ThiruVaragunamangai Perumal Temple


ThiruVaragunamangai Permual Temple is one of the Nava Tirupathi., nine Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli route, Tamil Nadu, India in the banks of Thamiraparani river. All these 9 temples are classified as "Divya Desams", the 108 temples of Vishnu revered by the 12 poet saints, or Alwars. Thiru Varagunamangai Permual Temple at Natham also known as Sri Vijayasana Perumal Temple, the Chandran Sthalam is 2nd of the Navathirupathis.

Legend

Varagunamangai, the one who granted his Dharshan to a Brahmin vedic scholar is referred to in one of the poems of Nammalwar, he must be posterior to Varaguna Pandya from whose name it is assumed Varagunamangai took its name. But there are number of instances where this logic is not pertinent. The temple has a five-tiered rajagopuram amidst lush vegetation around the temple.
The lord here appeared in answer to the prayer of sage Romesar who performed severe penances for several thousand years.

Festival

The Garuda Sevai utsavam in the month of Vaikasi witnesses 9 Garudasevai, a spectacular event in which festival image idols from the Nava Tirupathis shrines in the area are brought on Garuda vahana. An idol of Nammalvar is also brought here on an Anna Vahanam and his paasurams dedicated to each of these 9 temples are recited. The utsavar of Nammalvar is taken in a palanquin to each of the 9 temples, through the paddy fields in the area. The paasurams dedicated to each of the 9 Divyadesams are chanted in the respective shrines. This is the most important of the festivals in this area, and it draws thousands of visitors.