Ananthanarayana Perumal Abaranadhari

Ananthanarayana Perumal, Abaranadhari

Vaishnavite Temples, Nagapattinam District

God

Ananthanarayana Perumal, facing east

Goddess

Alangaravalli Thaayar, facing east

Other Deities

Garuda, Padma Hanuman

Ananthanarayana Perumal Abaranadhari is a beautiful and well maintained temple which is popular with pilgrims. A single spacious Prakaram houses the sanctum and the shrines. The reclining Lord here is larger than the one at the famous Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. He is 21 feet here resting on the 7 headed snake Adhisesha and his full form can be seen in parts only through three doorways. He wears a lot of ornaments thus giving the name Abharanadhari. Brahma rises from his navel, Sreedevi and Bhoodevi are seen sitting near the head and feet along with Sages Brighu and Vyasa. There is a temple tank opposite and a well inside.

This is one of the Pancha (Five) Narayana Sthalams. the others are at Thirukannamangai, Keevalur, Devur and Vada Alathur.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Anantha Pushkarini

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – No information

History

Ananthanarayana Perumal Abaranadhari has a total of 11 stone inscriptions that have been read and documented. Out of them 9 are from the Chola period, one each from the Pandyas and Vijayanagar Empire. The oldest one among them is that of Raja Raja Chola II (1150 CE). The name of this place is mentioned as Aabharanadhari Chaturvedimangalam. Also mentioned is the name of a Shiva temple as Thiruvirameswaram. There are 6 inscriptions of Kulothunga Chola III and one of Jatavarman Kulasekhara Pandyan. An inscription of 1474 CE of Thippayya Devamaharaya refers to this place as Aabharanadhariyaana Uttaranandapuram and the Lord as Pallikonda Perumal. Other inscriptions mention grants made to this temple and also the names of other temples around.

Legend

The deity at Ananthanarayana Perumal Abaranadhari used to be adorned with jewels from head to toe and thus the name of the village was Abarana (jewels) Dhari (one who is adorned with). It is believed that Lord Rama rested here in the form of Mahavishnu on the request of Sages Brighu and Vyasa. Thirumangai Azhwar came here from the Vihara near Nagapattinam with a stolen golden statue of Budhdha in his quest to raise funds for the Srirengam temple. The Tulsi garlands he adorned upon the reclining Lord here all turned into valuable ornaments thus giving him the name of Abharanadhari. After that he went to the Kannangudi Temple and rendered Mangalasasanam in which he is considered to have mentioned the name of this temple too.

Directions

Ananthanarayana Perumal Abaranadhari temple is 4 Kilometers south-west of the famous Sikkal Murugan temple.

Stay and Food

None locally. Closest is Sikkal.

Vaishnavite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples