A close focus on the temple-town Srivilliputtur of Tamil Nadu and the worship of one of south India's best-loved goddesses AndalAndal or Goda was a 9th-century Tamil poet and mystic; today worshiped as a goddess across southern India. Her vibrant; sensuous poetry; the Tiruppavai and Nacciyar Tirumoli; sings of her love for Vishnu. Her birthplace is Srivilliputtur; a small town 75 kilometers south of Madurai. Her temple in Srivilliputtur shares space with the Vishnu temple complex; one of the most important of the Tamil Vaishnava temple sites. These two temples share much in common both architecturally and ritually with two major Madurai temples: the Shaiva Minakshi-Sundareshvara temple and the Vaishnava Kudal Alakar temple. Relating the temples in Srivilliputtur to those in Madurai develops an understanding of the nature of temple ritual; myth and patronage under the Pandyans and the later Nayakas. The temple is today a frequent stop for Vaishnava pilgrims; particularly during the three major Andal festivals (March; August and December).
#6021655 in Books 2016-06-23Original language:English 9.30 x 1.30 x 6.20l; .0 #File Name: 9004319220
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