Thothadrinathan (Vanamamalai) Temple

The Vanamamalai temple at Nanguneri, hailed in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham as Thiruvaramangai, enshrines the Lord as Thothadrinathan (Vanamamalai Perumal), formally the Arulmigu Sree Vanamamalai Totatri Perumal Temple, one of the 108 Divya Desams sacred to Sri Vaishnavas and counted among the foremost shrines of the Pandya Nadu. The Moolavar is seated upon Adisesha, the serpent deity, flanked by Sridevi and Bhoodevi, gracing devotees together with His consort, who is revered here as Varamangai (Sirumamai Nachiyar), the divine mother from whom the place takes its Tamil name Thiruvaramangai. According to tradition, the Lord is celebrated as Vanamamalai, “the hill that is a garland of the forest,” a name evoking His abundant grace and the verdant abode in which He resides; the temple is counted among the eight Svayambu Kshetrams where the deity is held to have manifested of its own accord. Construction of the temple is traditionally attributed to the Pandya dynasty, with later contributions from the Vijayanagara rulers and the Madurai Nayaks; its earliest inscriptions date to 1236 CE, from the reign of Sundara Pandya I. Built in Dravidian style with a five-tiered gopuram across roughly five acres, the temple has been administered since 1447 by the Vanamamalai Mutt, a Tenkalai Sri Vaishnava monastery in unbroken succession to this day under the Vanamamalai Jeeyar, with over 200 subsidiary institutions across India. The shrine is sung by Nammalwar, the chief among the Alwars, in ten hymns of the Naalayira Divya Prabandham that consecrated this place within the eternal canon of Tamil Vaishnava devotion. The temple is especially renowned for the sacred unguent of fragrant oil (thailam) that is poured over the Lord and never diminishes, a wonder cherished by pilgrims as a token of His inexhaustible compassion; the prasadam of this divine oil is treasured for its healing and auspicious power.

Festivals

The temple at Nanguneri, sacred to Thothadrinathan (Vanamamalai Perumal) of Thiruvaramangai, traditionally keeps the full Srivaishnava festival calendar. The chief celebration is the twelve-day Brahmotsavam in the Tamil month of Thai (January-February), with processions of the utsava deity on the Garuda Vahanam and other vahanas; a chariot festival is also held during Chittirai (March-April). Vaikunta Ekadasi in Margazhi is observed with great devotion, with the recitation of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham during the Pagal-pathu and Ra-pathu and the opening of the Paramapada Vasal. The temple is also renowned for its annual Pavithrotsavam, performed for the purification and sanctification of the year’s worship. The Theppotsavam (float festival) on the temple tank, Andal’s Aadi Pooram, Krishna Jayanthi, Navaratri and the monthly observances tied to the Lord’s asterism are also traditionally marked with special abhishekam and alankaram.

Location & Access

The temple stands in the town of Nanguneri (Thiruvaramangai/Vanamamalai) in the Tirunelveli region of the old Pandya Nadu, in far southern Tamil Nadu, on the banks of the Thamiraparani river. Tirunelveli serves as the nearest major city and rail and road hub, with onward bus and taxi connections to Nanguneri. The temple follows six daily rituals, including a distinctive morning ablution around 7 AM using milk, curd and other ritual items, unusual among Vishnu temples. Verify current darshan timings and travel details with the temple or official sources before visiting.