Ninra Narayana Perumal temple

Ninra Narayana Perumal Temple
The gateway tower of the temple with a flight of steps
The gateway tower of the temple with a flight of steps
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DistrictVirudhunagar
DeityNinra Narayana(Vishnu), Arunakamala Mahadevi (Lakshmi)
Location
LocationThiruthangal
StateTamil Nadu
CountryIndia
Ninra Narayana Perumal temple is located in Tamil Nadu
Ninra Narayana Perumal temple
Location in Tamil Nadu
Geographic coordinates9°28′54.7″N 77°48′41.7″E / 9.481861°N 77.811583°E / 9.481861; 77.811583
Architecture
TypeDravidian architecture
Inscriptions3
Elevation127 m (417 ft)

Ninra Narayana Perumal Temple (also called Nindra Narayana Perumal temple) or Thiruthankaal in Thiruthangal, a town in the outskirts of Sivakasi in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divya Desam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Ninra Narayana and his consort Lakshmi as Arunakamala Mahadevi.

The temple in its present form was believed to have been built by Devendra Vallabha, a Pandya king. The temple has three inscriptions in its two rock-cut caves, two dating from the period of 8th century.

The temple is built on a granite hill 100 ft (30 m) tall and a granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines and bodies of water. Unlike other temples, this temple does not have a rajagopuram, the temple's gateway tower. The later Pandya kings, Vijayanagara and Nayak kings in the region made significant additions to the temple. The temple is located on the other side of Karunellinathar temple, a famous Shiva temple and can be reached from that temple on the hillock.

Ninra Narayana is believed to have appeared to Sridevi and Bhoomadevi. Four daily rituals and many yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the Vaikasi Vasanthothsavam, Pillai Lokacharyar festival and Kurathalvar festival, each celebrated for ten days, being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.