Kili

 The Kili of Srivilliputhur: Grace Shaped as a Parrot

In Srivilliputhur, devotion is not an idea — it is a way of living.

Sri Vaishnavas here are so immersed in kainkaryam that the body is sustained only to enable service. What truly matters is not the body’s satisfaction, but the soul’s alignment with the Lord.

It is in this sacred atmosphere that the Kili Prasādam of Srivilliputhur must be understood.

Prasādam Beyond Consumption

Prasādam, in the Sri Vaishnava understanding, is anything received after it has served the Lord.

It may take many forms:

a flower garland once worn by the deity

a silk vastram that adorned the Lord

a pavitram — the brightly coloured silk-thread ornament woven like beads and offered on special occasions

or the Kili Prasādam, unique to Srivilliputhur

None of these are meant for use or enjoyment. They are received with humility, preserved with reverence, and kept as living reminders of divine grace.

The Sacred Kili: Material and Form

The Kili of Srivilliputhur is not symbolic alone — it is carefully crafted.

It is traditionally made using a special sacred leaf, shaped meticulously into the form of a parrot, echoing the kili always seen in the hand of Āṇḍāḷ. Its green hue, natural and gentle, immediately recalls the garden where Āṇḍāḷ grew up — a space filled with tulasi, flowers, and divine conversation.

The leaf is chosen not for ornamentation, but for its purity and simplicity, aligning with the Sri Vaishnava ideal of restraint and inner richness.

The form is unmistakable:

a parrot — poised, alert, and attentive.

Āṇḍāḷ and Her Eternal Companion

Āṇḍāḷ, the only woman among the Āḻvārs, did not approach the Lord as a distant seeker. She approached Him as a beloved.

In the garden of Periyāḻvār, her constant companion was the kili. She spoke to it, entrusted it with her messages, and filled its presence with divine names. In Tamil bhakti tradition, the parrot became the bearer of longing, the echo of Tiruppāvai, and the symbol of unwavering intent.

Thus, the kili came to represent:

vāku śuddhi — purity of speech

nāma-smaraṇa — constant remembrance

patient waiting for divine response.

Āṇḍāḷ’s life culminated in divine marriage — not through haste, but through steadfast longing and surrender. Therefore, her blessings are naturally sought for:

Marriage of daughters

Removal of obstacles in alliances

Harmony and auspiciousness in family life

Right speech at decisive moments

The parrot symbolizes vāku śuddhi — purity and sweetness of speech — for it is through words that alliances are proposed, vows are exchanged, and futures are shaped.

Why the Kili Is Taken Home

The Kili Prasādam is received and taken home, not as an object, but as a presence.

It is often kept:

in the puja room

alongside family treasures

near articles connected with marriage and auspicious beginnings

Devotees, especially parents of daughters, seek Āṇḍāḷ’s grace through this kili — trusting that, just as her own longing culminated in divine union, obstacles in life too will dissolve in the Lord’s time.

Preservation as Practice

What carries divine association is not exhausted; it is honoured.

Just as a pavitram is preserved after adorning the Lord, and a vastram is folded away reverently, the leaf-formed kili is safeguarded until its purpose in the devotee’s life is fulfilled.

When grace has unfolded, it is returned respectfully — acknowledging that the Lord’s role has been complete.

A Theology in Leaf and Form

The Kili of Srivilliputhur teaches without words.

It reminds the devotee that:

grace can be light as a leaf

faith may need time to ripen

and devotion often waits quietly, like a parrot listening

In Srivilliputhur, prasādam does not feed the body.

It steadies the soul.

“Shaped like a parrot, formed of a simple leaf,

the Kili of Srivilliputhur carries Āṇḍāḷ’s grace

from the temple into the waiting heart.”

Online kili seva can be booked a few days before you actually visit sriviliputur so that you can collect the kili prasadam from the temple office when you produce the receipt during your visit.