What is the sthala katha — the legend — of Thiru Aadanoor Temple (Andalakkum Aiyan Perumal)?

High medieval · Hindu · India

Thiru Aadanoor Temple (Andalakkum Aiyan Perumal)

Aadanoor, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu · 10.9764°, 79.3133°

Andalakkum Aiyan Perumal (Vishnu), with Ranganayaki ThayarCholaDravidianDivya Desam

Sacred since

1000 CE

first attestation / structure

Standing structure

dating unrecorded

patron: Aditya Chola

History & significance

A small Vishnu temple in the Kaveri delta a couple of kilometres from Swamimalai, counted among the 108 Divya Desams and sung by the Alvars in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham. It has a three-tier rajagopuram and a Pranava vimana, and is administered by the Ahobila Mutt in the Vadakalai tradition.

Sthala katha — the legend

Legend holds that Vishnu came as an old man to the riverbank and handed out sand that turned to gems for the labourers a wealthy devotee's workmen had cheated, exposing the fraud.

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