Believed to belong to 8th century A.D, he is the last among the 12 Azhvars. He was born in “Kallar” clan in the Tamil month Karthikai under the star Kritika in Thirukuraiyaloor in Alinada (Chola Mandalam).
He was named “Neelan” by his parents as he was blue at the time of his birth. He was also known by many names depending on the roles he played. He was known as “Parakalan” as he defeated the Chola King; Thirumangai as he was made a chieftain of a small place called Thirumangai. Nalukavi as he composed four different types of hymns. The four names are Asukavi, Madurakavi, Chitrakavi and Vistarakavi.
Being a great devotee of Lord Vishnu even as a child, he loves to go on pilgrimage and visit Vishnu temples. While on pilgrimage, he cultivated four good friends who also became his disciples. They are Tala Uduvuvan, Thozha Vazzakkan, Nizhalai Mithippan and Neermel Nadappan. We will have occasion to refer to these disciples later on in this article.
Let us now sketch the story of this darling Azhvar and his wife Kumudhavalli. Once in a lake (City Pond) Deva Kannikas were playing in the water in Thiruvellakulam (one of 108 divya desams). When they got tired, they returned to their respective places leaving behind one deva kannika.
A passerby (a Vaishnavite) saw her plight, took her home and brought her up as his own daughter. He named her Kumudhavalli. When she attained marriageable age, Thirumangai happened to see and instantly fell in love with her. So he approached her father for her hand in marriage. Kumudhavalli whereupon laid down certain conditions for marrying her. Some of them are as follows:
1. He must wear the sign of a Vaishnavite on his forehead (Thiruman & Srichoornam).
2. Must take Sripada Theerta & Seshannam.
3. Feed 1008 Bhagavatas for one whole year without even a murmur.
Thirumangai agreed to those conditions. He went to Thirunaraiyoor, where the Pancha Samaskara was done. The perumal is this temple is Kalyana Srinivasan, thayar Vanjulavalli.
He could not pay his dues (Kisti) to the king and the servants who came to collect taxes were sent away by him saying that he would pay the king in due course. The King got furious and sent the commander-in-chief of the army to arrest him. Thirumangai got on his horse called “Adalma” and drove them away.
On hearing this, the Chola King became furious collected his army and staged a war with Thirumangai. But Thirumangai fought so fiercely that he ahs to face a defeat. But the king not willing to face defeat feigned a compromise with Thirumangai and arrested him. The king put him in a perumal koil where Thirumangai stayed for three days without water and food. On the fourth night, Kanchi Varadaraja Perumal appeared in Thirumangai’s dream and ordered to him to proceed to Kanchi where HE promised him great wealth. By cajoling the ministers, Thirumangai proceeded to Kanchi with the ministers. At Kanchi, he went in search but in avail. Out of sheer tiredness one day he swooned and while in that state Varadaraja Perumal again appeared before him and pointed out to a particular spot. He woke up and when he dug up that spot, he found a huge treasure. From the treasure, Thirumangai paid his dues to the king through the ministers, who were present with him. The ministers who were witness to what transpired went and reported to the king as to what all happened.
The King afraid of receiving the dues returned the money to Thirumangai asking him to spend the same towards the Kainkarya which he was already involved. The money so obtained also got spent on feeding. SO he decided to take wayside robbery and rob the rich with the aid of his four trusted disciples. These four had miraculous powers, as stated earlier, such as breaking locks, walking on water, etc.; He continued his annadhana through wealth obtained by looting.
Thirumangai was a wide traveler. Starting from Tiriprithu in North (now known as Joshimutt), he travelled down south to Thirukottiyoor in Tirunelveli District of Tamilnadu.
While on a pilgrimage along with his four disciples, he arrived at the temple of Ranganatha on the banks of river Cauvery. The temple was in a dilapidated condition and this wounded him. So he decided to take up the construction of this temple. He begged donations from the rich who did not oblige him. He had therefore to take again to robbery. He sought his disciples help who readily agreed to standby him. Boundless wealth was acquired by him and stored in a secret place for the construction of the temple. Thousands of architects were invited and thousands of workers employed for the construction of the temple who worked day and night.
The work was started from the inner wall surrounding the sanctum sanctorum, and then went on to the first circle; second circle, third, fourth, fifth and sixth. It took about sixty years to complete the construction of the Srirangam temple as it stands today.
Then he decided to build Vimana Gopura and compound called Praharas. He had no money left. Thirumangai then came to know of the Buddha Vihara at Nagapattinam, where there was lot of wealth. There was a golden idol of Buddha to guard which was a chakra rotating. When he reached with his disciples at the Buddha Vihara, he saw the chakra rotating. To stop the rotating chakra, he hit upon on an idea. He brought the bark of a plantain tree and wound in round the chakra. Then he sent one of his disciples, bidding him to get down through the hole and get the Buddha made of gold. When the disciple tried to lift the idol, it started running all around the vihara. Thirumangai then through the hole taught the disciple a mantra by reciting which the idol would stop running. On reciting this mantra, the idol fell on the ground; the disciple picked up and handed it over to Thirumangai. They then proceeded to Srirangam over night.
On the way, when they reached Thirukannangudi, it was already dawn and hence they had to hide the idol somewhere. They came across a field ready for ploughing and they hid the idol there. Next morning, when the owner farmer came to till the land, Thirumangai who was hiding behind a tree came running and stopped the ploughing stating that it was his land. He told the farmer that it was his land. He told the farmer that the related papers would be shown to him tomorrow and if he is unable to do so he could carrying on with ploughing and that he would not lay any claim, The farmer was perplexed and he went back to his house. Immediately, Thirumangai got the place dug up, took the idol and proceeded as before. He got the idol melted and with the sale proceeds to built the gopura and the wall.
It was while at Srirangam that he composed Thirunedunthandagam. The Lord pleased with him, made him to HIS southern abode Thirukurungudi. After the construction of the seven walled Srirangam temple again, no coin was left in the coffer. The band of robbers, who had assisted Thirumangai so far in his robbery, started demanding money from him. Seeing his predicament, his disciple called Neermel Nadapan took all of them in a boat across the ricer promising them their due payments. They were told of the treasure which was on the other side of the river. They happily got on to the boat expecting huge returns. When the boat reached the middle of the river, strong winds started blowing. A huge thud with cries of distress was heard by Thirumangai and he could not decipher anything. After some time he saw a gigantic river walking towards him on the waters. All those on the capsized boat were drowned. Thirumangai told his disciple Neermel Nadappan that all those who were drowned had reached Vaikuntam. That place is now called “Kollidam”.
Then one day when Thirumangai with his wife were walking in a forest, when they saw a couple dazzling with ornaments. Thirumangai and his aids were very happy on seeing this couple as it meant huge bounty for them. Thirumangai threatened them and asked the couple to hand over all the ornaments, which they readily did. But the toe rings got stuck and would not come off easily. Thirumangai hence fell on the ground and tried to bite the ornaments on the Lord’s feet. At this point of time, the Lord took this as Thirumangai’s “SARANAGATI”, and decided to bless him. The Lord was also astonished at the extraordinary strength of Thirumangai and gave him the title “Kaliyan”. Thirumangai then bundled al the ornaments and tried to lift it. To his surprise, the bundle had become so heavy that he could not life the same. He felt that a mantra was cast on the bundle and hence became furious. He rushed to the couple saying what mantra have you put so that I cannot lift the bundle. Wait I shall kill you. The man called Thirumangai and said, come near me; I shall give you that mantra.
The Lord in HIS infinite grace gave the Ashtakshara Mantra (Om Namo Narayana) to Thirumangai and thus showered HIS GRACE. Instantly gnana was born to Thirumangai and he burst into hymns beginning…
“Vadinen Vadivarinthinen…..
Kulam Tharum ……………..”
From then on he started on a spiritual journey to various Vaishnavaite Divya Desams (86 in numbers). Wherever he went he sung in praise of Lord Narayana – HIS SOULABYA, SOW SHEELY and divine qualities. He also installed idols (archanamoorthys) in various temples. He composed and sang Mangalasasanam for the divine couple Paramapurushan – Parimalavalli on the banks of Manasoravar. This place is now known as “Tirupiriti”. In Badrinath, where the Lord is both a disciple and guru (GOD), Thirumangai did Mangalasasanam to Nara Narayanan. After doing, he came down to Cholanadu and other temples in the south.
In all he composed six prabhandams. They are:
Periya Thirumozhi - consisting of 1084 verses and counted as 2nd thousand.
Thirukurunthandagam – consisting of 20 verses.
Thirunedunthandagam – consisting of 30 verses in praise of Perumal / Thayar of
Thirunaraiyoor.
Thiruvezhukoourikai – only one hymn in praise of the Lord at Kumbakonam.
Chiriya Thirumadal – consisting of 40 verses.
Periya Thirumadal - consisting of 78 verses.
He also went about conquering eminent philosophers. He is said to have conquered Thirugnana Sambandar in a debate in Seerkazhi. As usual his disciples went about trumpting the greatness of this Azhvar calling him Nalukavi Perumal, Arulmari, Aratta mukhi, Adaiyar Cheeyam Alinadar Mangai, Parakalar etc., He obtained the idol of Lord Krishna called Thadala Perumal from a vaishnava lady who was worshipping him daily. As he won in the debate, Gnana Sambandar pleased with Thirumangai gave him the ‘Vel’ that he was carrying in his hand. There is also a close resemblance between the Tamil scholar Elango Adigal’s Silapathikaram (3 verses) and stanzas in Periya Thirumozhi of Thirumangai.
Thirumangai along with his wife Kumudhavalli spent his last days at Thirukurungudi as instructed by Lord Ranganatha. He reached HIS LOTUS FEET in Thirukurungudi where his Brindavan still stands. He is believed to have lived up to the ripe age of 105.