Legendary Tale – Andals Marriage

Kodhai (Andal) was brought up by Vishnuchittha (Periyalwar) in such an atmosphere where no deficit for love and devotion has. When Kodhai grew into a beautiful damsel, her love and devotion for the Lord grew to the extent that she decided to marry none but the Lord himself only. When she was given the duty to arrange the flower to make a garland for the Lord every day, she use to embellish the flower garland to her and delights for her action. Vishnuchittha takes it and offer it to the Lord unknowing about his daughter deed. Once the temple priest saw the flower garland and noticed a strand of hair on one of the garland and became annoyed for bringing a used flower garland for the Lord. Periyalwar was shocked and came to realize about Andal’s act. She became depressed when Periyalwar rebukes her for committing such an act. He ordered her not to tie the garland for the Lord hereafter as her Lord refused to wear the garland. Later Periyazhlwar tied a new garland for Lord Vishnu with fresh flowers and took them to the temple. Miraculously, the Lord refused to wear it. The Lord said that He wanted only the garland which was worn by Andal. Periyazhlwar, in complete reverential fear, immediately rushed to his house and brought the old garland which was worn by Andal. Thus, Periyalwar wished that he should get Andal married only to Lord Sri Vishnu. Following this, Andal narrated to her father about her beautiful dreams in which the Lord came on an elephant to wed her. Andal describes how she had composed her sweet dreams into poems as “Vaaranam Aayiram”. The poems describe how Andal and Lord Sri Vishnu got married according to customs and rituals. The bride Andal was then taken to the Srirangam temple, where she entered the sanctum sanctorum and was gathered and united into the Lord’s presence. Periyalwar and others present there were wonder-struck on witnessing these events, but the wise Periyazhlwar remained balanced and the absence of his daughter had never disturbed or broke down. He assumed himself that he had married his daughter and sent to her husband’s home.

After this incident Kodhai was well-respected by the common people and came to be known as “Andal”, the damsel who “ruled” over the Lord. She is also known by a phrase – Soodi kodutha Sudarkodi which literally means “The shiny creeper-like damsel who gave her garlands after wearing them”.