Alakumalai Sri Adhi Kailasanathar Temple / அலகுமலை ஸ்ரீ ஆதி கைலாசநாதர் கோயில், Vanavanjeri, Alakumalai / Alagumalai, Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Adhi Kailasanathar Temple at Alagumalai was a part of “Kongu Nadu Heritage Visit to Temples, Hero stones, Ayyanar and Jyeshta Devi Sculptures around Kangayam” in Tiruppur District. Here Alaku, means beak- Since the Hill looks like beak, this place is called as ‘Alaku malai”.    

Moolavar  : Sri Adhi Kailasanathar

Consort    : Sri Periyanayaki

Some the salient features of this temple are....

The temple is facing east with a 36 feet Deepa sthambam. Nandhi’evar's bas relief is at the base of the deepa sthambam facing moolavar. A Mandapa is at the entrance of the temple.

28 feet Dwajasthambam, balipeedam and Rishabam ( Rishabam is facing moolavar – hence it is believed that the temple exists before Nandanar one of the 63 Nayanmar ) are after the entrance mandapam. Moolavar is of square, which signifies the 4 Vedas ie, Rig, Yajur, Sama and atharva Vedas. In Koshtam only Dakshinamurthy. The other niches are empty, but the makara thoranas has the bas reliefs of Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durga.

Ambal is in a separate sannadhi. Chandikeswarar, Mappilai Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Ashta Lingas, Kala Bhairava, Navagrahas, Anjaneyar, Nalvar, Chandran and Suriyan are in the prakaram.      

ARCHITECTURE

The temple complex consists of sanctum, antarala, artha mandapam and a open mukha mandapam. A Two Tier Vesara Vimana is over the sanctum sanctorum. The adhisthana is of simple padabandha adhisthana with three patta Kumuda. The Ambal sannadhi is also of similar construction.

Bas relief of crocodile, Monkey, Anna bird are on the walls of sanctum sanctorum.   

HISTORY & INSCRIPTIONS

Considering near by temples and the style of construction, the temple might have been constructed during Chozha / Pandya  period. The Temple claims that this temple and the Lakshmi Narayana Perumal temple was constructed by Jadila Parantaka Nedunchadayan Koon Pandiyan.

A Lakshmi Narayana Perumal was unearthed from the Temple’s well. Lakshmi is sitting on the lap of Narayana. The temple has 3 chariots.

A 17^th Century inscription is erected on the left side of the temple. As per the inscription this Alagumalai was in Pongalur nadu. The inscriptions, belongs to  Madurai Nayakar Thirumalai Nayakar ( 1641 CE ). As per the inscription, during procession of of Murugan ( Alagumalai Kumaraswamy ) of Alagumalai, special privileges /rights were  given as sarva maniyam to the person carrying the Utsava murtis ( சீர்பாதம் தாங்கும் சமய முதலிகள் )  

LEGENDS

It is believed that Suriyan worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. As a proof of this legend, the Sun rays falls on moolavar from 5^th to 10^th of Avani month, every year.

Also it is believed that Ambal worshiped Lord Shiva in the form of cow.  

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Pournami ( full moon day ), Ashtami days, Ekadasi, Lakshmi Narayana Pooja, Amavasai ( new moon day ) and Maha Shivaratri day.  

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs. Poojas are conducted 07.00 hrs to 07.30 hrs  

CONTACT DETAILS

The Thakkar may be contacted on his Land line number +91 421 220 4101 for further details. The archakar is Sathyojathasivam. The Asst Commissioner +91 98842 52704 and Inspector +91 94432 49888

HOW TO REACH

The Sri Adhi Kailasanathar Temple is at the centre of Alagumalai.

The temple is 18 KM from Kangayam, 23 KM from Palladam, 2 KM from Tiruppur, 36 KM from Dharapuram, 62 KM from Coimbatore and 460 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is Tiruppur.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Chariot sculptures

Anjaneyar

Inscription Tablet

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---