Vaishnava Nambi and Thirukurungudivalli Nachiar temple

Vaishnava Nambi and Thirukurungudivalli Nachiar Temple in Thirukkurungudi, a village in Tirunelveli district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu.

Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE.

It is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Vaishnava Nambi and his consort Lakshmi as Thirukurungudivalli.

The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

As per a Hindu legend, Nambaduvan, a peasant and singer (locally called panan) from lower section of the society, was an ardent devotee of Vishnu.

[2] Vaishnava Nambi temple is located in Thirukkurungudi, a village in Tirunelveli district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

[2] There is a festival hall in the second precinct in the temple facing South that has sculpted pillars indicating various Hindu legends.

[5] The composite columns of Virabhadra holding sword and horn are found be additions of the Vijayanayagara kings during the early 1500s.

[6] In Tamil language the word Nambi means personification of all virtuous and righteous qualities blended with beauty and grace.

Another inscription from the 14th century is attributed to Sundara Pandya II indicating gifts of 25 cows for the perpetual lighting of ghee lamps in the temple.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the temple finds mention in several works like 108 Tirupathi Anthathi by Divya Kavi Pillai Perumal Aiyangar.

A tradition of worshipping Vishnu through dance, music and art is called Kaisika Nataka is believed to have originated at Thirukkurungudi.

[2] It is believed that Ramanuja, the proponent of Vaishavadvaita philosophy taught Vishnu about Astakshara and hence the presiding deity came to be known as Vaishnava Nambi.

Image of the temple tower
Temple tower
Image of the temple priests carrying the image of festival deity