Alwarthirunagiri is the birthplace of Nammalvar, one of the 12 Alvars of Vaishnavism. It is also one of the Nava Tirupathis of South Tamil Nadu. Known to be a Guru Kshethram, the presiding deity is Vishnu. As an infant, Nammazhwar crawled and sat in yogasana in a hole of a tamarind tree.