Andal is the only female Azhvar among the 12 Azhvar saints of South India. The Azhvar saints are known for their affiliation to the Srivaishnava tradition of Hinduism. Active in the 8th-century, with some suggesting 7th-century, Andal is credited with the great Tamil works, Thiruppavai, and Nachiar Tirumozhi, which are still recited by devotees during the winter festival season of Margazhi. Periyazhvar is the devotee of Perumal, he found a girl child under a Tulasi plant in a garden inside the temple. The child was goddess Sri Mahalakshmi herself incarnated to test the devotion of alwars. He and his wife named the child as Kothai, who grew up as a devotee of Kannan, an avatar of Perumal. She is believed to have worn the garland before dedicating it to the presiding deity of the temple. Kodhai was brought up by Vishnuchitta (Periyalvar) in an atmosphere of love and devotion. As Kodhai grew into a beautiful maiden, her fervor for the Lord Perumal grew to the extent that she decided to marry only the Lord himself. As time passed, she resolves strengthened and she thought constantly about marrying Ranganathar of Thiruvarangam (the reclining form of Perumal).
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