Sri Venkatachalapathy Temple is also known as Thirunankovil Temple or Thiruvenkatanathapuram Temple or Then Tirupathi Temple. The actual location of the Temple is in Mela Thiruvenkatanathapuram in Thirunelveli District. This is an East facing Temple with 15 steep steps to reach the level of the Temple premises. They have provided steel railings on both sides of these steps to help the Devotees to reach the Temple. There is an East facing Gopuram on top of which there are coloured Idols of Sri Venkatachalapathy is seen East facing and in a standing posture along with His Consorts Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi. Beneath this is a Thirumann and Srichurnam flanked by Sangu, Chakkaram, Sri Garudalwar and Sri Anjaneyar. Beyond this Gopuram is a huge Neivedhya Peedam or Bali Peedam and a Dwajasthambam or Kodi Maram. The speciality of the Dwajasthambam of this Temple is that they offer Vasthrams or Clothing to the Dwajasthambam which is unheard of in other Perumal Temples. Next is the West facing Sannadhi of Sri Garudalwar beneath a four pillared Mandapam looking towards the Moolasthanam. 

Then Devotees may have to climb another 10 steps to reach the East facing 3 tiered Rajagopuram. It is to be mentioned here that most parts of the Gopuram and Rajagopuram are partially hidden to the Devotees since they have erected tinsheet roofing all around. Then again 3 to 4 steps are there to be crossed before the Devotees to reach the level of the Temple premises. There is a huge multi pillared Mandapam which has Divine Images on them and which are intricately carved with deft hands of the skilled craftsmen of those years. From this point onwards they insists all Male Devotees to remove their Baniyan and Shirt before entering the Main Temple. This Temple is called as Then Tirupathi since there is a similarity between this Temple and that of Tirupathi Venkatachalapathy Temple. The Temple in Tirupathi is situated after Seven Hills likewise this Temple too has to be reached after crossing 6 stages or in other words this Temple has been built on the Seventh Stage or Nilai in Tamil.

The 12 steps leading from the Rajagopuaram from the Temple obliquely denotes to the 12 Alwars and it is construed that those Devotees cross these steps and come before the Moolasthanam have the Blessings of the Alwars too. There are two huge Idols of Dwara Baalaka who are seen East facing seeming to stand guard before the Moolasthanam. The threshold of the Moolasthanam has two Dwara Baalaka Images etched on them. The Images of the Astalakshmi too are seen etched on the gold platings seen here. In the Sanctum Sanctorum the Presiding Deity is Sri Venkatachalapathy or Sri Vadavenkatamudaiyan. He is seen East facing and in a standing posture in the Moolasthanam with four Divine Hands. In two of those hands He is seen holding a Sangu and Chakkaram. He is seen flanked on either side by Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi. He is considered as a Swayambhumoorthy. The Urchavamoorthy Idol is known as Sri Srinivasa Perumal and He is kept close to the Moolavar. Sri Srinivasa Perumal, the Urchavamoorthy is also flanked by His Consorts Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi. 

The outer peripheral of the Temple has a Sub Shrine for Sri Devi Thaayar who is East facing. Similar to this there is an East facing Sub Shrine for Sri Bhoo Devi too and both of them are seen in a seated posture in their respective Sub Shrines. A South facing Anjaneyar Idol is seen embossed on the walls of the outer peripheral close to which is an old Meditation Hall. There is a podium in the outer peripheral on which the Naaga Devatha Idols are lined up neatly. The outer peripheral has a Sub Shrine in which the three Idols of Sri Viswaksenar, Sri Senai Mudhalvar and Sri Ramanujar. The speciality of this Temple is that there are two Bronze Garudalwar Idols with folded wings in the South Corridor and this is a rarity which cannot be seen in any other Perumal Temples. The Temple has facilities for Thulabhaaram. The Temple has a Madapalli. The Vimanam of the Temple is known as Ekadhala Anandha Vimanam and the Pushkarani which is River Thamirabharani which is known as Srinivasa Theertham. To the left of the central Gopuram is a closed enclosure on the Gopuram of which is seen a coloured Idol of Sri Krishna. This enclosure is stacked with the Temple Vaahanams. To the right of this Gopuram is a huge enclosure with tinsheet roofing and this place used as the as Annadhana Koodam where Devotees can sit in Chairs and Eat.

The story behind the Temple is that it was known as Salivadipuram in ancient times and there was dense forestry all around. The hilly terrain in this region in those days was called as Swethamalai. It is believed that Sage Pailar who was an ardent Devotee and Disciple of Sage Vyasar pondered about Sri Venkatachalapathi for a number of days and Prayed with all sincereity. At the end of his Prayers there was of lightening in the sky and he could hear a Divine Voice saying that He will come to this place and be known as Sri Venkatachalapathy along with His Consorts Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi. Also the Rulers of this region then was Venkatappa Naickar who was Childless. When he was bathing in River Thamirabharani he heard a Divine Voice saying that if he could 1000 kids daily by building a Temple he would be Blessed with a kid. Venkatappa Naickar followed suit the advice and built this Temple and fed several thousands of kid and simultanously saw that the Temple too flourished. Hence the King named his son as Srinivasan and the Temple came into existence in the name of Venkatappa Naicker as Sri Venkatachalapathy Temple.

Contact Details: Murali Srinivasa Bhattar 95971 69634, Balaji Bhattar 97918 66946, 91762 46488, 0462 2341292, 0462 2340075 and 98431 33990

For Tamil Archanai Shankara Narayana Bhattar 94432 61015

Temple Timing: 6.30 AM to 11 AM and 5 PM to 8 PM On Saturdays 6.30 AM to 12.30 PM and 5 PM to 8 PM

Distance from Thirunelveli to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 23 Kms

Distance from Veeravanallur to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 23 Kms

Distance from Mannarkovil to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 37 Kms

Distance from Thiruvattaru to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 107 Kms

Distance from Thiruppathisaram to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 75 Kms

Distance from Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 154 Kms

Distance from Varkala to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 162 Kms

Distance from Guruvayur to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 472 Kms

Distance from Triprayar to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 335 Kms

Distance from Srivilliputhur to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 113 Kms

Distance from Kovilpatti to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 84 Kms

Distance from Thiruthangal to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 127 Kms

Distance from Paramakudi to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 204 Kms

Distance from Punnaiyadi to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 65 Kms

Distance from Nagercoil to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 82 Kms

Distance from Nanguneri to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 31 Kms

Distance from Kanyakumari to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 83 Kms

Distance from Thiruppullani to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 180 Kms

Distance from Thirukkurungudi to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 45 Kms

Distance from Kumbakonam to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 414 Kms

Distance from Srirangam to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 327 Kms

Distance from Mannargudi to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 410 Kms

Distance from Vaduvur to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 397 Kms

Distance from Thanjavur to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 361 Kms

Distance from Thirukkoodalur to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 380 Kms

Distance from Irratai Tirupathi to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 53 Kms

Distance from Alwarthirunagari to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 48 Kms

Distance from Then Thirupperai to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 55 Kms

Distance from Nagapattinam to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 458 Kms

Distance from Thirunageswaram to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 421 Kms

Distance from Cheranmahadevi to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 17 Kms

Distance from Puliyarai to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 74 Kms

Distance from Chennai to Thiruvenkatanathapuram is 646 Kms

Nearest Railway Station is Thirunelveli Jn.

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