| Thirunelli Temple | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Wayanad |
| Deity | LordMaha Vishnu |
| Location | |
| Location | Brahmagiri |
| State | Kerala |
| Country |  India |
| Coordinates | 11°54′42″N75°59′45″E / 11.91173°N 75.99583°E /11.91173; 75.99583 |
| Specifications | |
| Temple | One |
| Elevation | 890.02 m (2,920 ft) |
Thirunelli Temple (also spelledTirunelli) is an ancient temple dedicated toMaha Vishnu on the side ofBrahmagiri hill inKerala, India, near the border withKarnataka state. The temple is classified one among the108Abhimana Kshethram ofVaishnavate tradition. The temple is at an altitude of about 900m in northWayanad in a valley surrounded by mountains and forests. It is 32 km away fromManathavady.[1]
The temple lies at an altitude of 3000 feet
The nameThirunelli derives from thenelli, theTamil/Malayalam word forIndian gooseberry of the Amla tree. TheMatsya Purana,Skanda Purana,Narasimha Purana andPadma Purana, said the Vishnu temple was built byBrahma, in the Sahya valley and in these texts, it is referred to as "Sahyamalaka Kshetra."[2] According to tradition, Brahma was traveling round the Universe on hishamsa, when he became attracted by the beauty of the area now known asBrahmagiri Hill. Descending on that spot, Brahma noticed an idol, set in an Amla tree. Brahma recognized the idol asVishnu himself and the place asVaikuntha (Vishnuloka) itself.[3][4]
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