Kallazhagar Kovil is a Vishnu temple set amidst beautiful surroundings. The temple is in two acres of land at the foothills of Alagar forests.
History of Kallazhagar Kovil
The temple is approximately 2,000 years old. Silappathikaram, the Tamil masterpiece, has a mention of the temple in Alagar hills. Malayadhwaja Pandyan, of the Pandyan dynasty, patronised the temple. After the end of Pandyan rule, Vijayanagar and Nayaka kings rebuilt and beautified the structures. They commissioned large mandapams and major shrines during the 16th century. Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu administers the temple.
Architecture
The massive seven-tier tower looms over the entrance. The architecture is Dravidian. Many religious sculptures cover the gopuram. Two forts surround the temple, the outer one being Azhagapuri and the inner one Hiranyapuri. The southern gateway to the fort, Hiranyankottai Gate, is the main entrance.
This temple is famous for its shrine of Karuppa Swamy, the guardian deity. Sculptures of Lord Kallazhagar can be found in seated, standing and reclining postures in the temple. Azhagar is popularly known as Soundararajan, meaning ‘beautiful king’.
The Tirumalai Nayakar mandapam is a princely structure while the Anna Vahana Mandapam has sculptures describing scenes from the Hindu puranas. The Kalyana mandapam contains life-size rock carvings of Narasimhar, Krishna, Garuda, Manmathan, Rathi, Trivikraman and Lakshmi Varaha. The vast mandapams include beautiful sculptures on the many pillars.
Deities
The main deity Lord Vishnu or Azhagar is in a standing posture facing east. The sanctum also houses the idols of Sridevi and Bhudevi. The visitor should note the Sudrashan Chakra in the hands of Lord Vishnu. He is fully armed and the chakra is ready to launch .There are other shrines inside the temple dedicated to Aandal, Chakarathalwar and the Mother Sundaravalli.
Chithirai Festival in Kallazhagar Kovil
Chithirai Thiruvizha or Chithirai festival is a celebration in the city of Madurai during the Tamil month of Chithirai (April-May). The first 15 days mark the the coronation of Goddess Meenakshi and her marriage to Lord Sundareswara. The next 15 days seal the festivities covering the journey of Lord Alagar from Kallazhagar temple to Madurai.
According to legend, Lord Kallazhagar travelled on a golden horse to the celestial wedding of his sister Meenakshi. Lamentably, he gets delayed and fails to attend the wedding. Meenakshi and Lord Shiva then rush to Vaigai River to pacify him. However, he gets into the river to hand over gifts to the newlyweds and then goes back without visiting Madurai. The epic scene of Chithirai Festival is that moment when Lord Kallazhagar enters the Vaigai.
Getting There
fKallazhagar Kovil is 21.4 km (42 min) from Meenalshi Amman Kovil. Direct buses run from Madurai to the temple. Spacious parking is available for taxis and other vehicles. Pazhamudircholai Murugan Temple is 3 km (8 min) up the hill from Kallazhagar Kovil.
If you liked the post, you could…
Read more stories and get updates on my Facebook page.
Subscribe to the free and informative e-newsletter.
Related Stories
Meenakshi Amman Kovil in Madurai sublime masterpiece
Thiruparankundran Murugan Temple near Madurai