Tiruvellarai

Tiruvellarai, about 20 km north of Tiruchirappalli on the Kaveri's southern bank, is one of the oldest Vaishnava shrines in the Kaveri delta. The presiding deity is Pundarikaksha — Vishnu with lotus eyes — who stands in a gracious (thiruvuruvam) posture. The temple is built into and around a natural white rock hill, giving the shrine its name (Vel = white, Arai = hall/rock). Three Alvars — Poygai Alvar, Bhuthattalvar, and Peyalvar (the first three Alvars) along with Thirumangai Alvar — all sang Mangalasasanam here, making it one of the few Desams to receive the hymns of all three earliest Alvars. The cave portions of the inner sanctum date to the early Pallava period, and the Kaveri river setting makes the site serene and visually striking. The goddess Komalavalli (Mahalakshmi) is enshrined separately in a prominent shrine.

The Puranic legend holds that the rishi Pundarika (also called Shandilya) performed severe tapas at this white rock to obtain the vision of Vishnu. Pleased with his devotion, Vishnu manifested as Pundarikaksha — he whose eyes are like lotuses — granting Pundarika liberation and making this site his permanent abode for the benefit of future devotees.