Thondai Mandalam has been the fertile ground for growth of SrI Vaishnavism. One among the first three AzhwArs
Thirummizi Alwar was also born in this Thondai Mandalam only.

Our Great YathirAjar was also born in this Thondai Mandalam.

Our Udayavar had a sister by name NachiyAr Ammai ( GothAmbika) . She was maried to Purushamangalam Ananda NarAyana Dheekshidar,of VadhUla Gothra and he was the resident of then Pachai Varna PerumAl Koil, ( Present day Nazarath Petai near POonamallee).AnandanArayana Dheekshidar and Bhoomi NachiyAr did not have any children for a long time. They undertook a yAtra to ThiruvEngadam to worship Lord SrInivAsan and pray for a child. Enroute to Thirumala Hills they stayed at ThiruninravUr.They stayed overnight at YEri KAtha RAmar’s sannadhi,SrI RAmar (Ananda NArayana Dheekshidar’s ThiruvAradana PerumAl) appeared in his dream and told that he need not undertake yAtra to ThiruvEngadam for begetting a son , He (Lord Rama) will be born as their son. Listining to this Dheekshidar returned to his native.

In Year 1033 C E , Sri Mukha Year ( Tamil) Chitrai Month in the constellation of Punarvasu Nakstram ( Same star as Lord Sri Ramachandra) VadamAl Kulam, Vadhoola Gothram, Yajus sakhaai, Apasthamba Soothram was born Mudhali AndAn who was named as DAsarathi by Our EmperumAnar (In our tradition Maternal uncle only names the child) He was also named as Mudhali Andaan.

AndAn's other names are RamAnujan Ponnadi, Sri Vaishnana Serobooshanam and RamAnuja PAduka. The 'Tiruvadinilai' (the sanctified mount of the footwear, The pAdukA of divinity and holy personage) of the Lord is named after Swami Nammazhvar as SrI-Sathakopam or 'Shathari', and the tiruvadi-nilai of Swami Nammazhvar is known as RAmAnujan. In the same way the pAdukA-peetam of Udayavar is referred to as 'mudali-ANDAn'. This honorofic is cited in the 'taniyan' of SrI AndAn which is as under:

"pAdukE yati-rAjasya kathayanti yad-AkhyayA
tasya dASarathE: pAadav SirasA dhArayAam yaham".

svAmi mudali-ANDAn is accordingly referred to as the rAmAnuja-pAdukA or yatirAja-pAdukA.
The short and sweet name ANDAn.

When Sri RAmanuja took sanyAsam , MudaliAndan and KoorathAzhwan came and paid respects at his feet and obtained pancha samskArams from him. Sri RamAnujar taught SribAshyam and other rahasyArtham to Swami MudaliAndan while his father AnandanArayana Dheekshidar taught him Divya prabandam.

Then By that time Udayavar shifted his base to Srirangam.Our EmperumAnAr showered his affection on AndAn and AzhvAn, this we can see in the episode of Sri RAmAnujar seeking instruction from TirukkOtiyUr Nambi (Nambi)
on rahasyartham. Sri RamAnuja visited TriukOttiyur Nambi 18 times for upadesam on Thiru mantram, but he could not get the upadesam. Sri Ramanuja once told this to one of nambi’s sishyAs and Nambi heard that and told Udayavar to come alone to get upadesam with tAndam (Sacred staff) and pavithram (pennant). However, Sri Ramanuja took DAsarathi and Kuresa with him. When Nambi asked Sri RAmAnuja why he brought Andan and Azhwan inspite of his instruction to come alone, Sri RAmAnuja replied that Andaan is his tAndam and Azhwan is his pavithram. Nambi took all three of them and instructed them the Thirumantram and asked them not to tell them to anyone else. He also told Sri RAmAnuja to come alone later to learn the Charama slokam. Nambi later instructed Sri Ramanuja the Charama slokam ( for more detials you can log on to www.thirukoshtiyur.ramanujatemples.net.).

When Sri RAmAnuja was instructing KurEsa on the Charama-Slokam, Andaan too wanted to know the meaning of the sloka, and hence approached Sri RAmAnuja. Due to TirukkOttiyUr Nambi's instructions, Sir RAmAnuja, asked Andaan to obtain the upadEsam directly from ThirukOshtiyUr Nambi himself. Andaan went and submitted himself to Nambi, who never gave him audience. This continued for about six months and Andaan also did not give up. At one point Nambi inquired Andaan about the reason for his being there. When Andaan requested to be taught the meaning of Charama Sloka, Nambhi said "Let the three egotism that troubles the mankind, that of having knowledge, wealth and ancestry. Ramanuja will be the best judge in these matters. Go to him and wait on him on his will and pleasure. He will bless you". DAsarathi returned to Srirangam, fell to Sri Ramanuja's feet and narrated all that happened at Thirukoshtiyur. Pleased with Andaan, Sri RAmAnuja lauded the
change in him and taught Charama slokam to Andaan.

RAmAnuja had a very intimate attachment towards SwAmi MudaliAndAn which was expressed by Ramanuja himself many times. Even at the time when he embraced Sanyasa, RAmAnuja renounced everything except Swami MudaliAndAn, his priya BaginEyar. While going to CAuvery for his daily bath, he used to lean on DAsarathi for support. One day, while on his way to the river, he was asked why, when he donned the robes of a Sannyaasin (a Pontiff) he did not give up DAsarathi, as that order demanded that all kith and kin should be renounced. To this Ramanuja replied that Dasarathi was an exception as he was his triTAndam (triple staff) (it is the same reason he gave to ThirukOshtiyUr Nambi) and added "Just as a Pontiff cannot be without his triTAndam (triple staff) , I cannot do without Andaan”. Thus Andaan is referred to as a Triplestaf(TriTAndam) which is
always found with a pontiff.

In our SrIvaishaNava SampradAyam,all Pontiffs carry a tridandam ( Triple Staff) made out of three small wooden sticks.

This is to signify the three components of our philosophy - chit, achit and easwara. It is mandatory for our Pontiffs to carry tridanda always with them. It is also said that “Vishnuroopam Tridandagyam” i.e., Tridandam is Vishnu’s roopam. As Andaan is Mahavishnu’s amsam, it is said “Paki Neyas Tridandaga : Thus it is appropriate that he is called Sriramanuja’s  tridanda (triplestaff).

When RAmAnuja along with KoorathAzhwAn went to North India to collect the work of Brahma Sutra, he sought NamperumAl’s Niyamanam to leave Srirangam temple activities in the hands of DAsarathi. Lord NamperumAl gave his consent to this and instructed RAmAnuja to spread the message of SrIvaishNavism in all directions. Andaan meticulously took care of the activities of SrIrangam temple,He handled the work of SrikAryam, Thiru mEni upachAram and thirupuvana upachAram very efficiently.


Once, on RAmAnuja’s instructions Andaan went to Periya Nambi’s daughter Athuzhai to her in-law’s house as “Attuzhai's stri dhana vellatti”(Servants who are sent with bride to her In law’s house during olden times to work in groom’s house). Just to comply with his Acharya’s words, Aandaan served Athuzhai and her in laws for several months until they realized who he was and regretted it all. This incident shows Andaan’s unabiding devotion to his acharya, which is the essence of our SrI VaishNava sampradAyam.

After unfortunate incident at ChOla NAdu ,RAmAnuja’s Passage to MEl Nadu ( Modern day Karnataka) from SrIrangam constitutes a poignant episode in SrIvaishNava history. The occasion once again demonstrated the precious loyalty of ANdAn and AzhvAn to Udaiyavar. ANdAn simply went with uDaiyavar on the virtually uncharted emergency evacuation from SrIrangam, and AzhvAn (together with Periya nambigal) substituted for uDaiyavar to answer the vicious summons of the bigoted chOla ruler. Before reaching MElkOTE, Udayavar and Andaan halted at a place known as SalagrAmam where they were baited and harassed by a cynical group of people. Udaiyavar, directed Andan just to step into the waters of the local pool and come out. The villagers are said to have unknowingly been converted to gentle ways by imbibing the pool-water sanctified as the washing of Andan's feet (SrIpada-tIrtham). That is why, even today, in MudaliAndAn ThirumAligai, SrIpAda Theertham is administered to even those who have not obtained Pancha SamaskAram.

Then Udayavar reached ThondannUr and brought the great HoysAla king BittidEva a.k.a VishNu-vardhana to SrIvaishNavam Fold and constructed ThirunArAyana temple and at Thondanur he won over mAyavAthis in Yoga Narasimha Temple.

On udayavar’s instructions Andaan went to BElur and converted people to SrIvaishNavism and installed pancha NArAyana temples at various locations.

The temples are:

Veera NArayana in BElur,

Keerthi NArAyana in TalakAd

Nambhi NArAyana in ThondannUr

Vijaya NArAyana in Gadag

ThirunArAyana or Cheluva NArAyana in MElkote

   Udayavars Pada- Saligrama,   Moolavar Mudali Andan - Saligrama

The 'pancha-NArAyaNa-pratishThA', as it came to be known, was not only the glory of vaishNava religion per se, but the temples figure in the nation's cultural history as they have so many marvels of architecture and stone-crafting. This comprehensive project got executed under the supervision of svAmi mudali-ANDAn and these temples stand, especially, as monuments to uDaiyavar's trust in the skills and integrity of ANDAn.

Sri RAmAnuja returned from ThirunArayanan puram and reached SrIrangam via Thirumalai and ThirumalirunchOlai and received PerumAl mariyAdai,sadAri and theertha prasAdam. On hearing RAmAnuja’s return, kulOthugna chOzhan (son of kirimikanda chozan) fell at RAmAnuja’s feet and surrendered the rights of SrIrangam temple to RAmAnuja and became a disciple of Andaan. KulOthunga chOzhan’s surrender of SrIrangam temple to Udayavar was recorded at Arya BattAl vAsal in SrIrangam, and can be seen even today.

RAmAnujar gave portion of erstwhile Alawandars Sri Mattam to the Periaya Nambhi's Thirukumarar the southern portion of it in Chitra Veedhi, Then the Opposite House was alloted to AlwAn.The southern portion of AlwAn’s House was given by RAmAnjua to Mudali Andaan and also Udayvar gave him a tittle of Sri Senathi Pathi, Sengol , Thiruvazi .Udayavar blessed him with his arAdhana Murthy Sri Lakshminarasimhan and made Mudali AndAn the incharge of SrIrangam Temple Administration.

Udayavar is admired for his administrative acumen, revered for his philosophic integrity, and adored for his surpassing compassion; he was like the clouds which bring their consoling showers, "kArEi karuNai-yirAmAnuSa" says AmuthanAr.He
streamlined the entire administration of properties and revenues of the Periya KOil of NamperumAl.

"tiruvarankan Selva-muRRum tirutti-vaittAn". This was possible principally because he had entrusted ANDAn with the entirety of temple administration, in the capacity of SrI-kArya-dhurandhara, or ANDAn kuRaTTu-maNiam.It was Thirumangai Mannan who had initially organised the temple functionaries into five groups. By the time uDaiyavar became responsible for the Periya kOyil, he amplified the functions and organised the ten-fold temple Parijanam (functionaries).

They were:-
(1) tiruppatiyAr, (2) tiruppaNi-seyivAr, (3) bhAgavatanambi-s, (4) uLLUrAr and todavattimAr, (5) viNNappamseyivAr,
(6) tiruk-karakak-kAiyAr, (7) sthAnattAr,(8) pattuk-kottu, (9) Arya-bhaTAL, and (10) dAsa-nambi-s.

This reorganisation was known as 'Udayavar Thittam'. Since Andaan was made the chief of the entire mudalikaL (temple functionaries), ANDAn came to be known as Mudali Andaan.

Udayavar got the six dautghters of Mudali Andan married to the sons of Mudumbai Nambhi,Mudembai Ammal,Asuri Perumal,Kidambhi Perumal,Komandur Ilayavalli Aachan & Vanghipurathu Nambhi . All the above mentioned persons were among the 74 SimhasenAthipathis appointed by Udayavar for growth of religion.

Mudali AndAn had a grouse that he did not have a male heir to continue the Kainkaryam of NamperumAl. Then knowing this NamperumAl blessed the devi of Mudali AndAn .In 1108 CE in the Savadari year in Masi Month in Poonarvasu star constellation ,Mudali AndAn was blessed with a child with divya thEjas. He took him to his Acharya EmperumAnAr ,and placed the child at the feet and asked him to do the nAmakarnam. YathtirAjar embraced the child and named him as ElaiAzhwAn RAmAnujan. Later on this child grew up and came to be known as KanthAdai AndAn.

Mudali AndAn Lived for 103 Thirunakshatrams and attained Lord's feet in the year 1136 CE. At that time KanthAdai AndAn was only 28 years old.

KanthAdai AndAn: As mentioned above you know the story of KanthAdai AndA'n birth. after his father attained Lord's Lotus feet. YahtirAjar consoled him, took him to NamperumAls Sannidhi and also gave him the duties and responsibilities performed by his father Mudali AndAn .

KanthAdai AndAn also discharged the responsibilities like his father. After sometime, inspired by his AchAryan RAmAnujAchArya, wanted to become a sanyAsi. So he conveyed his wish to his AchAryan that he wanted to embrace sanyAsa. But YathirAjar did not listen to him and told that there is no need for him and his descendants to become an ascetic. EmperumAnAr gave the same instruction to Bhattar, son of AlwAn .

more will follow................