Tiruchanur, also known as Alamelumangapuram (or Alimelu Mangapuram), is located 5 km from Tirupati. It is the sacred abode of Goddess Padmavathi (Alamelu Manga), the beloved consort of Lord Venkateswara. A visit to the temple of Lord Venkateswara on the Seven Hills is considered complete only when the pilgrim also visits Sri Padmavathi Devi temple at Tiruchanur.
The Meaning of the Name
The name Alamelumangapuram has a beautiful meaning: "Alar" means lotus, "mel" means on top, "manga" means goddess, and "puram" means town. So it literally means "The town of the Goddess on the lotus" — a fitting name for the place where the divine consort manifested.
The Divine Legend
According to mythology, Goddess Mahalakshmi incarnated as Padmavathi, the daughter of King Akasharaja and Queen Dharanidevi of Thondamandalam. After the king performed a sacred yagna, a thousand-petalled golden lotus emerged from the earth with a divine baby girl inside. She was named Padmavathi, meaning "One who was born in a lotus."
The goddess later manifested herself in the holy Padmasarovaram (lotus tank) in a golden lotus during the month of Karthika, on Sukla Paksha Panchami when the star Uttarashada was ascendant. Lord Srinivasa performed penance for twelve years on the banks of this sacred lotus pond to obtain her presence after she had left Vaikunta. She subsequently married Lord Venkateswara in a grand celestial wedding at Tiruchanur.
Padmasarovaram — The Sacred Lotus Tank
Padmasarovaram is the temple tank where Padmavathi is believed to have manifested in a golden lotus. According to the Venkatachala Mahatyam, the Sun-god Suryanarayana was instrumental in the lotus blossoming in full splendour. A temple dedicated to Suryanarayana stands on the eastern side of the tank.
A Brief History
Even before the construction of the Krishna, Sundararaja and Padmavati temples, there existed at Alamelumangapuram a temple called Tiruvilankoil. A Tirumantrasalai was established by the Vaishnavas in the eighth century A.D. The Tiruvilankoil is the earliest of all the temples of Tiruchanur.
An image of Sri Venkateswara resembling the Srivaru of Tirumala was consecrated in the Tiruvilankoil. The three shrines — Alagiya Perumal (Krishna), Sundararaja, and Padmavati — are found in a south-north row in a single courtyard. The central one is that of Alagiyaperumal and is the oldest. The Padmavati shrine lies to the north and is the biggest of the three, with large mandapas added over time.
Panchami Theertham
The Panchami Theertham festival on the Panchami Thidhi of Karteeka Brahmotsavam attracts thousands of devotees from all over the country. Lord Srinivasa sends silk sarees, turmeric, kumkuma and other gifts to the Goddess on this auspicious day. The Archakas carry these gifts from the Srivari temple on foot, and they are transported to Alamelumangapuram on elephants. Among the Vahanas during Brahmotsavam, Gajavahanam (elephant mount) is especially significant at Tiruchanur for Goddess Padmavati Devi.
According to tradition, devotees visit her at Tiruchanur to present their prayers and requests to the Lord, as she intercedes on their behalf. The Padmavathi temple observes major festivals including Brahmotsavam, and the deity is worshipped according to Pancharatra Agama traditions.