Srivilliputhur Andal Temple - Part 2 , Architecture and worship practices
Did you know that Srivilliputhur Andal Temple has a grand 11-tiered tower structure of 192 feet height which is the official symbol of the Government of Tamil Nadu, and the state's High Court has its own unique seal, which has an image in yellow of this gopuram or tower?
Did you know that in the Srivilliputhur Andal temple, of the many water tanks (pushkaranis), Andal used a pushkarani as a mirror to gaze at her reflection wearing a garland made for her Lord Vishnu that is known as the mirror well or 'Kannadi Kinnaru?
The Srivilliputhur Andal Temple, dedicated to Vatapatrasayi (Vishnu) of 9th or 10th century vintage built by the Cholas and further expanded over the centuries by Pandya and Nayak rulers, was built to commemorate the only Woman Alvar saint, Andal, who out of deep devotion and love married the Lord Vishnu and merged (became aikyam) with HIm. It is also the place where Periyalvar, also known as Vishnuchittar, one of the most reverred Alvar saints of Soth India, was also born in the 9th century, and had adopted baby Andal who was found under a Tulsi tree, as his own daughter and raised her with great affection and love. It is here father and daugher worshipped Vatapatrasayi (Vishnu) in a temple that existed in the 8th century or even before. Following the divine merger of Andal with Vishnu, and her composing and singing hymns or pasurams in praise of the Lord Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, through her Thiruppavai and Nachiyar Tirumoli, her name was inducted as one of the 12 Alvar saints (the only female saint) of South India, and her composition Tiruppavai became a part of the Nalayira Divya Prabhandam (4,000 hymns) in Tamil compiled by Nathamuni during 10th century; this Prabhandam became an important liturgical compilation marking the beginning of the canonisation of 12 Vaishnava poet saints. It was probably after this cananization that the Vatapatrasayi (Vishnu) temple was expanded to include an exclusive shrine to Andal who had by then attained status as one of south India's best-loved goddesses, adjacent to the main sanctum of Vishnu , and the temple renamed as Srivilliputhur Andal Temple.
The Srivilliputhur Andal Temple, as built in the Dravidian style of architecture, and seen now has two divisions – the one of Andal located on the Southwest and the second one of Vatapatrasayi on the Northeast direction. The entrance to the temple has a massive and grand tower, an 11-tiered structure of 192 feet height (probably the tallest in India) as Rajagopuram, integral to a granite wall that surrounds the temple. The temple with garba griham or sanctum sanctorum shrine of Vatapathrashayanar (Vatapatrasayi (Vishnu) and shrine of Andal also known as Nachiyar temple, encloses many other smaller shrines, the garden called Nandavanam where Andal is believed to have been born and two of its three bodies of water or Pushkaranis including 'Kannadi Kinnaru" which used to use daily to view her refelction after wearing the garland that was made for Lord (Vatapatrasayi (Vishnu).
The principal deity of the Nachiyar temple ( or Andal shrine) in the southwest of the temple complex, is where Andal and Rangamannar are deified. Garuda, the mount of Vishnu who brought the divine bridegroom Andal after she was married to Ranaganatha at Srirangam is given a special place besides Andal and Rangamannar. The walls around this shrine has paintings of the life of Andal. The second hall from the entrance towards the sanctum is the Kalyana Mandapa, which houses large life-size sculptures of Mohini, Rama, Kamadeva, Rati and many other deities.
The Vatapatrasayi wing of the temple complex, called the Vatapatra Saynar Temple (believed to have existed since 1 BC) has two precincts. The ground floor is dedicated to Lord Narasimha. At the second floor level is the principal sanctum of the temple complex which is accessed through a flight of steps. The Garbagriha or sanctum sanctroum here is deified with the image of Vatapatrasayi (Vishnu) , facing east, in a reclining posture attended by his consorts, Lakshmi (Sridevi) and Bhudevi at his feet. Sage Bhrigu stands near his head and sage Markandeya is near his feet. The banyan tree whose leaf is known as Vatapatram, on which Vishnu is said to rest in the form of a baby during deluge, is at his head, behind Bhrigu. Images of Panchamurtis - Tumburu, Narada, Sanatkumara, Kinnara Mithuna, the Sun and the Moon are shown all around Rangamannar as well as representations of village folks Villi and Puttan are seen at his feet. The sanctum has three doorways from which the presiding deity is viewed. The hall leading to the sanctum is called Bhopala villam, which has detailed teak wood carvings depicting incidents from the Puranas and the ten avatars of Vishnu, the Dashavatara. There are a set of carvings that decorate the ceiling. The temple houses some rare Vijayanagara sculptures. The composite columns of Virabhadra holding sword and horn are found to be additions of the Vijayanayagara kings during the early 1500s.
The tower of this temple which rises 192 feet high, supposed to have been built during saint Pariyalvar's time itself with the prize money he had earned in a competiton and later expanded by Tirumala Nayaka in the 16th century, is now the official symbol of the Government of Tamil Nadu. According to the High Court (Seals) Act, 1950, the High Court of Tamil Nadu has its own unique seal, which has an image in yellow of the gopuram of the Srivilliputhur Andal Temple.
The old temple car (ratha) which is 40 m tall, weighs 650 tonnes. It was pulled through the streets of Srivalliputhur and it took several months for the devotees to pull. However, this rathotsavam was temporarily suspended for some years, and the ratha was refurbished, fitted with new wheels and attached with specially made nine ropes to pull, which is drawn now in four days. Dasavatara carvings are part of this grand chariot.
The temple rituals (pooja rituals) are performed six times a day according to the dictums of Vaikhanasa shastra dictums. Apart from the weekly, fortnightly and monthly rituals performed in the temple, three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the Aadipooram festival, the birthday of Andal is amjor festival. It is celebrated on the eighth day of the Tamil month of Adi (July - August), the day Andal as a child was found by Periyalavar under a Tulsi tree. In the Aadi Pooram festival, the Utsava images of presiding deities, Sri Rangamannar ((Vatapatrasayi) and Goddess Andal are taken in decorated palanquins to the ratham or car which is then drawn through the streets of Srivalliputhur for four days. During the Winter festival season of Margazhi Masam (months of December-January), Thiruppavai, the 30 stanzas or pasurmas compostion of Andal is recited.
The temple is 70 km away from Madurai city.
- Narasipur Char
