Our last halt at the Nava Tirupathi temples is the AadiNaathan temple. Lord Nambi of Thirukkurungkudi is believed to have been born here as Nammazhvaar. When born, Nammazhvaar is said to have not opened his eyes or cried.
He resided under a tamarind tree within the temple for 16 years till he met Madurakavi (who was to later become his disciple) who posed some interesting questions about life. So impressed was MaduraKavi (Azhvaar) with Nammazhvaar’s answers, that he said, “I do not need God, Nammazhvaar is enough”.
An important festival at this temple is the Vaikasi Utsav, when the deities from all the Nava Tirupathi temples congregate here to listen to the Paasurams with Nammazhvaar seated on the Hamsa Vaahan.
This is one of the three Divya Desams in TN where Araiyar Sevai, the visual song and dance enactment of the Paasurams is still being performed. Most of the inscriptions here date back to 1000 years.
At the end of Nava Tirupathi temples, one can come back to Tirunelveli.
From Tirunelveli, one can then visit Vaanamaamalai and Thirukurungkudi and end the Divya Desam trip with Srivilliputhur.