Tiruneermalai Neervanna Perumal Temple

Tiruneermalai is a small area located near Pallavaram, which in turn is located near Chennai city in the Tamil Nadu state of India. The village has a prominent temple for Vishnu called Neervanna Perumal Temple. It is considered the 61st Divya Desam, located in the Thondai region. 

You need not to be a devotee to love this place. The hilltop temple gives an excellent aerial view of Tambaram and the adjoining areas. On a winter day, you can enjoy the pleasant weather if you visit the site in the early morning or late evening. 

Let us explore this temple in this article.

Highlights:

• Tirumangai Alwar and Bhootatalwar have composed about this site in their verses.
• It is considered as the 61st Divya Desam temple. It is located in the Thondai region.
• Vishnu is found in four different forms and postures in four separate shrines in this temple.
• God - Neervanna Perumal, Narasimha, Ranganath, Tri Vikrama
• Goddess - Anima Malar Mangai
• Teerth (sacred water) - Kshra Pushkarani for Ranganath, Karunya Pushkarani for Neervanna, Siddha Pushkarani for Tri Vikrama and Swarna Pushkarani for Narasimha (Technically, there is only one tank though)
• Vimana - Ranga Viman (Ranganath), Shanta Viman (Narasimha) and Thoyagiri Viman (Tri Vikrama)
• This temple has two Brahmotsavam festivals celebrated every year, which is unique.

History:

This temple must have been rebuilt as a stone temple by the Cholas in the 9th or 10th century CE. Later, the Pandyas and the Vijayanagaras made additions and renovations to this temple. 

The temple walls are full of stone inscriptions. On the eastern wall of the sanctum, the inscription of Rajaraja Chola III are found. The inscriptions of Sundara Pandya III and Kulashekhara Pandya I of the 13th century CE and Vira Venkataraya I of Vijayanagara are also found in this temple.

Though there is no solid proof, it is widely believed that the utsav deity of this temple got mixed up with that of Chenna Keshava Perumal in the Sowcarpet area of Chennai.

This is the temple where the great Carnatic singer Smt. M.S. Subbu Lakshmi got married to Shri Kalki Sadasivam. The front side mandap in the hilltop temple was donated by Sadasivam, which is named Kalki Mandapam.

Legend:

As per the legend, when Tirumangai Alwar came to this site, the hill was surrounded by water. He waited six months for water to get drained and then visited this temple. Hence, the site is called Tiruneer Malai or Thoyagiri Kshetram. The words Neer and Thoya mean water. The words Malai and Giri mean mount.

King Tondaiman got darshan of Neelamukil Vanna Perumal. After visiting Sri Rangam, the sages Markandeya and Bhrigu were passing through this site, and as per their wish, Vishnu appeared to them in the reclining posture (Ranganatha).

It is said that the sage Valmiki visited the hilltop temple. After climbing down the hill, he wanted to get darshan of Rama. Hence, Ranganatha appeared as Rama to him. Thus, there is a shrine of Rama found at the foothill. As per another version, as per the wish of Valmiki, Rama gave the darshan of his wedding to the sage in this site.

Four Forms of Vishnu:

Everyone admires this temple as the Divya Desam, where Lord Vishnu appears in four different forms/postures as:

• Neervanna Perumal  - Nindran (standing posture)
• Shanta Narasimha - Irundhan (sitting posture)
• Ranganatha - Kidandhan (reclining posture)
• Trivikrama (also called as Ulagalantha Perumal) - Nadanthan (walking posture)

In fact, Vishnu is also present in the form of Ram. If we include that, there are five different forms in which Vishnu appears in this temple.

Ranganatha's reclining posture in this temple is referred to as "Manicka Sayanam".

Interestingly, Tirumangai Alwar calls this site by four different names depending on the four various forms of Vishnu.

• Nindran - Tirunaraiyoor
• Irundhan - Tiruvaali
• Kidandhan - Tirukudandai
• Nadandhan - Tirukoviloor

Neervannan:

At the foothill, the temple of Neervannan is found. The east-facing temple has a Raja gopura. 

The east-facing sanctum has an entrance in the south direction. No Garuda shrine exists, but the bali peetha and the flagstaff are found as usual.

The sanctum is situated on a high-raised platform. The sanctum enshrines Neervanna Perumal in the standing posture. 

The utsav icon is called Neelmukil Vannan. He is also found along with his consorts in the sanctum.

The Maha mandapa area has a shrine for the utsava murtis of Ranganatha-Sri Devi-Bhoo Devi. Here, Ranganatha is in the standing posture. Utsav Andal and Alwars' sub-shrine is also found in the Maha Mandap.

The Goddess Anima Malar Mangai is found in a separate shrine. The name, as well as the image of Anima Malar Mangai, are lovely.

There is a sub-shrine of the beautiful Andal in the prakara.

Rama:

Adjacent to the Neervannan sanctum, another is dedicated to the vast Rama, Sita and Lakshmana icons. The stucco icon of Hanuman is also found in this temple.

All the sub-shrines stated above have the stone images as well as the respective ustav icons.

Ranganatha:

A flight of many steps would take us to the hilltop temple adorned by a small tower. On the way to the hilltop temple is a small shrine for Hanuman. 

The tower and the sanctum are south-facing. Ranganatha is reclining on the five-hood serpent Sesha in the shrine. Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi are found along with Ranganath. Brahma emerges from his navel. 

The tall flag staff, bali peetha and Garuda are found facing towards the sanctum. At the entrance, the idols of Dwarapalas are big in size. The utsav images of Ranganatha and his consorts are also found in the shrine.

Ranganayaki, the consort of Ranganatha, is found in a separate shrine.

Shanta Narasimha:

The shrine of Shanta Narasimha is found in the prakara. The murti of Shanta Narasimha is located behind the Bala Narasimhamurti.

Tri Vikrama:

Trivikrama a.k.a. Ulagalantha Perumal, is found in a separate shrine in the prakara. The deity has his left leg raised upwards.

Happy travelling.