Naimisaranya – Religious Significance

Naimisaranya – Religious Significance

Divya Desams:

The Temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6^th – 9^th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu. Tirumangai Alwar of the 9^th century CE is the only Alwar had sung of Naimisaranya in chaste Tamil in a total of 10 verses, as one of the abodes of Vishnu. Tirumangai Alwar refers to Vishnu as 'Naimisaaranyattull en Thai'. 

Swayam Vyaktha Kshetrams:

The temple is considered as one of the eight Swayam Vyaktha Kshetrams of Vishnu where presiding deity is believed to have shown on its own.

Seven other temples in the line are

1. Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple, Tamil Nadu

2. Sri Bhu Varaha Swamy Temple, Tamil Nadu

3.Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, Andhra Pradesh

4. Vanamamalai Perumal Temple, Tamil Nadu

5. Muktinath, Nepal

6. Pushkar Varaha Temple, Rajasthan

7. Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand

Thapovanams:

This Naimisaranya Kshetram is said to be regarded as Thapovanam. There are 9 Thapovanams. They are;

1. Dandakaranyam

2. Saindhavaranyam

3. Jambhukaranyam

4. Pushkararanyam

5. Utpalaranyam

6. Badrikaranyam

7. Gurujangalaranyam

8. Aruputharanyam

9. Naimisaranya

Poojas done to forest:

The central deity is believed to have presided over the forest and hence the puja (rituals) are done to the forest.

Holy Dip:

Every new moon day, a large number of people purify themselves with a dip in the holy well. If the new moon falls on a Monday, it is believed that a holy bath in the well and offering to the presiding deity Lalitha will wash away all the sins committed in their lifetime.