| Alwarthirunagiri | |
| — town — | |
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| Coordinates | |
| Country | India |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| District(s) | Thoothukudi |
| Population | 8,876 (2001[update]) |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+05:30) |
Alwarthirunagiri is a panchayat town in Thoothukudi district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is next to Srivaikuntam on the Tirunelveli - Tiruchendur Highway, Tamil Nadu, southern India. It's about 31 km from Tirunelveli and 29 km from Tiruchendur, on the banks of the river Tamirabarani.
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As of 2001[update] India census,[1] Alwarthirunagiri had a population of 8876. Males constitute 48% of the population and females 52%. Alwarthirunagiri has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 50% of the males and 50% of females literate. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Alwarthirunagiri is the birth place of one of the 12 Alwars of Vaishnavites, namely, Nammalwar. It is also one of the Navatirupati Kshetras of South Tamil Nadu. Known to be a Guru Kshethram, the presiding deity is Sri Adhinathar. The temple has a very old tamarind tree, under which, Nammalwar, as an infant, crawled and sat in yogasana.
The Perumal of Thirikurungudi was born as Nammalwar was born as the son of (until then childless) Kari Maharaja of Appankoil, a small hamlet on the other side of the river Tamirabarani. But Nammalwar never cried or drank anything after birth. The King was upset and took him to Alwarthirunagari Sri Adhinathar Perumal where Nammalwar crawled up to the nearby tamarind tree.