Sri Aadikesava Perumal Temple

Sri Aadikesava Perumal Temple at Thiruvattaru is a revered Divya Desam in Kanyakumari district (now in Tamil Nadu but traditionally part of the Travancore region of Malai Nadu), praised by Nammalvar in the Thiruvaimozhi. The deity's name "Aadikesava" means "the Primordial Kesava" — Aadi (first, primordial) and Kesava (one with beautiful hair, a name of Vishnu) — signifying the Lord as the original and eternal source of all creation. The deity reclines in the Anantha-shayanam posture similar to Padmanabhaswamy at Thiruvananthapuram, and the temple is considered a companion shrine to the great Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The architecture and rituals follow the Kerala tradition, with a distinctive sreekovil, traditional lamp-lighting ceremonies, and nivedyam offerings. This temple served as an important link in the southern Malai Nadu pilgrimage circuit, connecting the Kerala shrines with the southernmost tip of the Indian subcontinent. Kulasekhara Azhwar's influence is evident in the temple's devotional traditions, which reflect the Chera Vaishnavite heritage.