01-Thirukkurungudi - Sri Nindra Nambi Perumal Temple Divya Desam

Sri Nindra Nambi Perumal Temple is located at Thirukkurungudi town of Tirunelveli district, Tamilnadu and also revered as one of the 108 Divya Desam temples, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Sri Nindra Nambi Perumal temple is also called as Vamana Shetram and Dakshina Bhadri. The presiding deity of this temple is Lord Sri Nindra Nambi Perumal (Lord Vishnu) also called Lord Sri Sundara Paripooranan. There are five different idols of Nambi (Vishnu), personification of all virtuous and righteous qualities blended with beauty and grace, found in this temple. They are:

Nindra Nambi (Standing posture) , Irundha Nambi (Sitting posture), Kidandha Nambi (Sleeping posture), Thiruparkadal Nambi, Thirumalai Nambi

The other deities of the Sri Nindra Nambi Perumal Temple are Goddess Sri Kurungudi Valli Thaayaar, Lord Sri Vadivazhagiya Nambi, Goddess Andal, Lord Lakshmi Narasimhar, Lord Gnanapiran, Lord Ganesha, Lord Kalabhairavar, Lord Mahendra Girinadhar ( Lord Shiva), Azhwars and Acharyas. Sri Nindra Nambi Perumal temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, and the Paasurams (devotional songs) are sang by four Azhwars, namely Thirumazhisai azhwar, Nammazhwar, Periazhwar and Thirumangai azhwar.

The mythology was that Nampaduvan (Madangar), a great devotee of Lord Nambi, always used to sing in praise of Lord Nambi even he belongs to a low class society. One day when he was on the way to the temple, unexpectedly he was blocked by a demon Brahma Rakshas, who was too hungry. And he asked Nambaduvan that he wanted to eat him immediately to resolve his hungry. Nampaduvan was not petrified, instead he told the Brahma Rakshas that he would sing in praise of Lord Nambi first and would return back to resolve the hunger of Brahma Rakshas.

Though he explained that he will return without fail, the Brahma Rakshas did not believe in words of Nampaduvan. At last, Nambaduvan made a promise that if he did not return, he would get the sin of those who equate Lord Vishnu with other deities. After these words from Nampaduvan, the Brahma Rakshas got satisfied and allowed him to go to the temple to praise Lord Nambi. After singing devotional songs in praise of Lord Nambi, Nampaduvan was returning to see the Brahma Rakshas. On his way, he was stopped by an old man, who was none other than Lord Nambi who came in the form of an old man.

The old man asked Nampaduvan that where he was going. And Nampaduvan explained that he is going to meet the Rakshas. The old man advised him not to go there and told to escape from Brahma Rakshas. But Nampaduvan iterated that he would not diverge from his promise. And the old man appeared in the original form of Lord Nambi and blessed Nampaduvan. Being happy on the Dharshan of Lord Nambi, Nampaduvan went to the Brahma Rakshas and he offered himself to the Rakshas to be eaten. The Brahma Rakshas was pleased by this act of Nampaduvan and told him that his hunger has gone and asked him to give the fruits that he bought from the temple after praising Lord Nambi.

After eating the fruits given by Nampaduvan, the sin of Brahma Rakshas has been disappeared and the Rakshas took his original form. He thanked Nampaduvan and told that he was a Brahmin named Soma Sarma in his previous birth and he was cursed to become a Brahma Rakshas because of his irregularities in performing yagna. This story is being enacted even today in this temple every year during the Ekadesi day and fasting has been observed for ten days.

Pooja Timings- The temple remains open in the morning from 6.30 AM to 12.00 noon and in the evening from 5.00 PM to 9.00 PM.

Festivals Panguni Brahmostavam – March/April, Vaikundha Ekadashi – December/January, Chithirai Vasanthostavam – April/May

Vaikasi Jyeshtabishekam – May/June, Navaratri – September/October , Float Festival – January/February

By Road

Thirukkurungudi has an extensive transport network and is well-connected to other major cities by road. Distance is 45 km from Tirunelveli, 15 km from Nanguneri (Vanamamalai) and 10 km from Valliyoor.

By Train

The nearest railway station to Thirukkurungudi Sri Nindra Nambi Perumal temple is Tirunelveli train station Junction which is 35 Km from Thirukkurungudi.

By Air

The nearest airport to Thirukkurungudi Sri Nindra Nambi Perumal temple is Thiruvananthapuram International airport, Thiruvananthapuram which is 71 Km from Thirukkurungudi.