Kumarakovil
|
Kumarakovil Kumarakoil |
|
|---|---|
| Village | |
| Country |
 India
|
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| District | Kanyakumari |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Tamil |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| PIN | 629180 |
| Vehicle registration | TN-74 |
| Nearest city | Thucklay |
Kumarakoil or Kumarakovil (Tamil:குமாரகோவில்) is a small village in Kanyakumari district. Here is the famous Subrahmanya (Muruga) Temple by the name of "Velimalai Kumaraswamy Temple'. The temple was built on a hill named 'Velimalai'. Lord Muruga and his consort Goddess Valli are the main deities. It is believed that they married here. It is built on a rocky terrain about 200 feet in height. The rock cut temple with stone carvings is a splendid structure. A large water body is seen in the surrounding. Majority of the devotees are from Kerala state. A police party and band from Kerala state is present on certain celebrations of this grand temple. Many children get their first feed (choor\Oonu kodupu) in this temple. There is a shed for holy animals- cow, bull, peacock in the temple courtyard. Kuramakoil is one of the holiest places for Hindus. It is about 34 kilometers from Kanyakumari and around 50 km from Trivandrum airport. Around 5 kilometers from Thakkallay (thucalay) town bus stand, many buses are available to Kumarakovil. A new landmark nearby is the Noorul Islam University.
Kumarakoil is one of the important and renowned among the Murugan temples in the district of Kanyakumari Tamil Nadu. It is located near Thuckalay, 15 km from Nagercoil. Kumara Koil, also called "Kumara Shethram" and "Subramania Sthala" in Malayalam language, and "Thiruveragam" in ancient Tamil scripts is at the foot hills of the Velimalai Hills also known as "Velvi Malai", and Merkada malai means the southern end of the western ghats. Prior to 1950, Kanyakumari District was first with Chera Kingdom (Chera Nadu) and later with Trivancore samasthanam (province) and then with present-day Kerala State. During Tamil Sangam period, Kumara Koil was known as Thiruveragam as evidenced from Thirumurugattupadai, the sangam literature written by poet Nakkeerar. The name of the temple has changed since Tamil Sangam period, under the successive rulers of the area. Thus, Kumara koil is also known as Thiruveragam (Thiru Earagam), Malai Nattu Oru Thiruppathi, Subramania Sthala, Kumara Shethra etc.
The temple is built on the foot hills of Veli Malai where, according to legends, Lord Muruga enacted a drama to win the heart of Valli the divine child found in the hillock by Nambi Arasan, a chieftain ruled over the place with Thirukurangudi (Valliyoor) as his capital. The temple faces east and can be reached by a flight of thirty eight steps. Beyond the comparatively small but beautiful rajagopuram, Veerabagu and Veeramagendra stand guard of the Lord. The statue of Muruga in the Moolasthanam is in standing posture. It is eight feet eight inches height in varadha hastham. The height of the statue of Valli amman is to the left side of the Lord in standing porture and is six feet two inches height. Apart from Valli sametha Murugan sannithanam (temple), sannithanams are dedicated to Lord Shiva (Mahadevar), Parvathy (Shivakami Ammai), Kalyana Vinayagar, Shree Dharma Sastha, Ilaya Naynar (Child Murugan), and Arumuga Nayinar (Brahmachari Murugan). A Sannithanam has been dedicated to Dhakshan. This is considered to be a unique feature. This may be perhaps Dhaksha Prajapathi, one of the first creations of Lord Brahma and father in law of Lord Shiva might have attended the divine marriage of Lord Muruga in his capacity as maternal grandfather. The sacred tree (sthala virusham) is Vengai Tree. The tree has died long ago and the trunk could be found now in a separate enclosure. The Theppakulam (sacred lake) where the devotees take bath before darshan (oblation) of the Lord, bears fresh stream water sourced from the hill top, all the time. There are separate enclosures for the sacred cows, bulls, pecock etc., in the temple enclosure. Devotees feed them and also the fish in the theppakulam. Anna Thanam (feeding poor people) is being done on a daily basis. It is believed auspicious to feed the first feed to the children in the precincts of the Lord. Marriages, ear boring ceremonies etc., are held there and offering like head trouncing, Palkudam, Kavadi etc., are being fulfilled there by devotees.
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