Famous Temples in India

Religious Significance

As the lord took rest here in the form of Pig, it was called Varaga shetram. Two brothers villi and kandan of hunter’s origins ruled a portion of the place. Once they went for hunting, the younger brother Kandan was killed by a Tiger unknown of his death, Villi searched for him everywhere. But could not find him. Out of tiredness, he slept. God appeared in his dream and revealed, the fate of kandan. He also told the king about his avatar for killing Kalanemi, the asura. He on saying that he now dwells under a baniyan tree, in the vadabadra vimanam in a reclining posture. He directed him to found a town and constructed a temple for him. With the divine blessings the king constructed the town. As it was made out of sand monds it was known Villiputhur and as it was the birth place of goddess andal is was called Srivilliputtur. Andal it was called Srivilliputtur.

Legend : Andal is believed to have been discovered under a Tulsi (Basil) plant in the temple garden of Srivilliputtur, by a person named Vishnucitta who later became one of the most revered saints in Hinduism, Periyalvar. The child was named Kodhai. This is popularly thought to mean “a beautiful garland” in Tamil. The name Kodhai is often Sanskritized as Goda. She has been accepted as a reincarnation of Bhumi Devi (the Earth Goddess). She is considered to be bhooma devi avatar just after that of Sita (wife of Lord Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu, as described in the epic Ramayana).The series of Bhumi Devi’s incarnations start from the Varaha Puranam – In Hindu mythology, Vedavati is speculated to have been the spirit of Sita Devi, the wife of Lord Rama in the epic Ramayana. She was another avatar of Devi Lakshmi. Vedavati is the daughter of Brahmarshi Kusadhvaja, who is the son of Brihaspati, Lord-Guru of the Devas, the Gods. Having spent his life chanting and studying the sacred Vedas, he names his daughter Vedavati, or Embodiment of the Vedas, born as the fruit of his bhakti and tapasya. Kodhai was brought up by Vishnucitta. Kodhai grew up in an atmosphere of love and devotion. Vishnucitta doted on her in every respect, singing songs to her about Lord Vishnu; teaching her all the stories and philosophy he knew; and sharing with her his love for Tamil poetry.

As Kodhai grew into a beautiful maiden, her love and devotion for the Lord grew to the extent that she decided to marry none but the Lord Himself only. As days progressed, her resolve strengthened and she started to live in a dream world with her beloved Lord and was constantly fantasizing about marrying Him. Vishnucitta had the responsibility of delivering flower garlands to the Lord’s temple, everyday. Kodhai made these garlands and sent it to her beloved Lord through her father. Eventually she started acting unusual by wearing the flower garland which was meant to be offered to the Lord. This is generally considered sacrilege in Hinduism because the scriptures teach the devotees not to offer to the Lord, a thing that has already been used by a human being. However, Kodhai felt she should test to see how the garland suited her and only if it did, she should offer it to the Lord.

One day, she was caught red-handed by her father in this strange act, and as an orthodox devotee he was extremely upset. He rebuked her and told her not to repeat the sacrilegious act in the future. Frightened and apologetic, Kodhai made a new garland for the offering that day. Legend says that that very night the Lord appeared to Vishnucitta in his dream and asked him why he had discarded Kodhai’s garland instead of offering it to Him. The Lord is believed to have told Vishnucitta that He had whole-heartedly accepted Kodhai’s offering all this time. This moved Vishnucitta so much even as he started to realize the Divine Love that existed between the Lord and his daughter. From this day on, Kodhai is believed to have been respected by the devotees and came to be known as “Andal”, the girl who “ruled” over the Lord. She is also known by a phrase Soodi kodutha Sudarkodi which means “The bright creeper-like woman who gave her garlands after wearing them”. As Andal blossomed into a fifteen-year-old beautiful young woman of marriageable age (girls were married at a much younger age in those days), her father prepared to get her married to a suitable groom. Andal, however, was stubborn and insisted that she would marry only the Lord Vishnu. This perplexed and worried her father. However, the Lord appeared in Vishnuchitta’s dream and informed him that He would marry Andal at Srirangam; the Lord simultaneously commanded the priests at Srirangam, in their dreams, to prepare for the wedding. Andal who was anxious to reach Srirangam was unable to control herself in her urgency to meet her beloved Lord. She ran into the sanctum sanctorum of the Lord Ranganatha and is believed to have merged with him completely at that point.