Thiruppathisaram
Encyclopedia
Thiruppathisaram is a village in the Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...

, the southern Indian state. This village is renowned for the temple dedicated to Lord Thiruvazhimarban (Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....

).

The Place

Thiruppathisaram, also known as Thiruvanparisaram is to the north-east of Nagercoil
Nagercoil
Nagercoil is the 12th largest city in the southernmost Indian state of Tamil Nadu and a municipality and administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District...

 in Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari is a town in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. It is also sometimes referred to as Cape Comorin. Located at the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, it is the geographical end of the Indian mainland. The district in Tamil Nadu where the town is located is called Kanyakumari...

 district, around 3.5 km from Nagercoil city centre. The place derives its name from a 5000 year old temple dedicated to Thiruvazhimarban (Thirukuralappan) (Lord in whose heart Thiru - Goddess Padmavati
Padmavati
-Mythology:* Alamelu, aka Padmāvatī, Hindu goddess and consort of Sri Venkateshwara of Tirupati* Another name for the Hindu serpent goddess Manasa* Padmavati , Jain goddess-Given name:...

 abodes
) Lord Vishnu. Thiruppathisaram is part of the 108 Divya Desams
Divya Desams
Divya Desams refer to 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the works of the Tamil Azhvars . 105 of these are located in India, 1 in Nepal, while 2 are located outside of the Earthly realms. 'Divya' in Tamil language indicates premium and 'Desam' indicates place or temple.The two major deities...

 and Malai Nattu Thiruppatigal.
Sri Nammalvars' (Vaishnavite saint poet) mother was born in this village, and it is presumed that she had given birth to the great saint poet in this village.

Temple & the Deity

The idol of the chief deity is 9 feet tall and made of a special element called Katusarkara Yogam (Mustard and Jaggery paste) and no Abhishekam (ritual bathing) is performed to it. The deity has shangu and chakra in the hands and Goddess Mahalakshmi in his chest (ThiruVazhMarbhan). Dashavathara (Ten incarnations of Vishnu) paintings adorn the Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...

 Kalyana Mandapam of this temple. Other shrines for Garuda, Ganesha, Rama, Vishwaksenar, Nammalvar, Nataraja are present. There is a temple tank opposite to the temple for taking bath.

The deity had a crown made of Gold and adorned with diamonds and other precious stones. This was stolen and the thief cut it into multiple pieces. The authorities caught the thief and the booty was recovered, but to this day, it is lying in the same state.

Renovations

Renovation of this temple were carried out by King Kulashekhara
Kulashekhara
Kulasekara Varman also known as Kulashekhara Alwar was the founder and King of the Later Chera Kingdom from 800 AD until his departure from public life, a devotional Vaishnavism poet and one of the 12 celebrated Alwars.The initial territories of Kulasekhara Varman included Kudamalainadu only...

 and Thirumalai Nayak
Thirumalai Nayak
Thirumalai Nayak ruled Madurai between 1623 to 1659 CE. He was the most notable of the thirteen Madurai Nayak rulers in the 17th century. His contributions are found in the many splendid buildings and temples of Madurai. His kingdom was under constant threat from the armies of Delhi Sultanate and...

. This temple is maintained by the Government of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...

 through the Devaswom Board. A few years ago renovation and kumbha-abhishekam (ritual consecration) was carried out by the Devaswom Board.

Special Mentions

This place has a mention in the Nalayiradivyaprabandam - the holy book of the vaishnavaites. Nammalvar
Nammalvar
Nammalvar also Nammazhwar,Nammaazhvaar, Nammazhvar, Nammaalvaar, Nammalwar;Tamil: நம்மாழ்வார்) was one of the twelve Alvars, well known for his many hymns on devotion to Vishnu. Legend gives him the date 3102 B.C....

's mother hailed from Thiruppathisaram.
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