Alagar Koil - tourmet

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Alagar koil is about 21 Kms North East of Madurai. Edit

Detail InformationEdit

Alagar koil or Azhakar Kovil, stands a celebrated Vishnu Temple dedicated to Lord Alagar. The temple is situated on a hill amidst panoramic surroundings. The shrine is know as Alagarkoil and the hill , Solaimalai. The temple also contain some beautiful carvings and makes the visit rewarding. Palamudirsolai, one of the six abodes of Lord Subramaniya is located atop the Hill. Azhakar Kovil (Thirumaliruncholai or Azhakar temple), is a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. When some historic and original facts surface, people tend to treat them with reverence as it seems to be happening in Thenur, a village in the interiors, 20 km off Madurai city. Villagers here relive an event with much fanfare which is believed to have been performed here four Centuries ago. “Mandooga Maharishi’s redemption is an event that was unique to our village. We are trying to revive the ritual” says hereditary temple trustee P. Neduchezia Pandian.

Alagar Koil, Madurai

HistoryEdit

Alagar Koil or Azhakar Kovil temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu in his avatar as Goddess Meenakshi’s brother, Alagar (or Sundararajan). Legend has it that Lord Alagar was unable to attend his sister’s wedding to Sundareshwar (an avatar of Lord Shiva) and had turned back from the banks of river Vaigai. This event is re-enacted every year through a procession of the idol of Alagar from this temple till the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, during the Chitra Festival that celebrates her marriage. It is believed that the temple was beautified by the Pandyan rulers during the 13th century, especially the sanctum sanctorum and the main vimana, that were plated in gold. After this, the Nayaka kingdom during the time between the 16th and 18th centuries gained much revenue for renovating and further beautifying the temple. The central idol of Lord Alagar is a fine example of ancient craftsmanship, all in pure gold. Other deities here include Andal and Lord Alagar’s wife, Kalyana Sundaravalli. An interesting legend has it that at the shrine of Karuppannaswamy (the God of Kallars) and the finely carved 18 steps around his shrine prohibit any visitor from speaking anything but the truth. The temple contains inscriptions from various dynasties, including those that point towards the presence of Jain rulers and Ashoka’s reign.

Must SeeEdit

Populr

Visiting TimeEdit

6:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Closed OnEdit

N.A

Best Season to VisitEdit

Oct – Mar

Best Time To VisitEdit

Morning, Afternoon, Evening.

Time Required for SightseeingEdit

2 to 3 hours

Ticket Required : No Edit

Individual National Adult Rs. : N.A

Kids Rs. : N.A

Individual Foreigner Adult Rs. : N.A

Kids Rs. : N.A

Still Photo Camera Rs. : N.A

Video Camera Rs. : N.A

Guide Required : N.A Edit

Approximate cost: N.A

Dress Code (If Any) : No Edit

Dress Require: N.A

Restaurants NearbyAdd / Edit

Phil’s Bistro ; 44, East 9 th Street, K.K.Nagar, 9th Main Rd, Managiri, Madurai. ; Ph/M – 0452 258 3444 ; Food Serve – Indian.

How to ReachEdit

Taxi : Public transportation in Madhrai consists of local taxis. And one can also a car or a taxi.

Bus : Many private operators are providing deluxe AC and non-AC luxury coach buses from Madurai to many cities in the South India, including Chennai (Rs 500), Trivandrum (Rs 400), Coimbatore (Rs 350), Trichy (Rs 300), Bangalore (Rs 500) etc. Tamil Nadu State Road Transport Corporation buses connect Madurai with other local cities in and around. Super fast buses of TSRTC runs between Madurai and Chennai.

Train : Madurai has its own railway station which connect the city to every part of the country. Direct train services from Delhi (Thirukkural Exp), Kolkata (Kannyakumari Ex), Chennai (Vaigai Exp) and Bangalore (Tuticorin Exp) are available.

Air : Madurai Airport is located about 10 km from the heart of the city. Taxi charges about Rs 150 to cover this distance. Madurai is connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and many other cities by air and the tickets are moderately priced. Chennai is the nearest international airport, which is connected to most of the Indian cities and international destinations.

Others : Auto rickshaws in Madurai do not run on meter and a fare should be negotiated beforehand. Day time travel will cost you around Rs 10 per kilometer and night fares are Rs 15 per kilometer. These are easily accessible, present in all major locations.