Azhagiyasingar Temple, also known as the Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, is a revered Hindu shrine located in Thiruvali, a village in the Mayiladuthurai district of Tamil Nadu. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu in his Narasimha avatar and his consort Lakshmi (worshipped here as Purnavalli), this temple holds significant religious importance.
The temple showcases traditional Dravidian architecture. It is enclosed within a rectangular granite wall, encompassing all its shrines. The main deity, Alagiyasingar (Narasimha), is depicted in a seated posture with Lakshmi seated uniquely on his right lap, which is a rare representation. The temple complex also includes a shrine for Thirumangai Alvar, located outside the main compound, facing the Garuda Mandapam.
The temple is believed to have been originally constructed by the Cholas, with subsequent additions by the Vijayanagara and Thanjavur Nayak kings during the 16th century. It is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints, and is counted among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu. The temple is closely associated with Thirumangai Alvar, who is said to have been transformed into an Alvar at this very site.
According to legend, Brahma’s son, Karthama Prajapati, performed penance to attain moksha (liberation). In Kali Yuga, he was reborn as Sangabalan, who desired to marry Kumudavalli, an ardent devotee of Vishnu. She agreed to marry him only if he fed a thousand Vaishnavites. In his quest to fulfill this condition, Sangabalan resorted to robbery. During one such attempt, Vishnu and Lakshmi appeared before him in disguise. Vishnu whispered the Ashtakshara mantra into his ear, transforming him into Thirumangai Alvar.
According to another legend, Vishnu took the form of Narasimha to kill the demon king Hiranyakasipu, who had a boon from Brahma that no human could kill him. Hiranyakasipu’s son, Prahlada, was a devoted follower of Vishnu, which angered his father. Despite several attempts to kill Prahlada, Vishnu saved him. Vishnu appeared as Narasimha, a being with a human body and a lion’s face, and killed Hiranyakasipu in a doorway at dusk, a place that was neither on land nor in the air. Even after slaying the demon, Vishnu’s anger remained. Lakshmi then sat on his lap, calming him down. It is believed that since Vishnu embraced (alinganam) Lakshmi, the place came to be known as *Thiruvali*.
A unique feature of this temple is that Lakshmi is seen sitting on the *right* side of Narasimha, which is rare as she is usually depicted on his left side in other temples.
The temple follows the Thenkalai tradition of worship and adheres to the Vaikasana Agama. Daily rituals are performed four times a day, and several festivals are celebrated annually. The most prominent is the Thirumangai Alvar Mangalasasana Utsavam, held during the Tamil month of Thai (January–February).
The *Abhishekam* on Swathi star day is believed to bring blessings from the divine couple.
