Thirukkozhi

Thirukkozhi is traditionally enumerated as number 108 among the 108 Divya Desams — the sacred abodes of Sri Maha Vishnu sung by the Alvars.

in detail the Adi Brahmotsavam festival of this temple. Other works like Maduravijayam and the Saluvabhyudayam refer to the Muslim occupation and subsequent restoration of the temple by Vijayanagar rulers. Thus, the temple is clearly very ancient.This place is unique inasmuch as all the Alvars have sung in praise of the Lord here. Thondaradipodi Alvar lived for a long time at this place. The famous Vaishnavite philosopher, Ramanuja also lived for a long time at this place and there is recorded evidence of the detailed instruc-

tions given by him regarding the manner in which the festivals “utsavams” are to be celebrated in the temple and the manner in which the different rituals are to be performed. He has also classified, in the thorough manner of an administrator the different categories of temple servants and the duties to be performed by each category of persons. Thus, the rules for the tightening of the administration of the temple were first laid down by Ramanuja and even today, these instructions are carefully observed and whenever any doubts regarding the rituals arise, it is what is decreed by the great Ramanuja that is accepted as authoritative. There is an idol of this great Acharya in the temple. The idol is popularly known as ‘Than ana Tirumeni’.(the body that he became) Bhattar Piran, Pillai Ulagacharyar, Peria Nambi are a few among the Vaishnavite religious teachers who were born in this place. Famous saints like Nathamunigal and Sri Alavandar lived in this place and conducted religious discourses. The famous Tamil poet Kaimban released his Tamil ‘Ramayana’ at Srirangam, in the presence of Nathamunigal. This is also the place where three famous women devotees of the Lord attained salvation and merged with the Lord himself. One was Sultani, a Mohamedan princess, daughter of a Delhi Badsha., She is known as Thulukka Nachiar. The second was Chola Kulavalli, daughter of the Chola king Dharma Varma.She is known as Woraiyur Nachiar. The third is the daughter of the Chera king Kulasekara, known as Chera Kulavalli. This temple town is also the place where Manavala Mamuni revealed to Uthama Nambi, that he was an incarnation (“avatar”) of Adisesha, the divine serpent-couch of Lord Narayana. This is also the place where Manavala Mamuni, the last of the famous lineage of “poorvacharyas” repeated “Tiruvaimozhi” for the benefit of Lord Ranganatha Himself. It is believed that one day, Lord Ranganatha called Manavala Mamuni and requested him to chant the soul stirring “Tiruvaimozhi”. Accordingly, in the Peria Mantapam, discourses were held for nearly one