State	:	Tamil Nadu

History

Sri Andal had the habit of wearing the garlands prepared for Rangamannar and look at the mirror to ascertain herself whether she would be a good match to Lord Rangamannar. Her father Perialwar without knowing this, used to take the garland for the Lord each day. A hair was found one day. Perialwar was upset and begged the pardon of the Lord but the Lord told him that he was very fond of that Garland and asked to bring the garland the same way each day. Andal also was not willing to marry a human and was waiting for the Lord to have her hand in wedlock. The lord directed Perialwar to bring Andal in a Palanquin to Srirangam where he would marry her. Andal reached Srirangam and mingled with the Lord. The Lord gave darshan to Perialwar along with Andal. Srivilliputhur is one of the celebrated Divyadesas for the Vaishnava devotees.

Festivals

10 day Adipooram festival (July-August), Peria Perumal 10 day festival in Purattasi (September-October), Kayana (Wedding) festival 10 days in Panguni (March-April) are the important festivals in the temple. Special pujas are performed on Deepavali, Pongal, New years of both Tamil and English first days,

Reputation

Andal, Rangamannar, Garuda appear together in the temple.The tower of this temple is the symbol of the Government of Tamilnadu.

The Garland of Mother Andal is sent each year to Tirupathy the day before the commencement of Brahmmotsavam in the hills. Similarly for the Andal wedding festival, garland is coming from Tirupathi.

Also Kallazhagar, in the Chithirai festival in Madurai wears the Garland used by Andal. This Vaishnava temple one of the 108 Divya Desas built by Pandya and Chola kings in the year 1536. Srivilliputhur is the birth place of Nammalvar. Also Andal incarnated here. This is the temple that conferred the honour Soodikodutha Sudarkodi to Mother Andal.. Chakarathalwar idol is made of five metals called Panchaloka.

Prayer

Child, marriage, education, wisdom, business development, good yielding in farming family welfare are the boons devotees seek from the Lord here.

Prayer commitments:

Offering butter to the Lord, clothes, small lamps, Tulsi, flowers are offered to Lord. Nivedhanas offered to Lord is distributed among the visitors. Feeding is also undertaken.

Other holy springs in the temple are nine in total including Thirumukkulam, Kannadi theertham.

Speciality:

Vadabadrasayee Rangamannar. He is in a lying pose in the main shrine under Vimalakruthi Vimanam Vadavriksha accompanied by Sridevi Bhudevi massaging his lotus feet. Beautiful paintings on the wall on the three sides are Garuda, Senaimudaliar, Surya, Thumburu Narada, Brahmma on the naval chord of the Lord, Sanaka Rishi, Gandharvas, Moon, Madhukaidabas, Rishi Bruhu, Markandeya, Sword, club, Conch and the Wheel are beautifully sculpted on the three sides of the shrine of Vadabadrasayee. There is also an entrance facility in the Vimana to come around through which the devotee can have the dharshan of the head and feet of the Lord. This entrance would be opened a day before the Margazhi (December-January) festival

Car:

The car of the temple is built with high technical and artistic skill. Beautiful carvings adore the car in all sides. From the inscription of the date of making the Car as Shalivahana Sahabdam, Kollam 1025, Soumya Year, Avani month 13th day, one can imagine the antiquity of this car.

How to Reach Temple:

Srivilliputhur is 50 Km from Virudhunagar, 8 from Sattur, 32 from Aruppukottai, 82 from Tirunelveli, 90 from Madurai. There are lodges in the place the charges ranging from Rs. 100 to Rs. 300.

Sufficient bus facilities are available from Madurai, Tirunelveli and Virudunagar to Srivillipthur. Railway station is Srivilliputhur and the airport nearby is Madurai. The temple administration can be contacted on telephone 04563 – 260254.