Alwar Thirunagari Sri Adhinatha Alwar Temple Timings, History, Pooja

Moolavar / Presiding Diety : Aathinaathan, Aathippiraan
Urchavar : Polinthu ninra piraan
Amman / Thayar / Goddess : Aathinaathanaayaki, Thirukkurukoornayaki
Thala Virutcham / Tree: Puliya maram (Tamarind tree)
Theertham: Thaamiraparani, Brahma thirtham
Year: 1000-2000 years old

Alwarthirunagari Perumal Temple is one of the Nava Tirupathi, nine Hindu temples dedicated to Sri Vishnu located in Thiruchendur-Tirunelveli route, Tamilnadu, on the banks of the Thamiraparani river. All these 9 temples are classified as Divya Desams, the 108 temples of Vishnu revered by the 12 poet saints / Alwars. This is one of the 108 sacred places of Sri Vishnu and the 5th Navathiruppathi dedicated to ‘Guru’ or Jupiter.

Nammalvar is determined beneath the Tamarind tree in “Atthai Thindru – Angae Kidantha – Yoga Nilai in sitting Seva. In Thirunelveli district, alongside both the edges of Tanporunai (Tamirabarani), there are nine places and they’re together and popularly referred to as “Nava Thiruppathigal”. Thirukkurugoor is the Avathara Sthalam (beginning region) of Nammalwar. This place explains his specialty and his works in the direction of Vaishnavism and because of this, the place is referred to as “Azhwar Tirunagari”.

Sri Adhinatha Alwar Temple Timings:

Morning: 6:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Evening: 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Sri Adhinatha Alwar Temple Pooja:

Sri Adhinatha Alwar Temple History:

Dhantha Kshetram:

Manthan, a Brahmin boy having abused the Vedas, incurred the wrath of his master who cursed him to be born in a low-caste in his next birth. He was born Dhanthan, led a disciplined life and came to Kurukoor to worship Aathippiraan. The high-caste priests drove him away, but Dhanthan made a sand-image of the Lord at the banks of River Thaamiraparani and carried on his worship. The high-caste-priests suddenly lost their eyesight and when they surrendered to the Lord to find out the reason, a voice from the sky directed them to ask pardon to Dhanthan. So did the priests and retrieved their lost eyesight. Dhanthan had the beatific vision of the Lord with His Spouse. We can see the image of Dhanthan sculpted in the first step of the ardha mandapam; where he worshipped Aadhinathan is known as Appan Koil or Chemponmaada Tirukkurukoor.

Varaha Kshetram:

Some sages of the yore desired to see the Varaha avatar (Boar incarnation) of the Lord and so conducted a rigorous tapasya at this sacred place. The Lord in Varaha form with Bhoomadevi on His lap appeared before them and blessed them. Hence, this is Varaha Kshetram. The Lord is hailed as Jnanappiran.

Thirtha Kshetram:

Shankan, a sage was carrying on a tapasya with an intention of becoming one of the guards of eight directions of the universe. Narada advised him to do the tapasya towards Lord Narayana who would grant him moksha. When Shankan asked about the way to achieve it, Narada told him that he should be born as a conch (Chanku) in the sea where River Thaamiraparani merges and worship Aathinaathan for 1000 years. Shankan by becoming so worshipped first the Lord established by Dhanthan and later, instructed by Narada prayed Aathippiran in the morning as a human being and in the night went to the sea as a conch. Once when he was coming with his crew to have his daily worship, a whale stopped his progress and Shankan prayed intensely to Aaathippiran. At that time, a man appeared in the sea and swallowed the whale. Shankan and his crew, thereafter, happily carried on their prayer. After 1000 years, the Lord with His Devis on His Garuda Vahanam revealed Himself to Shankan and his fellows and granted them moksha. The wharf where Shankan and his crew entered is known as Thirucchankaniturai even today. Since it was entered through water, this holy place has gained the name Thirtha Kshetram.

Sesha Kshetram:

This legend is related to Ramayana and subsequently to Nammalvar, because of whom this holy city is called Alwarthirunagari. Three days before the cessation of Ramavataram, Lord Yama (God of Death) came to see Lord Rama, who instructed his brother Lakshmana not to allow anybody thereafter. Sage Dhurvaasa desiring to see Lord Rama before the completion of incarnation came and Lakshmana, afraid of incurring his wrath and curse, did not stop him. But, the displeased Rama cursed his brother to become a tree, as he did not respect his order. Lakshmana cried and asked pardon that he could not live without him. Rama then said that he himself had to be like a statue for 16 years, for committing the sin of sending Sita to the forest and that he would sit in the hole of the tree at that time. Lakshmana would become a tamarind tree at the Varaha Kshetram. Sage Kashyapa and his wife, born as Kaari and Utaya Nangai would come to Kurukoor praying for a child. The Lord would be born as Maran (Nammalvar) and as a baby, he would crawl to the hole in the tamarind tree and sit motionless for 16 years. After this Yoga, he would do the Vedas in Tamil and pave way for bhakti. Lord Rama gave his ring to his brother and said that Lakshmana would be a tamarind tree where the ring dropped. Lakshmana, the incarnation of Adisesha stands as the tamarind tree in this holy temple. So the place is appropriately called Sesha Kshetram.

Sri Adhinatha Alwar Temple Timings:

List of Nava Tirupathi Temples and it’s Grahas (Planets) are:

1. Sri Vaikuntanathan Perumal Temple – Surya (Sun)
2. Thiru Varagunamangai Perumal Temple – Chandra (Moon)
3. Thirupulinkudi Perumal Temple — Budha (Mercury)
4. Irattai Tirupathi Perumal Temple – Rahu (North node)
5. Irattai Tirupathi Perumal Temple – Ketu (South node)
6. Thirukuzhandhai (Perungulam) Perumal Temple – Sani (Saturn)
7. Thenthiruperai Perumal Temple – Shukra – (Venus)
8. Thirukkolur Perumal Temple – Mangala (Mars)
9. Alwarthirunagari Perumal Temple – Guru (Jupiter)

Places Near Sri Adhinatha Alwar Temple:

Sri Aravindalochanar Temple, Kilpidagai Kasba, Thoothukudi, Distance: 5.8 KM
Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, Kilpidagai, Thoothukudi, Distance: 5.8 KM
Sri Aravindalochanar Temple, Kilpidagai Kasba, Thoothukudi, Distance: 28.8 KM
Shri Shenbagavalli Amman Kovil, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi, Distance: 73.4 KM
Tiruchendur beach, Thiruchendur, Toothukudi, Distance:35.6 KM
Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary, Koonthakulam, Tirunelveli, Distance:77.3 KM

Sri Adhinatha Alwar Temple Address:

Sri Aadinaathan Tirukkovil,
Alwar Tirunagari,
Thoothukudi,
Tamilnadu.
Phone: +91 4639 273 607
Phone: +91 4639 273984
Mobile: +91 98944 43900