Sri Desachiriyal Veerava Nangai Temple/அருள்மிகு தேசாசிரியாள் வீரவநங்கை அம்மன் திருக்கோயில், அழகியபாண்டியபுரம்/ Azhagiyapandiapuram, Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Desachiriyal Veerava Nangai Temple, at Azhagiyapandiapuram, was a part of the “Nanjil Nadu Heritage Walk”, organized by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department and the 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.

நின்றும் இருந்தும் கிடந்தும் நடந்தும் நினைப்பதுன்னை

என்றும் வணங்குவது உன் மலர்த் தாள் எழுதாமறையின்

ஒன்றும் அரும்பொருளே அருளே உமையே இமயத்து

அன்றும் பிறந்தவளே அழியா முத்தி ஆனந்தமே நங்கையே !

… அபிராமி பட்டர்

Moolavar  : Sri Desachiriyal Veerava Nangai

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

The temple faces north with an entrance from the west. The west entrance is with a Rajagopuram with stucco images of Sri Veerava Nangai, Bhoothathar, and Anjaneyar. Dwarapalakis are located at the entrance of the Ardha Mandapam. A balipeedam and a guarding deity are in front of the temple. In the sanctum sanctorum, Sri Desachiriyal Veerava Nangai is in a sitting posture, with the right leg folded and the left leg in a hanging position. The Veerava Nangai is with 4 hands, the upper hand holds the pasa, the damaru, and the lower hand holds the Trishul and the kapala. 

In praharam, Bhoothathar, Vinayagar, Nagars, and Utsava vahanas, like Horse, and Amman.

A wooden image of the presiding deity

Bhoothathar

ARCHITECTURE

The temple was built with stone from adhistanam to prastaram. The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is rectangular in shape on an adhistanam. Brahmakantha pilasters are on the bhitti. The prastaram consists of valapi and kapotam with nasi kudus. One tala salakara vimanam is in the sanctum sanctorum. Amman’s various avatars are on the tala and greeva koshtams.   

12 Rasi mandala bas relief is on the ceiling of the Rajagopuram. The mandapa pillars have images of Pavai holding the lamps, Vishnu avatars, like Vamana, etc.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

These four hillside villages come under the direct control of Periyaveettu Mudaliar. The Venattu Kings did not bother about the yield of the crops and went to the maximum extent to collect taxes from these villages.

In 1635, Nanjil Nadu witnessed the war by the Chieftain Thalavai Rammappaiyar of the Thirumalai Nayakars. The Chieftain Ravi Kutty Pillai of Venadu was killed in the war.    

The effects of the war were severe, and nobody could raise the crops, which led to the people starving for food and falling into poverty. The Venattu Kings Siraivai Mooththa Thambiran, alias Unni Kerala Varma, doesn’t know what to do. The Azhagiyapandipuram Mudaliar writes a letter to reduce the Tax burden.

The two years of suffering, since 1635, the Villagers of Azhagiyapandipuram assembled and discussed to find a solution to their sufferings. Finally, they decided to shift the North Vayil guarding deity to bring it inside the village, which was a little away from the village. In 1637, with the effort of Andalammai’s daughter, Pichiyar, Pappiammai’s daughter came forward and donated pillars for the construction of a stone temple.  

Initially, Sri Desachiriyal Veerava Nangai was in a Mangalore tiled roof temple, and later this stone temple was constructed from the contributions made by the Mekarai, Kadukarai, Azhagiyapandipuram, and Kesavanputhur Villagers.

The inscriptions…

The Kollam 813 (1637 CE) 7th day of Aadi Month inscription on the east side pillar, mentions Perum Andal Ammai’s daughter Pichiyar Satha sevai.

மலையாள ஆண்டு  813 (பொயு 1637) ஆடி மாதம் 7ம் தேதியிட்ட அர்த்த மண்டபத்தின் கிழக்குப் பக்கத் தூணில் உள்ள கல்வெட்டு பெரும் ஆண்டாள் அம்மை மகள் பிச்சியார் சதா சேவை என்ற செய்தியைப்பதிவு செய்கின்றது.

The Kollam year 813 (1637 CE), inscription on the west side pillar, mentions Pappi Ammaiyar’s daughter Kanakku Satha Sevai.

கொல்லம் ஆண்டு 813 (பொயு1637) அர்த்த மண்டபத்தின் மேற்குத் தூணில் உள்ள கல்வெட்டு பாப்பி அம்மையார் மகள் கணக்கு சதா சேவை என்ற செய்தியைப் பதிவு செய்கின்றது.

The damaged 6-line inscription on the west side pillar mentions a lady’s name… (Maybe Pappi Ammaiyar’s).

கொல்லம் ஆண்டு  சிதைந்த அர்த்த மண்டபத்தின் மேற்குப்பக்க தூணில் உள்ள ஆறு வரி கல்வெட்டு, தூண் செய்த பெண்ணின் பெயர் (மேலுள்ள பாப்பி அம்மையாராகவும் இருக்கலாம்)

In the Kollam year 1042 (1866 CE), the 7^th day of Chithirai Month, an inscription on the Mani mandapam east side Pillar records the installation of an image by Sivakami Azhagu, for which Rs 150 was gifted.

கொல்லம் 1042 (பொயு 1866) சித்திரை மாதம் 7 ம் தேதி  மணி மண்டபத்தின் கிழக்குப் பக்கத் தூணில் உள்ள கல்வெட்டு சிவகாமி அழகு கணக்காயிட்டு ஒரு உருவுக்கு ரூபாய் 150 கொடுக்கப்பட்டதைப்பதிவு செய்கின்றது.

The inscription on the 1^st prahara floor records the gift of a pillar during the 18^th or 19th thirupani, Ananja Perumal, gifted for an image.

18 - 19, நூற்றாண்டு, ஐப்பசி மாதம் முதல் திருச்சுற்றின் தெற்குப் பக்கத் தரையில் உள்ள கல்வெட்டு அம்மன் கோவில் திருப்பணியின் போது அணஞ்ச பெருமாள் சிரம் காக்குமாறு தூண் கொடுத்த நிவந்தத்தைப் பதிவு செய்கின்றது.

Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 02^nd June 2014.

The temple is under the control of the Tamil Nadu HR & CE Department.

Ref:

Kumari Kalvettukkal Volume 3 and 6.

கன்யாகுமரிக் கல்வெட்டுகள் தொகுதி- V (தோவாளை)

LEGENDS

Kotravai is also called Pazhaiyol, Kadikizhal, Salini, Kali, Vadakku Vayil Selvi, Vadakkuvaiselli, Sooli, Nisumba Soothani, etc. The Kotravai has become the guardian deity of the Villagers, who moved from the forest and settled in a new location, where they began raising crops and rearing cattle.

The same Kotravai is worshipped as Sri Desachiriyal Veerava Nangai by the 4 Villagers (Mekarai, Kadukarai, Azhagiyapandipuram, and Kesavanputhur Village) of Nanjil Nadu. She is also called by different names like Veerabhadra Nangai, Veeralakshmi Nangai, Kalveettukari, etc.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Tuesdays, the Annual festival Kaliyuttu Thiruvizha, etc.

Poojas are done by the Uvachars, alias Pari Saivas. (In Tamil Nadu, the priests who are doing poojas to Kali are from the Kavichakravarthi Kambar’s community.)

 

Usually, there are about 18 celebrations conducted in a year. One of the famous festivals is the Kaliyuttu Thiruvizha, conducted since 1750 CE. This is the only temple where the Kaliyuttu Thiruvizha is conducted once a year in Nanjil Nadu. This temple belongs to Mekarai, Kadukarai, Azhagiyapandipuram, and Kesavanputhur villages. The Kaliyuttu Thiruvizha will be conducted on rotation by these 4 Villagers. The first Padi Pooja was conducted by the Mekarai Villagers. Earlier, it was a practice that during the Kaliyuttu Thiruvizha, Sri Desachiriyal Veerava Nangai would be taken in procession, and Mandakapadi poojas were conducted at Mekarai kal mandapam. And still, the palkudam is brought from Mekarai Village for the Kaliyuttu Thiruvizha. 

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 09.00 hrs and from 17.00 hrs to 19.30 hrs. Half an hour is extended on Tuesday evening.

CONTACT DETAILS

Tamil Nadu HR & CE Department Officials (EVO), Mr. K Krishnamurthy, may be contacted on his mobile number +919095054479 for further details.

HOW TO REACH

The temple at Mekarai, Azhagiyapandipuram, is on the Nagercoil to Kulasekaram, Nedumangad State highway, 16.4 km from Nagercoil, 20 km from Kulasekaram, and 34 km from Kanyakumari.

The nearest Railway Station is Nagercoil.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---