Tiruvidanthai temple

DIVYA DESAMS - 62/108 - THIRUVIDANDHAI

Name of the Divya Desam : Nitya Kalyana Perumal temple

Location : ECR Road, South Chennai

Moolavar (Presiding Deity) : Sri Lakshmi Varaha Perumal

Thayaar (Consort) : Komalavalli Nachiyar/ Akhilavalli Nachiyar

Thirukkolam (Posture) : Nindra (Standing)

Thirumugam (Facing) : East

Mangalasasanam (Hymns sung by) :

Thirumangai Azhwar

Sthalapurana (Brief History) :

As per legend during Treta Yuga, King Bali was ruling the three worlds in a righteous way. The demons Mali, Malyavan, Sumali and others sought the help of Bali to fight against the devas. Bali simply declined to help them.

The demons fought alone were defeated by the Devas. They came again to Bali for help which he obliged this time.

Bali won the war but was afflicted with the Sin of Fighting the Devas without a just cause. He came to this place for relief and performed penance to the Lord. Pleased with his penance, Perumal appeared before Bali and granted darshan in Varaha Rupa.

As per another legend Sage Kuni and his daughter prayed to Lord Narayana and performed penance to reach Svarga (heaven). Kuni alone got his wish fulfilled but not the daughter. Maharishi Narada told the young girl that she could not reach Svarga as she was not married. He requested one of the sages to marry her. Kalava Maharshi married her and had 360 girl children. He performed penance to Lord Narayana begging Him to marry his daughters.

Lord Perumal came as a Brahmachari, the sage requested Him to marry his daughters. He agreed and married one each day. On the last day, the Lord appeared in the Varaha form. The Lord Varaha Swamy merged all the 360 daughters into Akilavalli Thayar (Goddess Earth) and seated her in His left lap. As Perumal has Thayar on His Left Lap (left in Tamil is Idam) the place came to be known as Thiruvidavendhai which later changed as Thiruvidandhai.

About the temple:

Devotees seek the blessings of Lord Nithyakalyana Perumal for their early and happy marriage. They bring two garlands for Puja and offer to the Lord. The priest after Puja gives back one of the garlands placed at feet of the Lord.

The devotees wear the received garland and does Pradakshinam (Circumambulation) around the Temple. Later they bring the Garland home. It is a strong belief among the devotees that their prayers get answered within a short span of time.

After marriage as a thanksgiving gesture, the couple revisit the Temple and offer flower garlands to the Lord. They carefully bring the old garlands from home and offer them to the divine Punnai tree behind the temple. This is the only Divya Desam, where the Wedding Festival is celebrated on all the days of the year.