Kallazhagar Temple (Azhagar Kovil)
Thirumaliruncholai
Photo: Ssriram mt · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Its Chithirai festival, marking Kallazhagar's descent to the Vaigai, is among Tamil Nadu's largest temple festivals.
Sthala Purāṇam
Thirumaliruncholai, the Kallazhagar temple set upon the wooded Solaimalai hill near Madurai, enshrines Lord Kallazhagar, also called Sundararajar, Paramaswamy and Maalirunsolai Nambi, standing east-facing in abhaya mudra and bearing the five weapons (panchayudha); the festival form is Sundararajan. The consort Goddess is Kalyana Sundaravalli Nachiyar, with the festival Thayar named Vakulavalli. The temple's foundational legend tells of the sage Suthapas, cursed by Durvasa to be born a frog (manduka); Vishnu descended here as Kallazhagar to redeem him. Yama is believed to have worshipped here, with Vishvakarma assisting the construction. The name Thirumaliruncholai signifies the sacred great grove, and Azhagar means the beautiful one. The vimana is most commonly named the Somachandra Vimana. The temple's most famous tirtham is the Noopura Gangai, the anklet-Ganga spring high on the hill, whose sweet waters, called Thenaru, alone are used for the Lord's abhishekam. As one of the most extensively hymned Divya Desams, Thirumaliruncholai was sung by six Alvars, with Nammalvar devoting the entire decad of Thiruvaimozhi 10.7 to the sacred hill, treating it as a means to liberation. Andal, in her Nachiyar Thirumozhi, vowed offerings of akkaravadisal and butter to Azhagar; merging with Ranganatha at Srirangam before fulfilling the vow, it was completed on her behalf by Sri Ramanuja, venerated as her elder brother. The temple is the heart of the great Chithirai festival, when Kallazhagar, elder brother of Goddess Meenakshi, journeys to the Vaigai river at Madurai, steps into its waters, yet turns back without entering the city, having arrived after her wedding.
Mangalāśāsanam — the Āḻvār pāsurams
The Lord Kallazhagar (Sundararajar) with Thirumamagal (Sundaravalli) of Thirumaliruncholai is glorified by:
Thirumaliruncholai (Azhagar Kovil / Solaimalai), the great hill shrine near Madurai enshrining Kallazhagar (Sundararaja Perumal), is one of the most lavishly sung Divya Desams (around 128 pasurams). Its Mangalasasanam spans many Alvars: Nammalvar (Thiruvaaymozhi decade 2.10 'kiLaroLi', and further verses such as 10.7-10.8), Andal (Nachiyar Thirumozhi 9 'sindhurach chembodi', addressed to Azhagar; and Thiruppavai references), Periyalvar, plus Bhoothathalvar, Peyalvar and Thirumangai Alvar in Periya Thirumozhi. Verbatim Tamil of Nammalvar's 2.10.1 is sourced from the authoritative divyaprabandham.koyil.org; verbatim Tamil for the other Alvars was not confidently isolated and is left empty.
kiLaroLi iLamai keduvadhan munnam vaLaroLi mAyOn maruviya kOyil
In the 'kiLaroLi' decade (2.10), Nammalvar urges the soul to reach Thirumaliruncholai - the hill abode where the radiant, wondrous Lord (mAyOn) has taken His seat - while youth and its growing radiance still last, before youthful vigour fades. He extols the cool, flourishing groves of the sacred southern hill (Solaimalai) as the goal worth attaining.
Verses & references (2)
- In the ninth Thirumozhi ('sindhurach chembodi'), Andal sends the bees, birds and clouds as messengers to the Lord of Thirumaliruncholai (Azhagar / Sundararaja), beseeching Him to come to her, expressing her intense longing to unite with the Lord of the sacred grove-hill. — Andal, Nachiyar Thirumozhi 9 (Naalayira Divya Prabandham) 9 · source ↗
- Periyalvar glorifies the Lord of Thirumaliruncholai (Azhagar), praising the sacred hill where the Lord resides and recalling that even the Pandya king extolled the Lord of Thirumaliruncholai. His verses celebrate the beauty and grace of the deity of Solaimalai. — Periyalvar, Periyalvar Thirumozhi (Naalayira Divya Prabandham) · source ↗
Tamil text & meaning sourced from divyaprabandham.koyil.org and other Śrī Vaiṣṇava authorities — please cross-check the linked source for the canonical reading.
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