8) Nachiyar Koil in Woraiyur

Azhagiya Manavalan Perumal Temple (also called Thirukozhi or Nachiyar Koil) in Woraiyur, a suburb Tiruchirappalli.

Nachiyar Koil in Woraiyur

As per History, Lord Vishnu was pleased by the worship of the childless Chola king Nanda Chola and blessed the king that Lakshmi, his consort, would be born to him and at appropriate age, he would get married with her. The king found the child in a lotus tank while hunting in a forest. Since the child was born out of lotus, she was named Kamalvalli by the king. Time came when Kamalavalli fell in love with Lord Vishnu in the form of Ranganath, the presiding deity of Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple. The Chola king readily got her married to Ranganath. He built a temple to commemorate the occasion. The event is celebrated as Servai festival every year. Since Lord Vishnu appeared as Azhagiya Manavalan, meaning a beautiful groom, the temple is called Azhagiya Manavalan Temple.

Serthi Sevai, the annual home coming festival is celebrated in the temple annually during the Ayilyam star in the Tamil month of Panguni. The festival is a part of the Panguni Uthiram festival of Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple, when the festival uthsav deity of Srirangam temple, Namperumal, is brought to the Nachiyar temple and the images of Nachiyar and Namperumal are adorned in the Serthi hall of the temple. Special Pujas are performed during the occasion.