<p>Amuktamalyada is an epic Telugu poem authored by the celebrated Vijayanagara King Sri Krishnadeva Raya. The word Amuktamalyada means ‘she who offered a garland after wearing it’ and refers to Andal, the Bhakti Saint poet of Tamilnadu. </p>.<p>Vishnuchittar of Srivilliputtur, an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, found a baby girl under a Tulasi plant while procuring flowers from the garden. Having no family of his own, he considered the child as God’s gift, took her home, named her Goda Devi and raised her as his own. Goda was brought up in an atmosphere of love and devotion towards the Lord. The intensity of her love and dedication towards Lord Vishnu grew so much that she decided to marry Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam Temple, who is considered a form of Lord Vishnu.</p>.<p>Unbeknownst to her father, every day Goda adorned herself with the flower garland he prepared for the Lord at the temple, in order to find out how she looked as His bride. After admiring her reflection, she would put the garland back. One day, Vishnuchittar did notice her trying on the garland and was shocked by the desecration of what was meant only for the Lord. He scolded her for her irreverence and prepared a new one and offered it to the Lord.</p>.<p>That night, Vishnuchittar had a dream wherein the Lord asked him why he discarded Goda Devi’s garland instead of offering it to Him. He told Vishnuchittar that he missed Goda’s scent in the flowers, would he please continue to bring the garlands once worn by her. </p>.<p>Overcome with emotion, Vishnuchittar awoke and cried tears of both joy and remorse. It dawned on him that his daughter was someone whose love of God was so intense and pure that even he had not comprehended its extent. Her spiritual greatness was such that the Lord Himself wished to share her presence. Since then she became known as "Andal", the girl who "ruled" over the Lord.</p>.<p>Krishnadeva Raya’s poem describes Andal’s pain of separation and her subsequent wedding to Lord Ranganatha. Even now, during the Brahmotsavam of Tirumala Venkateshwara temple, a garland reaches the God from Srivilliputtur’s Andal Temple because one of his consorts, Bhudevi, is considered Andal.</p>
<p>Amuktamalyada is an epic Telugu poem authored by the celebrated Vijayanagara King Sri Krishnadeva Raya. The word Amuktamalyada means ‘she who offered a garland after wearing it’ and refers to Andal, the Bhakti Saint poet of Tamilnadu. </p>.<p>Vishnuchittar of Srivilliputtur, an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, found a baby girl under a Tulasi plant while procuring flowers from the garden. Having no family of his own, he considered the child as God’s gift, took her home, named her Goda Devi and raised her as his own. Goda was brought up in an atmosphere of love and devotion towards the Lord. The intensity of her love and dedication towards Lord Vishnu grew so much that she decided to marry Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam Temple, who is considered a form of Lord Vishnu.</p>.<p>Unbeknownst to her father, every day Goda adorned herself with the flower garland he prepared for the Lord at the temple, in order to find out how she looked as His bride. After admiring her reflection, she would put the garland back. One day, Vishnuchittar did notice her trying on the garland and was shocked by the desecration of what was meant only for the Lord. He scolded her for her irreverence and prepared a new one and offered it to the Lord.</p>.<p>That night, Vishnuchittar had a dream wherein the Lord asked him why he discarded Goda Devi’s garland instead of offering it to Him. He told Vishnuchittar that he missed Goda’s scent in the flowers, would he please continue to bring the garlands once worn by her. </p>.<p>Overcome with emotion, Vishnuchittar awoke and cried tears of both joy and remorse. It dawned on him that his daughter was someone whose love of God was so intense and pure that even he had not comprehended its extent. Her spiritual greatness was such that the Lord Himself wished to share her presence. Since then she became known as "Andal", the girl who "ruled" over the Lord.</p>.<p>Krishnadeva Raya’s poem describes Andal’s pain of separation and her subsequent wedding to Lord Ranganatha. Even now, during the Brahmotsavam of Tirumala Venkateshwara temple, a garland reaches the God from Srivilliputtur’s Andal Temple because one of his consorts, Bhudevi, is considered Andal.</p>