Question:

Who was Andal? What was she called?

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Remember Andal as the "Meera of the South" for her intense and personal devotion to Lord Vishnu, expressed through her beautiful poetry.
Updated On: Sep 8, 2025
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Solution and Explanation


Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks for the identity of Andal and the names she was known by.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Who was Andal?
Andal was a great Tamil poet-saint who lived around the 8th century CE. She is the only female among the twelve Alvars, who were Vaishnava saints of South India, known for their devotional hymns to Lord Vishnu. Andal is revered as an incarnation of Bhudevi (the Earth Goddess and consort of Vishnu).
What was she called?
Andal was known by several names: \[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{Goda or Godadevi: Meaning 'gift of the Earth', as she was found as an infant under a Tulsi plant by her foster father, Periyalvar.} \\ \bullet & \text{Nachiyar: A respectful title for a goddess or lady.} \\ \bullet & \text{Chudikodutha Sudarkodi: Meaning "the lady who wore and gave her garland to the Lord", referring to the story of her wearing flower garlands before offering them to Vishnu.} \\ \end{array}\] Her major literary works are the Thiruppavai and Nachiyar Tirumozhi.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Andal was the only female Alvar saint, devoted to Lord Vishnu. She was also called Goda, Nachiyar, and Chudikodutha Sudarkodi.

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