Thirunaraiyur

Vishnu as Srinivasa

Consort Vanchulavalli

Vaishnava temple

250px|thumb|left|The temple tank adjacent to the temple As per Hindu legend, the sage Medhavi was doing penance of goddess Mahalakshmi at this place. While taking a bath in the river, he found an image of Chakratalvar entwined with Yoga Narasimha. A divine voice asked him to install the image in his hermitage and worship it. The goddess Niladevi, the aspect of Lakshmi, and a consort of Vishnu chose to grow in the hermitage and appeared to the sage in the form of a small girl under a tree (Vanjula Tree) and hence Medhavi Maharishi named her "VANJULAVALLI" and raised her as his foster daughter. Vishnu traveled in search of Niladevi (Vanjulavalli) on his vehicle Garuda, the demigod-eagle. Garuda found the presence of Niladevi in the hermitage. Vishnu appeared to Medhavi, pleased by the latter's devotion and asked his daughter to be married to him. The sage happily aggred to marry Vanjulavalli to Vishnu, but under the condition that Nachiyar (Lakshmi) should always have primacy over Vishnu. Vishnu accepted his condition and both stayed in the ksetra upon his request. Because of the Medhavi's boon, in Nachiyar Koli the goddess rules over the God. Thayar (Lakshmi) is seated in the central sanctum alongside Perumal (Vishnu). In the processions, Lakshmi always comes first and Vishnu follows. There is another local legend that king Kochengat Cholan was once defeated and he was advocated to seek the blessings of Vishnu, which he obliged.

Period

Built by Kochengat Cholan.

Architecture

Tamil architecture

First attested

9th century

Details are compiled from Wikimedia projects and published temple sources. Send a correction if something is wrong.

• Wikipedia, Divya Desam
• Wikipedia, Thirunarayur Nambi Temple

More links

• HRCE Tamil Nadu
• English Wikipedia
• Google Maps
• Tamil Wikipedia