Manakkal Nambi Temple

Manakkal, a quaint village situated in close proximity to Lalgudi town within the Tamil Nadu state of India, holds the distinction of being the birthplace of Manakkal Nambi. The village houses a temple dedicated to him, which we shall delve into in the following discourse.

A Glimpse of Manakal Nambigal:

Manakkal Nambi was a significant Vaishnavite Guru, originally known as Rama Misrar. His birth took place in this village during the 10th century CE, which is now named after him as Manakkal. Uyyakondar served as his Guru, and upon the passing of Uyyakondar's spouse, Rama Misrar assumed the responsibility of tending to his Guru's personal needs along with caring for his two young daughters.

An incident transpired wherein Uyyakondar's daughters, having bathed in the river, needed to traverse a muddy path. Rama Misrar ingeniously transformed himself into a human bridge, enabling the girls to cross atop his back. This act imprinted the sandy footprints of the girls onto his back, leading to his new appellation as Manakkal Nambigal, meaning "sandy footprints."

Uyyakondar entrusted Manakkal Nambi with the task of locating his Guru Nathamuni's grandson. Pursuant to this mission, Manakkal Nambi found Alavandar, who was living a regal life. Manakkal Nambi met him, persuaded him, and steered him onto the spiritual path. Through Manakkal Nambi's efforts, Alavandar, also known as Yamunacharya, eventually arrived in Sri Rangam and evolved into a revered Vaishnavite Guru.

Temple:

The temple, though modest in size, holds profound significance. It lacks a towering structure. The primary deity enshrined within is Varadarajar, depicted in a standing posture and flanked by his consorts, Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi.

The temple features a straightforward layout, incorporating a single prakara encircling the sanctum. Within the sanctum, one can find the utsava images of Varadarajar and his consorts. Notably, the Maha mandapa houses a separate shrine containing an array of bronze images. These include figures from the nearby Kailasanathar temple, such as Nataraja and Sivakami.

An additional sub-shrine within the Maha Mandapa contains icons of Vishwaksena, Ramanuja, and Lakshmi Narayana.

Positioned to face the sanctum is Garuda, and in close proximity, a shrine is dedicated to Manakkal Nambi. While Varadarajar serves as the temple's central deity, it is often referred to as the Manakkal Nambigal Temple by the locals.

Happy travelling.