Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Tiruparkadal Nambi	Ambal / Thayar:	Kurugudivalli Nachiyar
Deity:	Perumal	Historical name:	Tirukurungudi
Vriksham:		Teertham:	Tiruparkadal Teertham
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	to & to	Parikaram:
Temple group:	Divya Desam	–
Sung by:		Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Tirukurungudi	District:	Tirunelveli
Maps from (click):	Current location	Nagercoil (39 km)	Tirunelveli (46 km)
	Kanyakumari (47 km)	Thoothukudi (96 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

After the Vamana Avataram, Vishnu reduced his huge frame to the level normal humans as requested by Lakshmi. As he reduced his size this place came to be known as kurun-kudi (Kurungu in Tamil means reducing or shrinking). The Lord also created a river called Silambaru here, with his anklet, when he took the Vamana avataram.

This temple is regarded as the original temple at Tirukurungudi, which is referenced in the Varaha Puranam and Brahmanda Puranam. Vishnu here is called Tiruparkadal Nambi (in Tamil, In Tamil nambi is the personification of all virtuous and righteous qualities blended with beauty and grace.

At Tirukurungudi, Vishnu is present in five postures or states. Of these, He is in the nindra, amarndha and sayana kolams at the Azhagyia Nambirayar temple; as Tiruparkadal Nambi here; and as Malaimel Nambi at the nearby hill-temple on Mahendragiri (which finds mention in the Sundara Kandam of Valmiki’s Ramayanam).

A visit to Tirukurungudi is not considered complete without also worshipping at the nearby Azhagiya Nambirayar Nambi temple, and the Malaimel Nindra Nambi temple in the nearby hills. Earlier, it used to be difficult to reach the hill temple of Malaimel Nindra Nambi, but lately, autorickshaws and other smaller modes of transport can be hired to reach almost the very top, with limited walking required.

Other information for your visit

In addition, Tirukurungudi has two other sites of importance for Vaishnavites. One is Tiruvattaparai, located about 3km from here, where the temple is dedicated to, and depicts, Ramanujar as the Guru teaching Vishnu (see puranam of the Azhagiya Nambirayar temple). The other is the Tirumangaiazhvar Tiruvarasu, considered to be where Azhvar attained mukti.

Very close to those sites is also the small but beautiful Anileswarar temple of Siva.

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