Padmaasanatthil Padmaavathi Thaayaar | Thiruchanoor | The Abode of the Goddess

Tiruchanoor is a divya kshetram in the district of Tirupati of Andhra Pradesh, located five kilometers from Tirupati. As per the sthalapurana, Sri Suka Maharshi lived in this place and hence it is called ‘Sri Sukanoor’. In Tamil Sri Sukanoor was called Tiruchuganoor and later on became Tiruchanoor. Tiruchanoor is also known as “Alarmelmangapuram (Alar-Lotus, Mel-top, Manga-Goddess, Puram-town), Alamelu Mangapuram and Alimelu Mangapatnam”.

King Mitravarman of Thondamandalam had a son named Akasharaja. Akasharaja grew up to be a handsome and a wise prince. He married Dharanidevi. The royal couple was sad because they had no children. On the advice of a priest, Akasharaja decided to perform a yagna. When the sacrificial ground was ploughed, the couple found a lovely girl in a thousand petal lotus. A divine voice urged the king to bring up the child with love and care. The child was named Padamavathi as she was found in a lotus (Padma). She is also called Alarmelmangai (Alar-Lotus, Mel-top, Manga-Goddess). The manifestation of Goddess Padmavathi occurred in the month of Karthika on Sukla Paksha Panchami when the star Uttarashada in the ascendent. The Brahmotsavam of Goddess is celebrated with all pomp and glory to commemorate the occasion.

When Sri Padmavathi grew up, Lord Venkateshwara came in search of her. The celestial marriage of Lord Srinivasa and Goddess Padmavathi took place on a grand note. The Padma Purana gives a vivid description of this auspicious event.

Another popular story which is prominently heard is that of Sage Bhrigu, who hit Lord Mahavishnu on His Chest which happens to be the residing place of His consort Goddess Maha Lakshmi. Angered with this gesture, Goddess left Vaikunta and reached Patalaloka. The Lord, instead of getting enraged, engaged Himself in seva. This angered Sri Mahalakshmi and she went to Pataloka. She heard a divine voice stating that a ‘Pushkarini’ was dug on the banks of the river ‘Swarnamukhi’. Goddess Mahalakshmi immersed herself in penance for 12 years. Lord Venkateshwara came there and performed penance for Her return. In the 13th year she emerged as Sri Padmavati from a golden lotus located at the centre of pushkarini on the auspicious Panchami Day in the holy month of Karthika with the advent of Uttarashadha Nakshatra.

The temple was constructed in the time of Tondaman Chakravarthi, who happens to be the elder brother of Goddess Padmavathi. It is said that the construction of the temple in its present form began during the reign of the Pallavas and was later expanded by the Vijayanagara kings, who were great patrons of Hindu temples and culture.

To view Sri Swamiji’s kirtan on Goddess Padmavathi:

 

Sri Swamiji sings about Thaayaar in this beautiful Madhurageetham:

padmAsanatthil padmAvathI thAyAr goluvITrirukkinDrAL
padmanAbhanin paTTatthu rANiyena paRai sATruginDrAL

Padmavathi Thaayaar sits in Padmasana,
declaring to all that she’s the queen of the kingdom of Lord Padmanabha

1. ponmayamAna ratnangaL izhaittha maNimaNDapatthilE
In a mantap studded with precious gems (Padmavathi Thaayaar sits)

2. abhaya varada kaigaLai kATTi migavum azhagAgavE
Showing gestures in both Her hands bestowing fearlessness and boons (Padmavathi Thaayaar sits)

3. thAmarai malargaLai irukarangaLil Endi thannigar illAdavaL
Holding lotus flowers in both Her hands,
matchless (Padmavathi Thaayaar sits)

4. valamum iDamum yAnaigaL piLiriDa adan naDuvinilE
Amidst elephants trumpeting to Her left and right (Padmavathi Thaayaar sits)

5. vAzhai mAvilai manjchaL thOraNangaL engum niRaindiDa
Surrounded by thorans of banana, mango and turmeric leaves (Padmavathi Thaayaar sits)

6. pasu ney dIpam palavaTrin naDuvE pAngAgavE
Amidst several lamps lit from cow ghee (Padmavathi Thaayaar sits)

7. mutthu vairam pavazham ena pala aNigalangaL anindu
Wearing several ornaments made of pearls, diamonds and corals (Padmavathi Thaayaar sits)

8. neela paTTADai paLapaLa enavE oLi vIsiDavE
Wearing a blue silk attire that dazzles in all directions (Padmavathi Thaayaar sits)

9. kaRpuDaiya mAndarum kannip peNgaLum suzhndu ninDriDavE
Surrounded by chaste women and young girls (Padmavathi Thaayaar sits)

10. malli mullai sheNbagam thAzham pUkkaL shUTTik koNDu
Adorned by Jasmine, champaka, samagni flowers (Padmavathi Thaayaar sits)

11. neTriyil kunkumam kaNgaLil mai thITTi kAlgaLil meTTiyuDanE
Wearing kumkum on Her Forehead, kajal on Her Eyes and toe ring on Her Feet (Padmavathi Thaayaar sits)

12. pasunjchAnatthAl mezhugi patthini peNgaL azhagAna kOlamiTTiDa
With a kolam drawn before Her by devoted wives on floor cleansed by cow dung (Padmavathi Thaayaar sits)

13. gandarvargaL pADiDa apsaras ADiDa gOdULi vELaiyilE
As Gandharvas sing, Apsaras dance during the auspicious time of dusk (Padmavathi Thaayaar sits)

14. kaNNikaigaL kUDi muddu Aratthi eDutthiDa mangaLam pongiDa
As young girls take muddu aarthi, and auspiciousness surrounds the atmosphere (Padmavathi Thaayaar sits)