Historical Period8c CE
8th c. CE (Pandya)
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Deities
Kalyana-jagannatha-perumal
Kalyana Jagannatha of Thirupullani — Rama's chosen shrine
Kalyana Jagannatha of Thirupullani — Rama's chosen shrine
The 108 Divya Desams are the sacred abodes of Vishnu sung by the 12 Alvar saint-poets. Compiled as the Nalayira Divya Prabandham by Nathamuni (9th c. CE), this corpus of 4,000 pasurams defines the sacred geography of Tamil Vaishnavism and the Sri Vaishnava sampradaya.
Here Rama performed darbha-sayana (reclining on sacred grass) before crossing to Lanka, praying to Varuna for 3 days for a land-bridge. The Rama Setu bridge began from here.
Daily 5-fold puja; Vaikuntha Ekadashi (Margazhi full moon) is the holiest day — the Paramapada-vasal gate is opened; passing through is said to grant moksha. Annual Brahmotsavam (10 days) features Vishnu on all his vahanas (Garuda, Hanumanta, Shesha, Hamsa, Simha, Ratha).
Each Divya Desam's sanctity rests on how many Alvars sang of it and how many pasurams — this is the mangalashasanam. Tamil Vaishnavism treats the 4,000 pasurams as Dravida Veda — equivalent to the Sanskrit Vedas.
