Thiruvidandhai is located about 40 kms from Chennai on the East Coast Road (ECR) before Mahabalipuram. While going from Chennai, one can see a big arch on the right side of the road, indicating the temple.
Thiruvidandhai (திருவிடந்தை) got its name as the Lord here is seen holding Sri Lakshmi on His left lap. In Thamizh ‘Thiru’ means Lakshmi, ‘Ida’ means left and ‘Endhai’ means ‘my father’ (God). Hence the place came to be known as Thiru Ida Endhai which later corrupted to become Thiruvidandhai.During Thretha Yuga (second among 4 Yugas), there lived a king called Bali, who was the son of King Meganaatha. He remained a victorious ruler. Three demon kings by name Maali, Maalyavaan and Sumaali approached him and requested him to support them in their war against Devas for which Bali refused. The demon kings went ahead and fought with Devas in which they were defeated. They again came to Bali and requested him that if he can be with them, they can win over Devas.
As they insisted much, Bali accepted to help them in their battle against Devas. This time the demon kings (Asuras) won Devas in the battle. As Bali fought against Devas and won them, he acquired Brammahathi Dhosham and to get relieved of the ill effects of the Dhosham, he came to Thiruvidandhai and did penance towards the Lord. The Lord pleased with the devotion of Bali gave dharshan to him as Sri Varaaha Perumaal. Varaaha Avatar is the 3rd one of 10 Avatars (incarnations) of Lord Vishnu.Once, there lived a sage called Kuni. He along with his daughter performed severe penance together as they wanted to reach heaven. Sage Kuni succeeded in his penance and reached heaven but his daughter couldn’t. Sage Naradha appeared and told her that an unmarried woman cannot reach the heaven. She met many sages and requested them to marry her. Finally a sage called Kaalava Rishi, who lived in Thiruvidandhai agreed to marry her.
After their marriage, she gave birth to 360 female children. As the girls grew up the Rishi was worried as he had to get all his daughters married, which was a huge task. He prayed Lord Vishnu for help but the Lord didn’t turn up.One day a handsome bachelor youth came to Thiruvidandhai as part of his holy pilgrimage. Kaalava Rishi requested the youth to marry his daughters. The young man agreed to marry one daughter everyday and the marriages went on everyday for 360 days. On the last day, the young man revealed himself as Lord Varaaha Perumaal to Kaalava Rishi and all the 360 daughters combined to become one woman, who was none other than Sri Lakshmi. The Lord gave her His left side and made her seated on His lap. The Goddess here is called as Komalavalli Thaayaar, as that was the name of the first daughter of Kaalava Rishi.
As all the 360 wives merged together as one, the Goddess here is also called as Akilavalli Thaayaar. This story also signifies the philosophy that the Supreme God is the only male of the universe, who is, the ‘Maha Purusha’ or ‘Purushothama’ and all the living beings are Naayagis or females who with much devotion can reach the Lord.This beautiful temple on ECR belongs to Chozha period. Though this temple is popularly known as Nithya Kalyaana Perumaal temple, the main deity here is Sri Varaaha Perumaal and Goddess Komalavalli Thaayaar.
The Lord Sri Varaaha Perumaal is seen in the standing position with left leg folded, facing east. He is resting His left leg on Sri Aadhiseshan. He has Thaayaar seated on His left lap.
The Urchavar here is Sri Nithya Kalyaana Perumaal, who is the processional deity.
The temple is so huge and is made of stone throughout. As the Lord married all 360 daughters, one each day, the Lord here came to be known as Sri Nithya Kalyaana Perumaal. Kalyaana Urchavam is performed to the Lord everyday here.Also the Lord blesses the unmarried ones for a speedy marriage here. Many unmarried men and women visit this temple to worship the Lord and get married soon. There is a procedure for the unmarried to offer worship here. They are offered a garland to wear and walk around the temple 9 times after which they are given a garland to carry home and keep safely till they are married. They have to bring back the same dried garland back to the temple after marriage along with their spouse. One can see many unmarried youths walking around the temple.
This temple is one of the Dhivya Desams of Lord Vishnu. Sri Manavaala Maamuni and Sri Thirumangai Aazhwaar (8th Century) have sung Mangalaasaasanams on the Lord here.
The inscriptions found in the temple reveal that 12 fisherman families were dedicated to this temple during the 17th year of reign of Raja Raja 1. It is also found that a 7 day annual festival was organized by Raja Raja 1 during the Thamizh month of Aavani. There is also information found that the installation of the Goddess was done by a merchant from Mayilaarppu (presently Mylapore). The inscriptions also reveal that the present deity Sri Nithya Kalyaana Perumaal was called as Sri Manavaala Perumaal in those days.
There is a beautiful 16 pillared stone Mandapam in front of the temple in which all the pillars have wonderful sculptures on them. I give below a few I shot.Lord Gopaalakrishna with 4 hands
A female snake charmer and a monkey watching her
Sri Rama seated on Sri Hanuman’s head at warfare
Sri Lingothbavar
Sri Lakshmi Varaaha Perumaal
Sri Narasimha killing Hiranyakasipu holding his intestine as a garland
Sri Hanuman
Sri Mahavishnu
Varaaha Avatar (Boar)
Women holding swords in both her hands (its not dandia)
Sri Baala Krishna
Matsya Avatar (Fish)
Lord’s Ananthasayanam on Sri Aadhi Seshan
Koorma Avatar (Turtle)
Vaamana Avatar
Beautiful woman seated on a bird aiming an arrow
There is a separate shrine for Sri Anjaneyar near the end of the street, facing the temple.
There is a beautiful temple tank for this temple called Kalyaana Theertham where the devotees take bath before visiting the Lord.
Thiruvidandhai is a lovely temple that will take one to the Chozha period itself. 
Thirumalai Vaiyaavoor has a beautiful temple for Sri Prasanna Venkatesa Perumaal on a small hill, which is also called Thirumalai. Goddess here is Sri Alarmel Mangai Thaayaar.
During the battle between Sri Rama and Raavana, Lakshmana fainted on the battle field. Sri Rama sent Sri Hanuman to bring the Sanjeevi hill to cure Lakshmana. Sri Hanuman brought the Sanjeevi hill as told by Sri Rama. It is said that Sri Hanuman worshipped Sri Varaaha Perumaal and Sri Prasanna Venkatesa Puramaal on this hill, on the way back to Lanka, carrying the Sanjeevi hill. As Sanjeevi hill should not be placed on ground, it is said that Sri Hanuman shifted the hill from His right hand to left hand to offer obeisance to the Gods here. As the holy Sanjeevi hill was not kept on ground here by Sri Hanuman, this place came to be known as Thirumalai Vaiyaavoor (
Once a demon king called Hiranyaakshan took the earth and kept under his custody, hiding it deep inside the ocean. Lord Vishnu took Varaaha Avatar, killed the demon and brought back the earth to its position. After this Sri Varaaha Perumaal wished to take abode on a hill to bless the world. He directed Sri Garuda to bring a hill from Vaikuntam itself. Sri Garuda Bhagavan brought a hill from Vaikuntam and placed it near the banks of Swarnamuki River, which was called Garudagiri (present Thirupathi). While Sri Garuda carried the hill, a small part of it broke and fell near the banks of the river Palar and came to be known as Dhakshina Garudagiri (Thirumalai Vaiyaavoor).
Once, Lord Vishnu told Sri Aadhiseshan to take the form of a mountain on Garudagiri, for Him to take abode and bless the world during Kaliyugam. Sri Aadhiseshan took form of a hill on Garudagiri and from then the place (Thirupathi) came to be known as Seshagiri. Lord Vishnu took abode as Sri Srinivaasa Perumaal on Seshagiri in the Thamizh month of Purattaasi, on the day of Dwadasi when ‘Thiruvonam’ star occurred.
Sri Aadhiseshan prayed Sri Srinivaasa Perumaal and told that he had a wish to serve as an umbrella to the Lord. Sri Srinivaasa Perumaal agreed and told that his wish would come true at Dhakshina Garudagiri. In Thirumalai Vaiyaavoor Sri Aadhiseshan is seen above the deity Sri Srinivaasa Perumaal’s head as an umbrella. Hence, this place came to be known as Dhakshina Seshagiri.
There was an ancient king called Thondaimaan who was an ardent devotee of Lord Venkateswara at Thirupathi. Once, Lord Venkateswara helped the king with His Conch (Sangu) and Chakra to defeat the enemies. The king after defeating his enemies built a beautiful temple for the Lord at Thirupathi. As directed by the Lord, he also built a temple here at Thirumalai Vaiyaavoor. Lord Venkateswara gave him dharshan here on a chariot with a Sengol (
Once, Sri Brahma went to Thirupathi and worshipped Lord Venkateswara by lighting two lamps. He prayed the Lord that the lamps should glow non stop till Kaliyugam exists. The Lord granted his wish and said that He would give dharshan to devotees in the form of Jyothi on all Thiruvonam days at Thirumalai Vaiyaavoor and till that Jyothi dharshan continues, the lights lit by Sri Brahma would be alive. Lord Brahma then came here to this place and worshipped the Lord and got dharshan in the form of Jyothi.
It is also said that Sri Rama after the battle with Raavana came here, bathed in Varaaha Theertham and worshipped the Lord, on His way back to Ayodhya.
About 500 years back, a Vijayanagara King called Raja Thodarmaal had contributed much to this temple and has helped the temple for Poojas and festivals in a grand scale. He had installed an idol for Sri Ramanuja and also for himself in this temple.
The temple is beautifully located on the hill top. There are about 500 steps on the hill to reach the temple. There is a proper road also to reach the temple by vehicles. Though the main deity is Sri Venkatesa Perumal the Aadhi Murthy here is Sri Varaaha Perumaal. One has to first visit Sri Varaaha Perumaal before visiting the main deity. Sri Varaaha Perumaal is seen with Sri Lakshmi facing west. Also, when the temple is opened, Sri Varaaha Perumaal’s shrine is opened first and all the offerings are made to Him first, before others.
The main deity Sri Srinivaasa Perumaal is seen facing west. The Lord is beautifully decorated with ornaments and gives dharshan exactly as in Thirupathi. Goddess Sri Alarmel Mangai Thaayaar has a separate shrine here. There are separate shrines for Sri Aandaal and Sri Ramanuja too.
The Theertham for this temple is called Varaaha Theertham which is at the foot of this hill. The path to the Theertham is not motorable but looks beautiful when seen from the hill top.
Sri Anjaneyar shrine is present facing the hill opposite to the stair way to the temple.
It is also said that people visiting Thirupathi should also visit Thirumalai Vaiyaavoor and bathe in Varaaha Theertham and worship Sri Prasanna Venkateswara Perumaal here, only after which the pilgrimage gets complete.
