Bhaktamal | Andal
Real name – Kothai
Other Name – Nachiyar
Guru - Vishnuchithan
Aaradhya - Shri Krishna
Birth - 785 CE, Pooram nakshatra in the Tamil month of Aadi
Birth Place - Srivilliputhur, Pandya Kingdom, Tamilakam
Marital Status: Married
Spouse - Rangamannar
Father - Periyalvar
Temple - Srivilliputhur Andal Temple
Andal is the only female among the twelve Alvars, the revered Vaishnava poet-saints of South India. She is celebrated for her intense devotion to Bhagwan Vishnu and is one of the most beloved saints in the Bhakti tradition.
According to tradition, Andal was found as an infant in a tulasi garden in Srivilliputhur by the saint Periyalvar, who adopted and raised her. She was named Kodhai (Goda). As a young girl, she developed deep devotion to Lord Vishnu. A famous legend says that she would first wear the flower garlands prepared for the deity before they were offered. When this was discovered, Vishnu is believed to have declared that He preferred the garlands worn by Andal, leading to her title "Soodi Kodutha Sudarkodi" ("the radiant one who first wore and then offered the garland"). Read about
Ramalinga Swamigal.
Literary Contributions of Andal
❀ Tiruppavai: Consists of 30 devotional verses.
❀ Recited especially during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December–January).
❀ Focuses on devotion, surrender, and the grace of Lord Krishna.
❀ Nachiyar Tirumoli: Contains 143 verses.
❀ Expresses Andal's longing for union with Lord Vishnu.
❀ Considered a masterpiece of Tamil devotional literature.
Spiritual Significance of Andal
❀ Revered as an incarnation of Bhudevi, the consort of Lord Vishnu.
❀ Symbolizes complete surrender (prapatti) and divine love.
❀ Her teachings continue to inspire devotees across India and around the world.
Tamil Nadu's famous Srivilliputhur Andal Temple is dedicated to Andal and Lord Vatapatrasayi. Its towering gopuram is so distinctive that it also appears on the official emblem of the Tamil Nadu government. She is one of the most influential figures in Tamil devotional literature and Vaishnavism.