Main deity: Aadi Varaga Perumal
The Lord's Consort: Akila Valli Thaayaar
Pose: Standing, facing the east, with His consort to his left, the world beside one foot and the other on the hood of Aadisesha, narrating the Sarama Sloka to the world, through the Devi.
Uthsavar: Nithya Kalyana Perumal, Sridevi, Bhoodevi
Thayaar: Komala Valli Thaayaar
Theertham: Kalyana theertham, varaaga theertham
Tiruvidandai - one of the 108 Divya Desams
Long, long ago, there lived a demon king named Meghanath. This king had a son, Bali, who was a just ruler. During his reign, three asuras, Maali, Malyavaan, Sumali, asked the demon king to join them in a fight against the Devas. Bali refused. The asuras lost the war and then fell at Bali’s feet seeking his protection. When the Devas came chasing the asuras, Bali fought them and defeated them. In expiation of his sin of fighting the Devas, Bali bathed in the holy river at Tiruvidandhai and performed penance, and the Lord appeared before him and granted him salvation.
In this place lived Kalava rishi, along with his 360 daughters. The Lord heard the rishi's prayers, came down from Heaven as a bachelor and married all of his daughters, one a day, in turn. On the last day, he merged them all into one and seated the Devi on his left, revealing his divinity.
As the 360 women merged to become one, the thayar is known as Akila Valli Naachiyaar, and as the Lord went through 360 marriages in succession, he came to be known as "Nithya Kalyana Perumal". The Lord's Consort has a shrine of her own here and is known as Komala Valli Thaayaar.
The Alwar saint, Thirumangai Alwar has sung many songs in praise of Shri Aadi Varaga Perumal.
"yeththuvaar tham manathulan idavendhai meviya empiran theertha neerthadanj cholaisoozh thiruvenkadam adai nenjame"
As the Lord has his Consort, Lakshmi on his left, the place came to be known as Tiruvidandhai. (Thiru - Lakshmi, Ida - Left). The place was also known as Sreepuri, Varagapuri, Asurakula Kala Nalloor, Vaamagaveepuri.
The Lord here is considered very powerful. Being the "nithya kalyana perumal", He is believed to bless his devotees with the holy state of matrimony. Young women or men, still unmarried for some reason or the other, are brought to this temple to receive the Lord's blessings. It is widely believed that whoever visits this temple and prays with sincerity, will be blessed with marital bliss.
One who desires to get married is made to wear a garland and go round the shrine a prescribed number of times. Once the prayers bear fruit and the devotee gets married, the couple must come with the wedding garlands, and tie the garlands to a tree behind the shrine.
The temple is on the East Coast Road, about 42 km from Chennai, about 16 km before Mamallapuram. One can reach the place easily by city transport buses, Route nos. 117, 118, 188K, 188V).
