Vijayasana Perumal Temple

The Vijayasana Perumal temple at Thiruvaragunamangai, known also as Natham, is one of the 108 Divya Desams cherished by Sri Vaishnavas and one of the Nava Tirupathi, the nine sacred shrines clustered along the Thamiraparani river in the Pandya Nadu, ranked as the second most important of the group. The presiding Lord is revered here as Vijayasana Perumal, the Lord seated upon the throne of victory, gracing devotees in a seated posture together with His consort, the Mother revered as Varagunavalli, from whom the place draws its name Thiruvaragunamangai. The very epithet Vijayasana proclaims the Lord’s sovereign triumph and the assurance of victory He bestows upon those who take refuge at His feet. Within the Nava Tirupathi’s Navagraha associations, this shrine is linked to Chandra, the moon. Built in Dravidian style, the temple features a five-tiered gopuram, granite enclosure walls, and a sixteen-pillared granite hall standing before the gopuram; worship here follows the Tenkalai tradition and Pancharatra Agama, conducted by priests of the Vaishnava Brahmin community. This shrine is hallowed by the hymns of Nammalwar, the chief of the Alwars, in verses of the Tiruvaymoli within the Naalayira Divya Prabandham that consecrated Thiruvaragunamangai within the eternal Tamil canon and revealed the seated Lord as an object of his rapturous devotion. As a member of the Nava Tirupathi, the temple shares in the sanctity of the Thamiraparani, whose waters the tradition holds as a sacred theertham, and the pilgrimage to these nine abodes is undertaken by the faithful as a single garland of worship binding the Divya Desams of the region.

Festivals

The Vijayasana Perumal temple at Thiruvaragunamangai (Natham) traditionally follows the customary Srivaishnava festival cycle. The Garuda Sevai Utsavam, held in the Tamil month of Vaikasi (May-June), is a notable event in which the processional deities of all nine Nava Tirupathi temples are brought together. Vaikuntha Ekadasi is observed over ten days in the month of Margazhi (December-January), with recitation of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham during the Pagal-pathu and Ra-pathu. Nammalvar’s birth is also celebrated here with a Garudasevai. Pavithrotsavam, performed to sanctify the year’s worship, and the Theppotsavam (float festival) are also traditionally observed. Krishna Jayanthi, Andal’s Aadi Pooram, Rama Navami, Navaratri and the monthly asterism days of the Lord are marked with special abhishekam, alankaram and Prabandham recitation, drawing devotees to this Pandya Nadu shrine.

Location & Access

The temple is situated at Thiruvaragunamangai (Natham), on the banks of the Thamiraparani river along the Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli route in Thoothukudi district of southern Tamil Nadu. Thoothukudi and the wider Tirunelveli area serve as the nearest larger cities and transport hubs, with road connections reaching the village shrine. The temple follows six daily ceremonies: Kalasanthi (8 AM), Uchikalam (12 PM), Sayarakshai (6 PM) and Ardha Jamam (8 PM), along with periodic weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals, each including alangaram, neivethanam and deepa aradanai. It is administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board, Government of Tamil Nadu. Verify current darshan timings and travel details with the temple or official sources before visiting.