The most important landmark of Thiruvilliputhur is 11-tiered tower structure dedicated to the Vatapatrasayee (Vishnu), the presiding deity of the Srivilliputhur Divya Desam.
The tower of this temple rises 192 feet high and is the official symbol of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
It is said to have been built by Periyalvar, in the year 788 CE and believed to be the adopted father of the temple deity, with a purse of gold that he won in debates held in the palace of Pandya King Vallabhadeva.
She is credited with the Tamil works of Thirupavai and Nachiar Tirumozhi that are still recited by devotees during the Winter festival season of Margazhi.
Adopted by her father, the Alvar saint Periyalvar who found her as a baby, Andal avoided earthly marriage, the normal and expected path for women of her culture, to "marry" Vishnu, both spiritually and physically.
When they tried to invade Srivilliputhur, a Brahmin fell from the top of the temple tower as a mark of protest.
Though Muslims, the troops retreated at the sight of the shattering brain in front of a Hindu temple might draw further wrath.
The town is located at the foothills of the Western Ghats 77 km (48 mi) south west of Madurai.
The South west monsoon, with an onset in June and lasting up to August, brings scanty rainfall.
The bulk of the rainfall is received during the North East monsoon in the months of October, November and December.
Other animals sighted are tigers, leopards, Nilgiri thar, spotted deer, barking deer, sambar, Wild Boar, porcupines, Nilgiri langur, lion-tailed macaque, common langur, slender loris, bonnet macaque, sloth bear, Gaur (Indian Bison) and flying squirrels.
The Srivilliputhur Milk Producers Cooperative Society Ltd. and other local vendors started the production of the sweet from 1977 after the white revolution in the 1970s.
The occupational pattern of the town is predominantly in tertiary sector that includes sub-sectors such as handloom weaving, trade and commerce, transport, storage and communication and related services.
[23] The functions of the municipality are devolved into six departments: general administration/personnel, Engineering, Revenue, Public Health, city planning and Information Technology (IT).
[29][30] The town was a part of Virudhunagar Lok sabha constituency during the 1967 elections and was held by the Swathanthara Party.
Law and order in the town is maintained by the Srivilliputhur sub division of the Tamil Nadu Police headed by a Deputy Superintendent.
[44] Water supply is provided by the Srivilliputhur Municipality from two sources, namely Peyanar river and deep bore wells.
The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation operates daily services connecting various cities to Srivilliputhur.
The State Express Transport Corporation operates long-distance buses connecting the town to important cities like Chennai and Madurai.
The major inter city bus routes from the town are to cities like Madurai, Chennai, Erode, Coimbatore, Theni, Karaikudi, Dindigul, Trichy, Karur, Ramnad, Tanjore, Sankarankovil, Sengottai, Rajapalayam, Tenkasi, Kovilpatti, Tuticorin, Tiruchendur, Nagercoil and Tirunelveli.
The town bus routes to surrounding villages are to Mamsapuram, Krishnankoil,Sundarapandiam, Watrap, Koomapatti, Maharajapuram, Koonampatti, Vanniampatti junction, Thalavaipuram, Athekulam, Natchiyarpatti and Chathirapatti.
In iconographic representations the deity is shown as a young child, resting on a banyan tree leaf known as Vatapatram, floating on water.
Thiruvannamalai, also known as Thenthirupathi, is a temple dedicated to Vishnu and is located 5 km (3.1 mi) away from Srivilliputhur, surrounded by western Ghats.
Kattalagar Koil is another Vishnu temple located 9 km (5.6 mi), west of Srivilliputhur over the Mantuga Hills.
Thousands of people from the state participate in the "Adi Pooram" festival celebrated in the Andal Temple.
After early morning special pujas, the presiding deities, Sri Rengamannar and Goddess Andal are taken in decorated palanquins to the car.
The festival marks the adoption of presiding deity, Andal, by Periyazhwar after he found her near a tulasi plant in the garden of Vadabadrasai Temple at Srivilliputhur on the eighth day of the Tamil month of Adi.
[59][60] Very cultural classical local festival named mulaipari is famous in four streets Perumalpatti, Arrachipatti, Kamapatti and Mangapuram.
Sarva Bhauma Aiyangar, who is popularly called Villiputhurar, lived in the city presumably during the period of Nayaks in the 17th century.