Andal Temple, Srivilliputhur — Divya Desam
The Andal Temple at Srivilliputhur in Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu, is one of the 108 Divya Desams and holds unique significance as the birthplace of Andal, the only female Alvar saint and one of the most beloved figures in Tamil bhakti literature.
Background
Srivilliputhur is inextricably linked with Andal (also known as Goda Devi), who tradition holds was found as an infant in the temple garden by Periyalvar, the devout Vaishnavite. Andal grew up to compose the Tiruppavai, a 30-verse hymn sung during the month of Margazhi that remains one of the most widely recited works in Tamil Vaishnavism. She also composed the Tirumozhi, a collection of passionate devotional verses addressed to Vishnu. The temple was expanded and patronized by the Pandya dynasty, and later by the Vijayanagara rulers. The temple’s towering gopuram, visible for miles across the surrounding plains, became a landmark of the Sri Vaishnava landscape.
Spiritual Significance
The temple’s significance is inseparable from Andal’s legacy. The Divya Prabandham’s Tiruppavai, composed here, is recited daily and forms a core part of the Margazhi observance in Sri Vaishnavite households across South India. Periyalvar’s hymns in the Divya Prabandham also celebrate this temple and its deity, Vadakushala Perumal (Vishnu). Andal is regarded as an incarnation of Lakshmi, and the temple commemorates her divine marriage to Vishnu (Thirukalyanam) as the climactic event of the Margazhi festival. The Periyalvar shrine adjacent to the main temple honors her foster father, who found her and raised her.
Architecture
The temple features a towering Dravidian gopuram that rises prominently above the town, marking it as a Divya Desam from a considerable distance. The sanctum houses the image of Vadakushala Perumal, and a separate shrine is dedicated to Andal, adorned with flowers in the manner described in the Tiruppavai. The Periyalvar shrine stands adjacent to the main sanctum. The temple complex includes a sacred Pushkarini and mandapams with sculpted pillars depicting scenes from Andal’s life and the Tiruppavai. The gopuram’s elaborate stucco figures illustrate episodes from Vaishnavite theology.
Present Day
The temple is managed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of Tamil Nadu. The Margazhi festival season is the temple’s most significant period, drawing thousands of pilgrims who come to participate in the recitation of the Tiruppavai and witness the Thirukalyanam ceremony. The temple is also a center for Tamil Vaishnavite learning, and its association with Andal makes it a site of particular devotion for women devotees.