Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple/ ஸ்ரீ அழகிய மணவாளப் பெருமாள் கோவில், Agastheeswaram, Vaduganpatru, Kanyakumari / Kanniyakumari District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple, at Agastheeswaram, Vaduganpatru, Kanyakumari, was a part of the “Nanjil Nadu Heritage Walk”, organized by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department and தொண்டை மண்டல வரலாற்று ஆய்வு சங்கம் “திருக்கச்சி” from 16^th to 18^th May 2025. I extend my sincere thanks to Mr. Velu Pillai and Mrs. Radha Balan Ruth for organizing this Heritage Walk. This Perumal temple is a replica of the Sri Agastheeswarar temple.

Moolavar   : Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal

Consort     : Sridevi and Bhudevi

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

The temple faces east with an entrance on the east side and may be accessed through the Sri Agastheeswarar Shiva Temple also. Balipeedam is after the entrance. Utsava murtis, Nagar and Mannadi Bhagavathy Amman are in the ardha mandapam.

Moolavar Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal is in a standing posture with Sridevi and Bhudevi. Perumal is holding shankha and chakra in the upper hands, the lower right hand is abhaya hastam, and the left hand is on a gatha.

Mannadi Bhagavathy Amman

ARCHITECTURE

The temple was constructed with stone from adhistanam to prastaram. The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. The adhistana is with jagathy, three patta kumudam, and pattikai. The bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are of brahmakantha pilasters with kalasam, kudam, palakai, and vettu pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi and kapotam with nasi kudus. The Dravida eka tala vimanam above the Bhumi desam was constructed with brick. The adi tala is extended as an upari tala. Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu as yoga Narasimha, and Brahma are in the greeva koshtam.

The kalasa is a special one, called “Thali kalasam”. The grains can be replaced without removing the kalasam from the vimanam.

A monkey on the kodungai

 Lion images are in the greevam

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

As per the inscriptions, this place was called Kumari Thiruvakaththeesuvaram, Udhamarthanda Chaturvedi Mangalam, Agatheechuvaram alias Udhaya Marthanda Chaturvedi Mangalam, Purathaya NattuKumari Thiruvakatheechuram, etc.

This temple may belong to the 12th-century Udaiya Varman Sri Vallaba Devan Pandya period.

அகத்தீச்வரர் கோயில் உண்ணாழியின் வடக்குச் சுவரில் இரண்டாம் பட்டிகையில் உள்ள 12- 14 ஆம் நூற்றாண்டு கல்வெட்டின் இடைப் பகுதியான இது அழகிய மணவாளப் பெருமாளுக்கு ஆடித்திருவோணத்தன்று நடக்கும் பூசைக்குக் [களபம்] முதலியவற்றைக் கொடுத்ததைப் பதிவு செய்கின்றது.

One of the 12th-century CE inscriptions at Sri Agastheeswarar Temple records the celebration of Thiruvona Thiruvizha at this Azhagiya Manavala Perumal temple.

Ref:

Kanyakukumari Kalvettukal Volume 1 & 6.

LEGENDS

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Vaikunta Ekadasi day, Margazhi Saturdays, etc.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and from 17.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

HOW TO REACH

The Vishnu temple at Agastheeswaram is about 1.5 km from the Mahadanapuram National Highway, 1 km from Kottaram, 5 km from Kanyakumari, and 16.8 km from Nagercoil.

The nearest Railway Station is Kanyakumari.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---