Nava Thiruppathy

The reason for documenting this trip  was that many of my known acquaintances were unaware of the exact route map for this yatra, We left Mumbai on 4th sep 23 to reach Chennai airport as we had to undertake our on ward layover flight to Tuticorin,to reach Tirunelveli.

The entire trip is dedicated to our kula deivam lord Venkateswara , first of all thanks to Nitya & Neeraj , had it not been our Ishaan’s Abthapoorthi Ayushyahomam (Andinarvu) function held on 5th sept we could not have  made this trip to Tirunelveli,  also thanks to TVS  and India cement who have taken up the task of up keeping the temple premises, each temple we visited were serene  & clean with lot of greenery and proper approach roads.

Nava thiruppathy  temples are 9 of the 108 holy abodes of lord Vishnu  located  on the Tiruchendur Tirunelveli route on banks of thamirabarani river visiting all the 9-temples on a single day is believed to ensure the blessings of  lord maha vishnu.

I recollect 32 years back on my first visit to Tirumala Tirupathi Balaji Temple an real life incident shook me up as I witnessed a needy family from rural side of Tamil Nadu who had come for the darshan and those days we had free and  special darshan, tickets had to be  collected from the counter by paying cash and I was standing in the que in this family each one had emptied their pockets i overheard the senior gentlemen  from the group talking in whispers do you have more cash , we are short of fund a old lady in this group  replied back we are meeting the lord everything will be taken care of and removed a tenner note , her immense faith gave a close insight as said  by Swami vivekananda “God is to be worshipped as the one beloved ,dearer than everything in this and next life,truly said by Edward Mckendree  ”Only god can move mountains but faith and prayer can move god” .

we started our journey on 6th sept  at 7:30 Am and completed our yatra by 12:30P.M.

Nava in Sanskrit meaning nine and graha depicting the planet holding or guiding  us in our day to day activity ,in India  a lot of house warming ceremonies conclude with a Navagraha Pooja as a belief  this pooja ie chanting of Navagraha mantras helps in removing all negative impacts in our life, and prevents misfortune also helps to succeed  in onces profession .

Each temple have unique identity based on the nava graha depicting the Surya -sun we entered 1)Thiruvaikundam (located around 27km from Tirunelveli city) residing deity vaikundanathan in  standing postion ,to note that the deity has a pinch mark over his  cheek  ,makes you feel that lord is present a  marvellous sculpture , most of the temples were  erected during the regime of Konerimaikondan and pandyan ruler jatavarman who beutified the temple and surroundings during the period of   (1216-1238C.E.)

Entrance depicting the 120ft L main entrance

2)Alwarthirunagari – depicting viyazhan -jupiter -Brihaspati , located 5km away from Thiruvaikundam at T-T road this place is also called as thirusankanni thurai the tamarind tree is called as Lakshmi lakshmanan transformed here as adisheshan and so this place is  also known as shesha shethram here lord fulfilled the rishies wishes of granting moksha to a dog here one can witness the positive energy  and peace  .

The existing water  front is known as theertha shethram  as a lore goes vaishnavite saint namalwar born in a small  town kuruhur as a infant was mute under his early life he attained Divya  dirishti ,there exists a tamarind tree beneath this tree  as a child alwar used to play around.

3)Thirukkollor depicting sevvai Mars mangala 8Km from Thiruvaikundam birth place of Alwar, as the lore goes where wealth stays permanently moral goes away  blessed by lord maha vishnu Mahakavi Alwar was born to vishnunesar as saying goes in this temple pilgrimes  who pray with devotion regain their lost wealth.

4)Thenthiruperi depicting sukran- Venus ,is located 12km from srivaikundam residing deity makhara nesunkuzhaikkathan in sitting  posture,goddess kuzha ikkatha nachair .

5)Thirukulanthai depicts sani -Saturn located in perunkulam 10km from Thiruvaikundam urchawar and garudan have monoformation in this temple ,a pond named vaasath thadam was excavated through Deva prasannam (mystic calculation)and has been renovated  residing deity venkadavaanan standing posture Urchavar mayakoothan goddess alarmelmangai tradition pracises thenkalai .

6)Thirupuliyankudi representing Budhan mercury is 3km from srivaikundam here perumal slept over adisheshan a twelve foot idol  while doing our pradakshina rounds we can see through the rare side of the window ,  here Lakshmi and bhooma devis image are also big, visit to this temple benifits childless couples and prayers are answered ,residing deity boomi balagar .

7)Thiruvaragunamangai depicting chandran- moon located in a small village called as  natham 2km to thiruvaikundam(Srivaikundam) here the lord is in sitting postion it is believed that visit to this temple and prayers do benifit aged people seeking moksha residing deity vijayaasana perumal under hood of sheshan in sitting posture goddess varagunavalli Thayar traditional practises thenkalai.

8)Erattai thirupathi (Thirutholaivillai  Mangalam  Raghu (North node of moon)from perunkulam you can reach mangalakurichy 0.5km here residing deity is dewarpiran standing posture after all the rishis and dewas prayed to thirumal  appeared before them you witness the deity dewarpiran

9)Eratti thirupathi  depicting kethu(South node of the moon where  recently chandrayaan has landed) here moolvar is arvindalosanar  sitting posture Thayar karunthandankanni situated 10km from srivaikundam here tradition and practices thenkalai

Route map for Nava Thiruppathy