Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple (also known as Thirukozhi or Nachiyar Koil) is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu in Uraiyur, a suburb of Tiruchirappalli in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The temple, built in the Dravidian style, is mentioned in the Divya Prabandha, an early mediaeval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th to the 9th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam devoted to Vishnu, known as Azhagiya Manavalan, and his spouse Lakshmi, known as Kamalavalli.

The temple is thought to have been built in the late 8th century AD by the Mediaeval Cholas, with later contributions from Pandyas, Vijayanagar kings, and Madurai Nayaks. Azhagiya Manavalan is said to have come to this location to marry Kamalavalli, the daughter of Chola monarch Nanda Cholan.

Legends / Story of the Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple

According to Hindu tradition, the worship of the childless Chola ruler Nanda Chola pleased the god Vishnu. He bestowed upon the monarch a child who was an incarnation of his consort, Lakshmi. While hunting in the jungle, the monarch discovered the child in a 1000-petal lotus tank. The king named the kid Kamalavalli since she was born from a lotus. When Kamalavalli met Vishnu in the avatar of Ranganatha, the presiding deity of Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple, she fell in love.

The Chola king quickly wedded her to Ranganatha, who appears here as the groom. Because Vishnu appeared as Azhagiya Manavalan, which means “beautiful groom,” the temple built here is known as the Azhagiya Manavalan Temple. The event is celebrated as the Serthi Sevai festival every year. This temple is considered one of the 108 Divya Desams.

What is Divya Desams– A Divya Desam or Vaishnava Divya Desam is one of the 108 Vishnu and Lakshmi temples recorded by the Alvars, the poet-saints of the Sri Vaishnava faith. 105 of the 108 temples are in India, one is in Nepal, and the final two are thought to be in space, in Tirupparkatal and Vaikuntham. They are distributed over the Indian states of Tamil Nadu (84), Kerala (11), Andhra Pradesh (2), Gujarat (1), Uttar Pradesh (4), and Uttarakhand (3). Muktinath, Saligramam is Nepal’s sole Divya Desam. The 12 Alvars respect the Divya Desams in the Naalayira Divya Prabandham, a collection of 4,000 Tamil hymns.

History of Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple

The Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple is thought to have existed well before the 7th century. The Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu maintains and administers the temple. The temple, along with Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple, Pundarikakshan Perumal Temple in Thiruvellarai, Sri Vadivazhagiya Nambi Perumal Temple, and Mariamman Temple in Anbil, is managed by an Executive Officer chosen by the Board.

The Board implements the Annadhanam scheme, which gives free food to devotees, in the temple. The scheme provides free food to hundreds of worshippers every day in the temple, and the expense is entirely covered by devotee contributions.

Architecture of Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple

A five-tiered rajagopuram (gateway tower) stands guard over the shrine. The vimana is known as Kamala Vimanam. The central shrine contains a sitting figure of Vishnu as Azhagiya Perumal. The shrine of the goddess Kamalavalli Nachiyar faces north, making it the only divyadesam with a shrine facing north. There are shrines dedicated to the saints Ramanuja and Nammalvar.

The inside walls of the shrine of the Alvar saint Nammalvar are covered in artwork. The temples were painted in the early 1800s and feature representations of Vishnu’s avatars Matsya and Narasimha, Vaishnava Acharyas, Alvars, Vaishnavite mythology, and Ambarisha’s law of justice and dharma.

Facts about Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple

• Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple in Woraiyur (a Trichy suburb), a Divya Desam temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Kamalavalli Nachiar, is one of Trichy’s must-see temples.
• Woriayur Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple is called by several names like Thirukozhi Divyadesam, Woraiyur Nachiyar Kovil, Uraiyur Kamalavalli Nachiar Temple or simply Nachiyar Kovil.
• As the preserver of the universe, Lord Vishnu came along as a beautiful bridegroom; he is called ‘Azhagiya Manavalan‘ and the historic temple is called ‘Azhagiya Manavalan Temple‘.
• Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple is one of the 108 Divyadesam Temples, with the goddess (Sri Kamalavalli Nachiyar) facing north, the direction of the Sri Ranganathar Swamy in the Srirangam Sri Ranganathar Swamy Temple.
• People who are having marital problems or are experiencing marriage delays come to this temple and perform poojas for the goddess.
• As this temple is the place of birth of Kamalavalli Thayar, all prominence is extended to the goddess
• Furthermore, on the auspicious day of Vaikunta Ekadashi, Sri Kamalavalli Thayar, rather than Lord Vishnu, enjoys the privilege of emerging from the ‘Sorga Vaasal’.
• The Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by Kulasekara Alvar in eleven hymns and Thirumangai Alvar in thirteen hymns.

Famous Festivals In Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple

• Vaikunta Ekadasi – Vaikunta Ekadasi which falls in the month of Margazhi, is the primary festival of the temple and the entire complex comes alive during this 20-day extravaganza.
• Diwali – Diwali is one of the most admired and auspicious festivals in the town.
• Chitra Poornima is also a significant occasion for celebration in the temple.
• Brahmotsav – The traditional Brahmotsavam is celebrated in Paguni month [March-April]. Another important and crowded gathering is during the Ratholsavam (Temple Chariot Festival) when the deities inside the temple are mounted on a well-decorated chariot and are paraded around the temple.

How To reach Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple

Tiruchirappalli is well-connected with Road, Rail and Air Routes

By Air: Trichy/Tiruchirapalli is well-connected to cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Madurai, and Colombo. The Trichy airport is about 7 km from the city.

By Railway: Tiruchirappalli is an important Railway junction of the Southern Railways. It connects many important cities and towns of South India such as Chennai, Thanjavur, Madurai and Chidambaram.

By Roadways: Tiruchirappalli is well connected by road to Madurai, Chennai, Pondicherry and Thanjavur/Tanjore.

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