Thiru means holy Adi is tamil month of Kataka ( of Zodiac fixing Sun’s position ) as per solar calendar and Pooram is birth star of Shri Andal or Goda devi. She is an Incarnation of Bhoodevi, one of the Consorts of Lord Vishnu the other two being Sridevi or Mahalakshmi born out of milky ocean and Neeladevi Like Sri Seetha of Ramayana.

Andal was not born of human parents. She was found in Thulasi garden of Sri Vishnuchittar, a Brahmin in service of Lord Vatapatrashayi of Srivilliputtur in Tamilnadu. He brought her up as his own daughter in midst of his services to lord Vatapatrashayi ( one reclining on Banyanleaf ).

Vishnuchitta was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. He tended the flower garden solely for Lord’s service and he would with great devotion cut the flowers and make it to beautiful fragrant malais to present to Lord.

Andal grew up in such an atmosphere and would listen to the Leelas of the Lord and his various Archamurthis (idols) in other holy places. She was impressed by the Lord of SriRangam, Sriranganatha as explained by her father. She dreamed herself fit to be the bride of the Lord of SriRangam and developed love for him and would not think of marriage with worldly beings.

She has written “Divya Prabhandham” (Holy Hymns) in praise of the Lord where she has poured her yearning for the Lord. Unable to bear the separation, she has sung 143 pashurams (hymns) in praise of Lord and she at times is harsh with him for not listening to her entreatise to be united with him.

She used to stealthily adorn herself with the garlands prepared by her father and used to look at herself in the mirror to judge whether she is fit enough to be the bride of the Lord. Vishnuchitta used to take these garlands to the Lord without knowing of Andal’s using it.

One day it happens that a hair is found in the garland which Vishnuchitta is about to offer and he is shocked at the desecration. So, during tracing the cause for it, he happens to see his daughter adorning herself with a garland before a mirror. He becomes sad and then stops taking the garland to the deity.

That night, Vishnuchitta sees the Lord in his dream and asks him to continue offering the garlands and he likes the garland worn by Sri Andal. So she becomes famous as Sudikudutha Nachiyaar (Thaayar, consort). Further, the Lord wishes to take her as his consort and he orders Vishnuchitta in his dream to bring her to SriRangam bedecked as a bride and he would accept her.

So, Vishnuchitta is happy and takes Sri Andal as ordered by the Lord to SriRangam where Andal merges with Lord Ranganatha. Thus, Vishnuchitta became father-in-law of Ranganatha and so Periya Aalwar.

Sri Andal has sung Tirupaavai, 30 songs sung imagining herself to be a Gopasthree of Gokula and she wakes up Lord Krishna sleeping in his house. She points out that it is his duty to look into the requisites of his devotees and should not sleep. Thus, she becomes an Achaya or Guru even to the Lord.

Her sacred hymns are considered very beautiful and emotional. She is the only lady Aalwaar and there is difference of opinion that she should not be counted among the twelve aalwars as she is BhoomaDevi herself. So she has given thirty paashurams of Tirupaavai and 143 hymns in praise of Lord of SriRangam and Thirumaal Irunjolai and other places.