page_title: Divya Desam
section_title: Alvars and Divyaprabhanda
hierarchical_section_title: Divya Desam / Alvars and Divyaprabhanda
caption_attribution_description: English: Srivilliputtur Andal Temple Tower
context_page_description: A Divya Desam or Vaishnava Divya Desam is one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the works of the Alvars. ”Divya” means “divine” and “Desam” indicates “place of abode”. Of the 108 temples, 105 are in India, one is in Nepal, and the last two are believed to be outside the Earthly realms. In India, they are spread over states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand. Muktinath, Saligramam is the only Divya Desam in Nepal. The Divya Desams are revered by the 12 Alvars in the Divya Prabandha, a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses. Divya Desams follow Thenkalai or Vadakalai modes of worship.
context_section_description: The word azhwar in Tamil, means one who immerses oneself into the ocean of the countless attributes of god. Azhwars are considered the twelve supreme devotees of Vishnu, who were instrumental in popularising Vaishnavism during the 5th-8th centuries AD. The religious works of these saints in Tamil, songs of love and devotion, are compiled as Nalayira Divya Prabandham containing 4000 verses and the 108 temples revered in their songs are classified as Divya desam. The saints had different origins and belonged to different castes. As per tradition, the first three azhwars(mudhal azhwargal ), Poigai, Bhutha and Pey were said to be born out of divinity. According to tradition, Tirumazhisai was the son of a sage, Thondaradi, Mathurakavi, Peria and Andal were from brahmin community, Kulasekhara from Kshatria community, Namm was from a cultivator family, Tirupana from panar community and Tirumangai from kalvar community. 
  Divya Suri Saritra by Garuda-Vahana Pandita (11th century AD), Guruparamparaprabhavam by Pinbaragiya Perumal Jeeyar, Periya tiru mudi adaivu by Anbillai Kandadiappan, Yatindra Pranava Prabavam by Pillai Lokacharya, commentaries on Divya Prabandam, Guru Parampara (lineage of Gurus) texts, temple records and inscriptions give a detailed account of the azhwars and their works. According to these texts, the saints were considered incarnations of some form of Vishnu. Poigai is considered an incarnation of Panchajanya (Krishna's conch), Bhoothath of Kaumodakee (Vishnu's Mace/Club), Pey of Nandaka (Vishnu's sword), Thirumalisai of	Sudarshanam (Vishnu's discus), Namm of Vishvaksena (Vishnu's commander), Madhurakavi of	Vainatheya (Vishnu's eagle, Garuda), Kulasekhara of	Kaustubha (Vishnu's necklace), Periy of Garuda (Vishnu's eagle), Andal of Bhoodevi (Vishnu's wife, Lakshmi, in her form as Bhudevi), Thondaradippodi of Vanamaalai (Vishnu's garland), Thiruppaan of Srivatsa (An auspicious mark on Vishnu's chest) and Thirumangai of Sarangam (Krishna's bow). The songs of Prabandam are regularly sung in all the Vishnu temples of South India daily and also during festivals.
caption: Image of Rangamannar-Andal temple in Srivilliputhur
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