THIRUNEER MALAI is a city suburb, in the outskirts of Chennai, located between Pallavaram and Tambaram railway route, just about 4 KM from Pallavaram/Chromepet railway station and is famous for its hill top temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu - Arulmigu Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple. Good transport facilities viz. public transport, taxi or auto etc. are available to reach this place. Chennai International Airport is just 6 K.M. away from this temple. The uphill temple presents a beautiful panoramic view of the Pallavaram area surrounding the hill, with scenic greenery vegetation; the cool breeze laced with herbal aromatic fragrance when braces us rejuvenates our body and soul both divinely and spiritually. Other names by which this Thiruneermalai Kshethram is called are "Thoyagiri Kshetram" and "Thothadri". Thoya means "Water" and Adhiri means "Mountain" (malai). Since the mountain is surrounded by water, this sthalam is named as "Thiru Neermalai. Apart from the above, this location also presents as a beautiful tourist spot.
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| A view of the hill top temple |
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| Panoramic view of the Pallavarama area surrounding the Hill top |
This temple is one of the 108 Vaishnavite shrines under 'Divya Desam' and belongs to a period more than 2000 years old, as mentioned in a Tamil culvert found inside the temple
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| A Tamil culvert inside the temple |
A Divya Desam (Tamil: திவ்ய தேசம்) is one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the works of the Tamil Azhwars (saints). Divya means "premium" and Desam indicates "place" (temple). Of the 108 temples, 105 are in India, one is in Nepal, and last two are outside the Earthly realms. The last two are Thirupalkadal and Paramapadam. Tirupalkaddal is the ocean of milk and paramapadam is the Srivaikuntam where lord Narayana resides. Only holy souls are blessed to worship these two Divya Desams after death and surrender under the lotus feet of Narayana. The Divya Desams are revered by the 12 Azhvars in the Divya Prabandha, a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses.
The presiding deities Lord Vishnu/Perumal in these Divya Desams are found in various Thirukkolams (postures) - Kidantha Thirukkolam (Sleeping posture) in 27 Divyadesams, Veetrirundha Thirukkolam (Sitting posture) in 21 Divyadesams, Nindra Thirukkolam (Standing posture) in 60 Divyadesams.
The presiding deity Lord Vishnu gives darshan to His devotees from different direction in different Divys Desam shrines. In these 108 Divya Desams, which are as follows:
Towards East direction 79 Divyadesams
Towards West direction 19 Divyadesams
Towards North direction 3 Divyadesams
Towards South direction 7 Divyadesams
Tamil Azhwars Thirumangai Azhwar, Peyyazhwar, Thirumazhisai Azhwar, and Boothaththazhwar mentioned about this temple in their Pasurams ' Naalayira Divya Prabhandham' - 4000 Tamil verses.
To mention a few - - Tirumangai Azhwar in his Tamil Pasuram – 1068-77, Peyaazhwar in his Pasuram – 2297, Tirumazhisaiazhwar in his Pasuram – 2416 ( as found in Naalaayira Divya Prabhandam) worshipped the Lord Vishnu here in this temple through their hymns.
A great Tamil Scholar Sri Pillai Perumal Iyengar who sang 108 Tirupathi Anthathi also sang about the location of the 108 Divya Desam in a very clear understanding way chronologically -
"ஈரிருபதாம் சோழம் ஈரொன்பதாம் பாண்டி,
ஓர் பதின் மூன்றாம் மலைநாடு, ஓரிரண்டாம் சீர்நடு நாடு
ஆறோடீரெட்டு தொண்டை அவ்வடநாடு ஆறிரண்டு
கூறுதிரு நாடு ஒன்றாக் கொள்" !
The temple complex is consisting of two parts - one temple at the foothill and another temple at the hilltop. In these two temples, Lord Perumal gives darshan to devotees in four postures - standing as Sri Neervanna Perumal - (நின்ற கோலம்), walking as Sri Ulagalanda Perumal (நடந்த கோலம்), sitting - as calm Sri Narasimha (இருந்த கோலம் ), and lying as Sri Ranganatha Perumal (கிடந்த கோலம்).
Two views of the base temple
Temple Gopura
At the base temple, the Lord appears in standing posture - 'Neervanna Perumal'. As per the legendary details Saint Valmiki after worshipping Lord Vishnu as Sri Ranganatha Perumal in Kidantha kolam, Sri Narasimhar in Iruntha kolam, Sri Thiruvikraman in Nadanthankolam, he came to worship Lord Rama at the base temple. Here the Lord gave darshan as Sri Rama with his consort Sita Devi as Lakshmi Pirati, Aadishesha as Lakshman, Sangu and Chakram as Baratha and Satrukna, Lord Vigneshwar as Sugreeva and Garuda as Hanuman.
It is that significance this temple has got blesses those whose marriage has been delayed or not happened for long time will get their wish fulfilled when they come to this temple and pray to the Lord.
Another significance to this kshethram is that Lord Thirumal (Vishnu) has eight 'Sayanams' - "Ashtavidha Sayanams" lying postures in different places. Those are - Vadapathra Sayanam in Sri Villiputhur, Veera Sayanam in Trivellore, Thala Sayanam in Thirukkadal Mallai, Utthana Sayanam in Thirukudanthai, Tharpa Sayanam in Thirupullani, Bhujanga Sayanam in Sri Rangam, Boga Sayanam in Chidambaram and here in Thiruneermalai - Manicka Sayanam.
Yet another significance attached to this temple is that this kshethram is known as 'Swayamvakta Kshethram - that is this place manifested by its own without any manly efforts, to bestow Their gracefulness and serve all kinds of livings, non livings etc. in the universe. There are eight kshethrams in this category - they are Sri Rangam, Sri Mushnam, Tirupati, Salakgramam, Naimicharanyam, Pushkaram, Badri and Thothari (alias) Thiruneermalai.
Yet another importance as found in the temple record is that the Empress of Carnatic Music Bharath Rathna Smt. M.S. Subbulakshmi - Sri Sadasivam got married in this temple only.
Yet another importance as found in the temple record is that the Empress of Carnatic Music Bharath Rathna Smt. M.S. Subbulakshmi - Sri Sadasivam got married in this temple only.
One more significance this temple bears is - Lord Perumal gives darshan to devotees only in one posture in other kshethrams, but here in Thiruneermalai, the Lord gives darshan in four postures - standing, walking, sitting and lying. More so, there are separate sannadhies in this temple for Sri Ramar, Sri Andal, Sri Anima Malar Devi, Sri Anjaneya.
The temple in the hilltop is one of the famous and very significance attached hill top temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The hill is spread to a wide span of 15 acre area. There are 200 steps to climb for one to reach the temple. The main Gopura faces the south direction. The main deity Sri Ranganathar in lying posture south, facing eastern side Sri Thrivikrama in walking posture, and Sri Santha (calm) Narasimha in eastern side in sitting posture are giving darshan to devotees. Opposite to the Perumal sannadhi, His consort Thayar sannadhi is located facing east.
Entranace to the uphill temple
Steps to the uphill temple and a way to Sri Hanuman temple
View of the uphill temple
About 2000 years back, Saint Thirumangai Alwar came to this place to worship the Lord Perumal. At that time, the hill was surrounded by water and he could not reach the temple to worship the Lord. He stayed in a place Manthragiri (Thirumangaipuram), opposite to the temple, waited there for six months and when the water receeded, he reached the temple and happily worshipped the Lord.
In this kshethram, four Devine water sources (Pushkarani) are located viz. Sheera Pushkarani, Karunya Pushkarani, Swarna Pushkarani and Siddha Pushkarani. As per Lord Krishna's saying in Brahmanda Puranam, Arjun bathed in these Pushkaranies and got rid of his sins.
Important festivals being celebrated in this temple are Vaikunta Ekadasi and the annual Brahmotsavam during the Tamil month Chittirai, Panguni Utthiram are some to mention during when very
large pilgrim crowd gathers here to worship the Lord.
Foremost place of prayer: As seen in the legendary tales, in the literary evidences and in available culverts, this kshethram is considered to be one among the foremost places of prayer. It is believed that a day of holy deeds done in this kshethram is equivalent to several years of holy deeds done in other kshetherams. With these significances, this kshethram attracts lots of devotees from different parts of the country to worship Lord Vishnu here.
Prayers being offered at this temple are - those who are married but don't have a child when they come out of the hilltop temple after offering their prayers for a child, tie in the sthala virutcham tree 'veppalai' (ஸ்தல விருட்ச மரம் - வெப்பாலை) a cloth containing a small black stone (கருங்கல்) along with 1 Rupee and when their prayers are answered by the Lrod (after the child birth) they come to this kshethram and
Temple Open timings: Daily in the morning from 7.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon
in the evening from 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.
The above timings are subject to change during festival and important days.
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