Thondaradippodi Alvar

Thondaradippodi Alvar
Image of the granite and festival image of Thondaradipodi in Alwarthirunagari Temple
Religion	Hinduism
Philosophy	Vaishnava Bhakti
Personal
Born	2814 BCE Uraiyur
Literary works	Tirumaalai , Tiruppalli Ezuchi
Honors	Alvar saint

Thondaradippodi Alvar or Vipra Narayanan is one of the twelve azhwar saints of South India, who are known for their affiliation to Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. The verses of azhwars are compiled as Nalayira Divya Prabandham and the 108 temples revered are classified as Divya desam. Thondaripodi is considered the tenth in the line of the twelve azhwars.

Western scholars have suggested various times between the 5th and 9th centuries AD as the period of Thondaradippodi Alvar. As per Hindu legend, he was born as Vipra Narayanan and got devoted to Ranganatha of the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple. Since he worshipped even the dust from the devotees of Ranganatha, he attained the name Thondaradipodi.

His works are the Tiruppalli Ezuchi having ten verses and Tirumaalai having forty verses, both of which are counted among the 4000 stanzas in the Nalayira Divya Prabandam. The works of Thondaradipodi and other azhwars contributed to the philosophical and theological ideas of Vaishnavism. Along with the three Saiva nayanmars, they influenced the ruling Pallava kings of the South Indian region, resulting in changing the religious geography from Buddhism and Jainism to the two sects of Hinduism.

In South-Indian Vishnu temples, Thondaradipodi azhwar has images and festivals associated with him. The Vasantha Utsavam festival is celebrated in Srirangam and for nine days in the garden believed to have been maintained by him. The verses of Thondaripodi and other azhwars are recited as a part of daily prayers and during festive occasions in most Vishnu temples in South India.