NAVA THIRUPATHI
The Nava Tirupati ( Tamil : நவ திருப்பதி , lit. 'Nine Tirupatis') [1] refers to a group of nine Hindu temples dedicated to Vishnu , located on the Tiruchendur - Tirunelveli route, Tamil Nadu , India , on the banks of the Thamirabarani river. [2] Each of these temples is classified as a Divya Desam , counted as one among the 108 temples of Vishnu , revered by the 12 poet-saints of the Tamil Vaishnava tradition, the Alvars . The Garuda Sevai Utsavam (a festival where a form of Vishnu , seated upon his mount Garuda , is revered) in the month of Vaikasi (May - June) witnesses 9 Garuda Sevai, as well as two palanquins, one with Nammalvar of Alwarthirunagari , and the other with Madurakavi Alvar from Thirukalur. An event in which festival image idols from the Nava Tirupati shrines in the area are brought on Garuda Vahana (Garuda as a mount) to Alvarthirunagari for Mangalasasanam (singing of sacred hymns) and to for paying obeisance to Nammalvar in the mor