Thirukkoodal Sri Koodalazhagar Temple, Madurai

Address

Thirukkoodal Sri Koodalazhagar Temple, Madurai District- – 625 001, Phone : 91- 452 2338542

Diety

Koodal Azhagar Amman: Maragatha Valli

Introduction

This temple is situated heart of the Madurai city. It is one of the Divya Desam. This temple Poojas Vaigana Agamam. The temple is famous for Asttanga Vimanam. In this temple there are three stages appearance of god such as siting, standing, lying. Popularly Navagraha Sannathi in this Vaishnava temple. This temple near by Arulmigu Meenakshi Temple and Thiruparangundram Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy temple.

Puranic Significance

Madurai is a city of temples and festivals. It is also as Koodal and Alaway. It has a magnificient and glorious past, both historically and puranically. It is here, the third and last sangam of the ancient Tamil scholars existed and it is here where the Lord Almighty performed many holy plays with his devotees. It was once the capital of many kings who ruled over the ancient Pandya Kingdom. Is is a centre of pilgrimage both for vaishnavites and Kingdom.It is a centre of pilgrimage both for vaishnavites and saivites. Just as Meenakshi amman Temple is the presiding saivites deity, Koodal Alagar is the presiding vaishnavite diety of this sacred city. Arulmigu Koodal Alagar Temple is one of the 108 Thirupathies and one of the renowned padal shalans. Among those celebrated vaishnavite sages perialwar/Thirumangai Alwar and Thirumalisaippiran have sung in praise the glory and sacred traditions of vaishnavite lore. The Moolavar (Presiding diety) is known by the name `Koodal alagar and Utsavar by the name Vyuha Sundararaja Perumal / both having the same identification. Thayar (Mother) is known as `Maduravalli` who has got a separate sannadhi on the south. There are separate sanadhies for Andal and Sakkarathalwar. Besides navagragams (none planets, dietified) idols of Alwar and acharyas are installed in Thayar Sannidhi. It was here Perialwar, the father of Andal established the suprency of Shriman Narayanan before the Assembly of learned scholars, presided over by the ancient Pandya king, Vallaba Thevan and sang `Thiruppallandu` in praise of the Lord who appeared in the sky with his consorts to witness the procession taken out to admire him. Reciting Thiruppallandu has become a daily routine of every religious rite in every vaishnavite temple. The Festival of `Parathva Nirnayam` is being celebrated every year by the Lord Koodal Alagar being taken to `MEYKATTUM POTTAL` (The site where the supremacy of the Lord, established) in the Tamil monh of Margali is commemoration the above saidThala Puranam This temple thalapuranam part in brammanda purana kathli vana sethra mahatmiya 12th adhyayam. Naimisaraniyathil Sownagar of rishies said Vetha viyasar. In this Purana said Astthanga Vimana special, in this temple near shethras, Puskarani, hills and temples. Histry of Pandiyas vamsa. Umapathi , Soundarapandian Thirukalyana story and Periyalwar Thirupallandu sung Vaibava

Beliefs

Pray for marriage ban, child blessing, education. Here they take the milk to the mother and pay the fine.

Special Features

Madurai is one of the 108 Tirupatis of Perumal. In this city, Perumal gives blessings in the name of Koodalahagar. It is special to visit Italam in the month of March. Ashtanga Flight: 96 types of aircraft will be set up at the Perumal temples. The Ashtanga flight is considered to be the most auspicious. Of the 108 Divya Desams, only here and in Tirukoshtiyur does Swami appear under the Ashtanga plane. The aircraft is 125 feet high. The urn is 10 feet high. Its shadow does not fall on the ground. With three levels, the plane rises in eight parts and is in the form of the eight-letter mantra ‘Om Namo Narayanaya’.The temple has a five-tiered royal tower with five coffins to symbolize the Panchaputra philosophy and eight temples to symbolize the eight-letter mantra. There are shrines to Andal, Chakratahlvar, Navagraha, Alvars, Acharyas, Manavala Mamunis, Vishwakshenar, Rama, Krishna, Lakshminarayanan, Garuda, Anjaneyar, Lakshmi Narasimhar. In the solar system the sun orbits in a chariot with an Ashtanga plane. A model sculpture of this chariot is carved on the perimeter wall of the temple.