Alagar Kovil

2025-06-18T15:00:44Z

2409:40F3:23:2BB3:8000:0:0:0:

{{Short description|Neighbourhood in Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, India}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Alagar Kovil
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = village
| image_skyline = AzhagarKovil Madurai.JPG
| image_alt = Image of [[Kallalagar Temple]], after which the village is named
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = 
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Tamil Nadu, India
| coordinates = {{coord|10|04|29.45|N|78|12|47.15|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Madurai district|Madurai]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| leader_title = Panchayat President
| leader_name =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
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| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 266
| population_total =
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| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Tamil language|Tamil]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
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| website =
| footnotes =
}}{{This|an Indian village|temple in this village|Kallalagar Temple}}{{Vaishnavism}}

'''Alagar Kovil''' or "Azhagar Kovil" is a temple village in [[Madurai district]] in the South Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. The history and living of the village is centered around [[Kallalagar Temple|Kallazhagar Temple]]. Constructed in the [[Tamizh architecture|Tamizhar style of architecture]], the temple is glorified in the ''[[Divya Prabandha|Nalayira Divya Prabandham]]'', the early medieval [[Tamil literature|Tamil]] canon of the [[Alvars|Alvar]] saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 ''[[Divyadesam|Divya Desam]]s'' dedicated to [[Vishnu]], who is worshiped as [[Vishnu|Kallalagar]] and his consort [[Lakshmi]] as Tirumamagal.<ref>{{cite book|title=108 Vaishnavite Divya Desams: Divya desams in Pandya Nadu|last= M. S. |first=Ramesh|publisher= Tirumalai-Tirupati Devasthanam|year=1993}}
</ref>

==Kallalagar Temple==
[[File:Azhagarkovil2.jpg|200px|left|thumb|One of the broken gateway towers of the temple]]
[[Kallazhagar Temple|Kallalagar Temple]] covers an area of about {{convert|2|acre|hectare|abbr=on}} and has a five-tiered ''[[gopuram]]'' (gateway tower). The temple is enclosed in a rectangular enclosure with huge granite walls. The central shrine houses the image of the presiding deity, Sundarabahu Perumal in standing posture. The images of Sridevi and [[Bhūmi|Bhudevi]] are also housed in the sanctum. There are two life size images of [[Narasimha]], the [[avatar]] of Vishnu. One of them is shown holding the demon Hiranya and other slaying him.<ref name=Rao>{{cite book|title=Temples of Tamil Nadu|last=Rao|first=A.V.Shankaranarayana|publisher=Vasan Publications|isbn=978-81-8468-112-3|year=2012|pages=229–31|ref=Rao}}</ref>

The temple houses some rare Vijayanagara sculptures similar to the ones present in [[Soundararajaperumal Temple, Thadikombu]], [[Krishnapuram Venkatachalapathy temple]], [[Srivilliputhur Divya Desam]] and [[Jalakandeswarar Temple, Vellore]]. The temple also has one of the unique deities [[Sudarshana Chakra|Chakaratalvar]] (Alvar) where the god with [[chakram]] having 16 hands and 16 weapons is without Narasimha above him.<ref name=Gopal>{{cite journal|title=The Raṅga-maṇḍapa of the Tāṭikkompu Temple A Study of an Iconographic Programme of the Vijayanagara Tradition|journal=East and West|volume=46|last=S.|first=Gopalakrishnan|issue=3/4|date=December 1996|jstor=29757285|pages=415–431}}</ref>

=== Chithirai Festival ===

Chithirai festival of this temple celebrated for ten days is one of the declared festivals of Tamil Nadu government. This festival day is declared as a local holiday. In Chithirai (April–May), Kallalagar starts from Alagar Kovil in the form of Kallar
<ref>{{cite book|title=Saints, Goddesses and Kings: Muslims and Christians in South Indian Society|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fxqtx8SflEsC&q=azhagar+kallar&pg=PA43|year=2004|pages=[40]|isbn = 9780521891035|last1 = Bayly|first1 = Susan}}</ref> and reaches Madurai on [[Purnima|Pournami]] (Full Moon day). Here he steps into river Vaigai in his Horse Vaganam. Lakhs of devotees flock to river Vaigai to see this event. "Ethir Sevai" festival is celebrated on the day before Alagar steps into river Vaigai. Ethir Sevai is a part of the Chithirai Tiruvila of the Kallalagar temple at Alagar Kovil and begins on the fourth day. On this day, Alagar or [[Vishnu]] changes his appearance as [[Kallar (caste)|Kallar]] and travels via [[Kallar (caste)|Kallar Nadu]] and enters Madurai and the city's residents welcome him.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/divine-wedding-under-lockdown-chithirai-festival-at-madurai-meenakshi-temple/story-qZotuPYKznlpKznD1LGg4O.html|title=Chithirai festival|work=[[hindustantimes]]|date=2020-05-04 |accessdate=2023-07-06}}</ref> It is a tradition for the people of Madurai to welcome Alagar.

As Alagar returns from Vandiyur Dhasavatharam, festival is celebrated throughout the night at Ramarayar Mandapam in the Northern part of river Vaigai. After this event, Alagar is taken to Mysore Veera Mandapam on decorated Anantharayar Palanquin. The next morning Alagar in the form of [[Kallar (caste)|Kallar]] returns to Alagar kovil in ‘Poo Pallakku' (Palanquin decorated with flowers)

In the month of April and May, each year the great Chitra festival is celebrated on Pournami (full moon day). The festival dramatically re-enacts the visitation of Kallalagar to Madurai from Alagar Koyil. Lakhs of devotees flock to river Vaigai to personally witness the event of Alagar stepping down into the river and to get his blessings.

During the months of July and August the festival of Adi Brahmotsavam is being celebrated for 10 days. This festival occurs within the precincts of the shrine. Devotees from different parts of Tamilnadu throng to participate in this festival. The temple car ‘Amaiththa Narayanan’ is taken in procession during Pournami (Full-Moon day) of Adi (Brahmotsavam).

== How to come here? ==
===Road===
Roads were directed especially to Azhagar Kovil from the heart of Madurai. Another Road to Azhagar Kovil is from [[Melur]]. [[Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation]] Runs Town buses frequently from [[Periyar Bus Stand|Periyar Bus stand]], [[Mattuthavani Bus Stand, Madurai|M.G.R Mattuthavani Bus Terminus]], [[Melur|Melur Colonel John Penni quick Memorial Bus stand]] towards Alagar kovil.

===Rail===
The Major Railhead that is nearest to Alagar kovil is [[Madurai Junction railway station|Madurai Railway Junction]]. It is connected well with [[Taxi|taxicabs]], bus stand and [[Auto rickshaw|Auto rickshaws]] that lead us to Alagar kovil.

===Air===
The Nearest Airport is [[Madurai Airport|Madurai International airport]]. The Airport is connected well with [[Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation|TNSTC]] town buses, Taxicabs.
==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Madurai district}}

[[Category:Villages in Madurai district]]

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Alagar Kovil