Sri Andal-Thiruavatharam

One day when Sri periyazhwar had gone to his nandavanam as usual to choose and pluck the best flowers for making a garland regarding his malai kaimkaryam to vatapatrasayi perumal ,he heard a rambling sound as if the earth at given away somewhere in the direction of the Tulasi plant

Bhumidharana sabdena Vismitena samudhvayam
Tulasimulada bhumya bhraturbhuyaat vasundhara
Panchavarsha divyaroopa divyabharana bhushita
Navodbaladalasyama divyambaradarshita
Athiskheeryayukta sarvalakshana samyukta
Vishnuchittam munim drushtva sa pranamam karushyati

Surprised at the sound of the earth giving away somewhere near him,periyazhwar turned to look towards the tulasi plant where the earth had given away and this is what he saw

"A five year old divine baby with all divine abharanams,black in color clothed in a divine attire ,strong and shining with a magnificient lusture"

This auspicious event occured during
Nal Varudam
Aadi Masam
Ettam dhethi
sukla paksham
panchami thithi
Tuesday
Pooram star
Thula lagnam

On seeing Vishnuchitta muni(periyazhwar) the baby bowed down before periyazhwar and offered respects.Periyazhwar amazed and surprised by all this asked the child "who are you ,dear child",for which the child replied:-"father i am your daughter and the thiruthuzaay devi beside me is my mother".Hearing this periyazhwar took the child into his arms and carried her to the vatapatrasayi sannidhi and narrated all that had happened to his dear perumal Vatapatrasayi. Then perumal replied through a divine voice-: "O Azhwar this child known as kothai is your daughter.Take her to your house and bring her up lovingly You will be blessed with all auspiciousness in your life"

Thus in this Kali yugam,Sri Andal amsam of Bhoomi piratti appeared in Sri Periyazhwar's nandavanam to direct us and guide all of us to reach emperuman's abode and thus the soil of this kshetram became very sacred.This place of Sri Andal's birth has been well preserved to this date and one can visit periyazhwar's nandavanam-known as Thiruthuzhaay Mandapam just inside the compound of the vatapatrasayi temple in srivilliputtur

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