Kallazhagar Temple (Azhagar Kovil)

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.

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📍 10.07414, 78.21436

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