The Srivilliputhur Andal Temple, located in Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu, is an esteemed Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu. Built in the Dravidian style, it lies 80 km from Madurai. The temple is celebrated in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, a collection of early Tamil hymns by the Alvar saints, dating back to the 6th-9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams, with Vishnu worshipped as Vatapatrasayi and his consort Lakshmi as Andal.
The temple is deeply connected to Andal, a revered female Alvar saint. She was discovered by Periyalvar beneath a tulasi plant in the temple garden. Andal is believed to have worn the garland before dedicating it to Vishnu, a practice that was initially stopped by Periyalvar. However, Vishnu appeared in his dream, asking him to continue offering the garland worn by Andal, a tradition that persists today.
The temple is divided into two main sections, with the Andal shrine on the southwest and Vatapatrasayi’s on the northeast. Enclosed by a granite wall, it includes shrines, Andal’s garden, and two temple tanks. Vijayanagar and Nayak rulers commissioned paintings for the shrine walls, some of which remain. Notably, the temple’s Rajagopuram, built in the 15th century by Vijayanagar kings, stands as a symbol of Tamil Nadu.
Srivilliputhur Andal Temple’s history dates back to the 8th century, with inscriptions from the Chola, Pandya, and Vijayanagar periods. Thirumalai Nayak extensively renovated the temple in the 17th century. The 192-foot Rajagopuram is an iconic structure, reputedly the official symbol of Tamil Nadu. The temple is currently managed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu.