IMAGES IN THE TIRUMALA TEMPLE – Alarmelmangai-Nachchiyar

This is the name by which the goddess Lakshmi, carved on the right side of the chest of Sri Venkatesvara, as seated on a lotus, is known2.
Aktrmehnangai enjoys all worship offered to Sri Venkatesvara along with Him. Inscriptions show that provision was also made for the offering of special worship and offerings to this goddess.
The earliest mention of this goddess is found in an inscription of 1477 A.D. which refers to a special offering named Alarmel- mangai-Nachchiyar-Sandhi (11-69). The next record, dated 1495 A.D., refers to an offering made to MalaUdniyaninra-perumal while seated in the Alarmelmangai-Nachchiyar mantapam on the seventh festival days (II-134). An inscription dated in the next year mentions the practice of smearing Pulugukappu on the occasion of Pulugu- kappu-murai on the bodies of this goddess and of Sri Venkatesvara on alternate Fridays (11-136). Another record, dated 1506 A.D., refers to the same practice (HI-4). There was the custom of making cash offerings to Malaikiniyaninra-perumal as Alarmelmangai- Nachchiyar-sirappu after he hears the Onruntevu- Tiruvaymoli on the fourth day of the Adhyayanotsavam (HI-142). One inscription of 1530A.D. mentions a flower garden named after this goddess (IV-3). Another record, dated in the same year, states that Uttara is the annual birth star of this deity (1V-6). Achyutaraya, the famous Vijayanagara emperor, instituted in 1533A.D. anewfestivai named the Lakshmidevimahotsavam for this goddess and Sri Venkatesvara. Provision was made for the recitation of die Srisuktam and the performance of the Lakshmi- sahasranamarchana on this
2. Alarmelmangai-Nachchiyar has been identified with Padmavatidevi installed in a shrine at Tiruchanur and worshipped as the consent of Sri Venkateswara. (T.T.D. Epigraphical Report). This identification is not correct, and conflicts with the evidence of the inscriptions referred to above (cf. V-5).

occasion (IV-54). An inscription of 1536A.D. mentions the practice
of Malaikiniyaninra-perumal being seated in the Alarmelmangai-
Nachchiyar mantapam on every seventh day of the Brahmotsavam
(TV-73). Another record states that Uttara, the annual birth star of
this goddess, occurs in the month of Kartika (V-2). Tallapakam
Tirumalayyangar instituted a special tirumanjanam to be done on
Fridays for this deity in 1544A.D. (V-57). Mention is made in a
record of 1545A.D. of a flower garden named after this goddess,
situated belowa tank named Alamennangai-Nachchiyar-samudram
inPongalveli atTiru- mala (V-60). A record of 1546A.D. states
that this garden was situated on the way to Tirupati and that Malai-
kiniyaninra- perumal was being seatedin a mantapa in this garden
on the seventh day of the Brahmotsavams (V-64). According to a
record of 1545 A.D. turmeric powder was used on 66 days, 53
Fridays and 13 days of the Mrigasimshastax, for bathing this
goddess. _ ‘v*

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