Arulmigu Thiru Vaishnava Nambi Temple, located in the village of Thirukkurungudi, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, is a revered temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. This ancient temple, situated 45 km from Tirunelveli, features Dravidian-style architecture and is glorified in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, a medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints. Recognized as one of the 108 Divya Desams, it honors Vishnu as Vaishnava Nambi and his consort Lakshmi as Thirukurungudivalli.
Surrounded by a granite wall, the temple complex includes various shrines and two of its three sacred water bodies. Its towering rajagopuram (gateway tower) rises 110 ft (34 m) high. Legend says Vaishnava Nambi appeared here to defeat the asura Somuka, who abducted the four Vedas. Following the Tenkalai tradition of worship, the temple hosts six daily rituals and three annual festivals, with the Brahmotsavam during the Tamil month of Chittirai being particularly significant.
According to the Varaha Purana, Vishnu’s avatar, Varaha, chose this sacred spot to reside with his consort Varahi, assuming a small form. Hence, the temple earned the name Thirukkurungudi, meaning "small house." This connection further enriches the temple’s sacred lore, linking it to divine acts of protection and residence, where devotees continue to feel the blessings of Vishnu in this quiet, holy setting.
A local legend recounts the story of Nambaduvan, a devoted singer from a lower caste, who worshipped Vishnu from outside the temple. One day, an asura blocked his path, demanding that Nambaduvan return to be devoured. True to his word, he returned, only to find the asura moved by his devotion. Vishnu appeared as a Brahmin to offer him escape, but Nambaduvan honored his promise, liberating the asura, who was a Brahmin cursed in a past life.