Annan Perumal Temple

The Annan Perumal Temple at Thiruvellangkulam, popularly known as Annan Koil, in the Chola Nadu region, is counted among the 108 Divya Desams sung in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham. The presiding deity (Moolavar) here is venerated affectionately as Annan Perumal, the “elder brother,” a name expressive of the intimate, familial bond that tradition draws between the Lord and His devotees at this shrine. The place-name Thiruvellangkulam, recalling a sacred white-watered tank, lends the locale its enduring identity, and the temple is widely known by the cherished name Annan Koil. This Divya Desam was hallowed by the hymns of Thirumangai Alwar, the foremost of the singing pilgrims, whose Prabandham verses secured for the shrine its place in the sacred canon of the Srivaishnava tradition. Situated amid the temple-rich plains of the Cauvery delta in the Chola country, Annan Koil belongs to a constellation of nearby Divya Desams that pilgrims customarily worship together in a single sacred circuit. According to the devotional spirit of the tradition, the Lord abides here as a near and dear elder kinsman, ever-present to receive the prayers of those who come to Him. Devotees today continue to gather at this abode to offer worship to Annan Perumal and to recite the verses of Thirumangai Alwar, through whom the glory of Thiruvellangkulam was carried into the abiding memory of the faithful and preserved as one of the Lord’s sacred earthly homes.

Festivals

Known as the Annan Koil among the Nangur Tirupathis, this temple traditionally participates in the renowned Garuda Sevai, in which the utsava deities of the eleven Nangur Divya Desams are taken in procession together upon their Garuda vahanas, a spectacle that gathers great throngs of pilgrims. The annual Brahmotsavam is traditionally celebrated with processions of the utsava murti and ceremonial honours. Vaikunta Ekadasi in Margazhi is observed with fervent devotion and the chanting of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham. Pavithrotsavam, marking the ritual cleansing of the year’s services, and a Float festival (Theppotsavam) are traditionally kept, alongside the regular monthly Ekadasi observances and the seasonal festivals common to the Srivaishnava tradition.

Location & Access

The temple is situated at Thiruvellangkulam, one of the Nangur Tirupathis in the Chola Nadu region, within the area of Nagapattinam district in Tamil Nadu, and is most readily approached through the nearby town of Sirkazhi, the principal local rail and road junction. Chidambaram and Nagapattinam are within easy onward reach, while Tiruchirappalli is the broadly nearest major city offering wider transport links. As with most Vishnu temples, it generally observes morning and evening darshan hours with a break at midday. Verify current darshan timings and travel details with the temple or official sources before visiting.