Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple

Uraiyur
Uraiyur Location in Tamil Nadu
Name
Proper name	Nachiyar Kovil, Uraiyur
Geography
Coordinates	10°49′N 78°40′E / 10.82°N 78.67°E / 10.82; 78.67Coordinates: 10°49′N 78°40′E / 10.82°N 78.67°E / 10.82; 78.67
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Tiruchirapalli
Location	Uraiyur
Culture
Primary deity	Azhagiya Manavala Perumal
Consort	Nachiar
Architecture
Architectural styles	Dravidian architecture

Azhagiya Manavalan Perumal Temple (also called Thirukozhi or Nachiyar Koil) in Uraiyur, a suburb Tiruchirappalli in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Azhagiya Manavalan and his consort Lakshmi as Kamalavalli.

The temple is believed to have been built by the Medieval Cholas of the late 8th century AD, with later contributions from later Pandyas, Vijayanagar kings and Madurai Nayaks. A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines and bodies of water. The temple has a 5-tiered rajagopuram, the temple's gateway tower.

Azhagiya Manavalan is believed to have appeared to Kamalavalli, the daughter of Chola king Nanda Cholan, in this place to marry her. Six daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the chariot festival, celebrated during the Tamil month of Chittirai (March–April), is the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

As per Hindu legend, the god Vishnu was pleased by the worship of the childless Chola king Nanda Chola and blessed the king that Lakshmi, his consort, would be born to the king and at appropriate age, the god would get married with her. The king found the child in a lotus tank while hunting in a forest. Since the child was born out of lotus, she was named Kamalvalli by the king. Time came when Kamalavalli fell in love with Vishnu in the form of Ranganathar, the presiding deity of Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple. The Chola king readily got her married to Ranganathar. He built a temple to commemorate the occasion. The event is celebrated as Serthi Sevai festival every year. Since Vishnu appeared as Azhagiya Manavalan, meaning a beautiful groom, the temple is called Azhagiya Manavalan Temple.