Sri Andal Temple

The Sri Andal Temple is located in Srivilliputhur and is dedicated to Andal. It is said that Sri Andal had a habit of wearing the garlands prepared for God Rangamannar. She would then look at the mirror and wonder whether she was a good match for God Rangamannar. Her father Perialwar was not aware of this and would take the garlands to the God every day. One day Perialwar found a hair and got very upset, begging the God for pardon. The God said He was very fond of that garland and asked Perialwar to continue bringing the garland the same way each day. The God asked Perialwar to bring Andal in a palanquin to Srirangam so that He could marry her. They got married and the God and Andal appeared before Perialwar and blessed him. This place is one of the important Divyadesas for Vaishnavites. Within the temple's sanctum sanctorum is an image of the God in a reclining posture. His consorts, Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi, are shown attending to him at his feet. Sage Bhrgu stands near his head and Markandeya is near his feet. The banyan tree — whose leaf is known as Vatapatram, on which the God is said to rest in the form of a baby during deluge — is at His head, behind Sage Bhrgu. Images of Panchamurtis, Thumburu, Narada, Sanatkumara, Kinnara Mithuna, the Sun and the Moon are shown all around Rangamannar as well as representations of Villi and Puttan, who stand reverently at his feet. The sanctum sanctorum has three doorways from which the God can be seen in his reclining posture. A flight of stairs leads to the sanctum sanctorum, below them is a large, impressive hall with detailed wooden carvings depicting incidents from the Puranas. These carvings support as well as decorate the ceiling.