Adi Jagannatha Perumal Temple, Thiruppullani

The name of the village is traditionally explained from the Tamil words pul (grass) and anai (bed or pillow): Thiruppullanai, 'the sacred grass bed', became Thiruppullani. According to the Ramayana tradition followed at the temple, Rama, advised by Vibhishana, lay on darbha grass for three days surrendering to Samudraraja, the king of the ocean, before the ocean god appeared and allowed the bridge to Lanka to be built. Sri Vaishnava sources therefore also call the place a saranagati kshetra, a place of surrender.

A second tradition links the temple with Rama's father. Wikipedia and Dinamalar record the belief that the childless king Dasharatha worshipped Adi Jagannatha here and was blessed with four sons. Following this tradition, many couples come to pray for children, and those hoping to marry pray to the processional deity, Kalyana Jagannatha. These are matters of devotion rather than recorded history.

The temple is praised by Thirumangai Alvar in his Periya Tirumoli, part of the Naalayira Divya Prabandham; Wikipedia counts twenty verses on Thiruppullani, and the Sri Vaishnava site koyil.org notes that the Alvar called the deity 'Deiva Silai' (the divine image). Among the eighteen Divya Desams of the Pandya country, Dinamalar describes it as one of the oldest.

This is an active Sri Vaishnava temple. Dress modestly, remove footwear before entering, and follow the instructions of the priests, especially near the sanctum and during processions. Crowds are larger during the Panguni Brahmotsavam and Chittirai festivals. Confirm current darshan timings and seva arrangements with the temple office (Ramanathapuram Samasthanam Devasthanam) before visiting.

Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Ramanathapuram Samasthanam Devasthanam (hereditary trust; accounts audited by Tamil Nadu HR&CE) before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.