27 Facts About Andal

Andal, known as Godhai, Nachiyar, and Godha Devi, is the only female Alvar.

Andal was raised by Periyalvar in Srivilliputhur, where she grew up as an ardent devotee of Vishnu as Krishna.

Active in the 8th-century CE, Andal is credited with two great Tamil works, Tiruppavai and Nachiyar Tirumoli, which are still recited by devotees during the winter festival season of Margali.

Andal was childless and he prayed to Vishnu to save him from the longing for a child.

Andal named the child as Gothai, who grew up as a devotee of Krishna, an avatara of Vishnu.

Andal is believed to have worn the garland before dedicating it to the presiding god of the temple.

The girl Godhai was thus named Andal and was referred to as "Chudikodutha Sudarkodi", meaning the woman who wore and gave her garland to Vishnu.

Andal is credited with two great Tamil works, Tiruppavai and Nachiyar Tirumoli, which are still recited by devotees during the winter festival season of Margali.

In Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Andal is remembered for her pure love and devotion.

Andal's birthday is celebrated as Adi Puram during the Adi month and her wedding day and subsequent ascension is celebrated as Panguni Uthiram in the Panguni month.

Andal composed two literary works, both of which are in the rich Tamil verse form and express literary, philosophical, religious, and aesthetic content.

In Tiruppavai, Andal idolized Radha as the ideal gopi and invoked the gopis of Vrindavana.

Andal describes the religious vows that she and her fellow cowherd girls will observe for this purpose.

Andal extols Vishnu's incarnation as Krishna thus in this text:.

The second work by Andal is the Nachiyar Tirumoli, a poem of 140 verses.

In Nachiyar Tirumoli, Andal wants to marry Vishnu and she marries him as Rangamannar and says she would offer Vishnu 1000 pots of akkaravadisal when he marries her, which was later fulfilled by Ramanuja in the 12th century CE.

Andal is one of the reputed poet-saints of the Tamils.

Andal is known for her unwavering devotion to Vishnu, the preserver god.

In many places in India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, Andal is treated more than a saint and a goddess herself and a shrine for Andal is dedicated in several Vishnu temples.

Andal garland is sent to Madurai Kallalagar Sundaravalli Temple for the Chithirai Festival.

In poetry, 8th-century CE Andal became a well-known Bhakti movement poet, states Pintchman, and historical records suggest that by 12th century CE, she was a major inspiration to Hindu women in South India and elsewhere.

Andal continues to inspire hundreds of classical dancers in modern times choreographing and dancing Andal's songs.

In one of her poems, Andal says that her voluptuous breasts will swell for Vishnu alone, and hates the idea of marrying people, comparing that with the Yajnas made by Brahmanas being attempted to be violated by jackals and driven away and completed in the forests, and in another verse she dedicates her swelling breasts to Vishnu who carries a conch and a discus.

In one such verse Andal dispenses with metaphor and imagines herself lying in the arms of Vishnu, making love to him:.

Andal fulfilled the expectation of becoming a wife by marrying Vishnu, but since her husband is a god, she gained her freedom.

Amuktamalyada describes worries of separation experienced by Andal, who is an incarnation of Lakshmi, the wife of Vishnu who marries him ultimately.

Mangalasasanam by Divyadesam: Andal has sung in praise of eleven holy sites:.