An idol found near Gangaikonda Cholapuram confirms the ‘Thiruvarasu’ of Nathamunigal

Rooted in history: The two temples, built recently at Sorgapallam or Sembodai in Ariyalur district, house the idols of Srinivasa Perumal, with his consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi, and that of Nathamunigal. | Photo Credit: R. Vengadesh On a narrow, unpaved lane about a kilometre away from the Gangaikonda Cholapuram-Kumbakonam Road stands a compound housing two historically significant temples, though both are of relatively recent construction. The original name of the place is Ulagalantha Cholagam, but it is locally known as Sorgapallam or Sembodai. The entire area is overgrown with Prosopis juliflora, locally called ‘Velikathan’. One of the temples in the compound occupies a pre-eminent position in the Vaishnavite tradition. It is the ‘Thiruvarasu’, the memorial of Nathamunigal, the first Acharya of Vaishnavism, who recovered all 4,000 hymns collectively known as Nalayira Divya Prabandham, also referred to as the Dravida Veda. Enshrined in the sanctum is an idol of Nathamunigal, revered as an authority on music and depicted holding ‘thalams’ in both hands.“An idol of Srinivasa Perumal with his consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi was found lying half-buried under a tree. This clearly indicates that a temple once existed here but was lost in the course of time. Excavation revealed stones and remnants of the old structure. Initially, we constructed a temple and installed the idols in the sanctum. Around the year 2000, another idol was found buried in a field. It was that of Nathamunigal, and the ‘thalams’ in his hands confirmed our belief,” said Komagan, president of the Nathamunigal Thiruvarasu Arakkatallai (Trust). Published - January 02, 2026 05:30 am IST