Vellimalai Kumaraswamy Temple, Kumarakoil – The Temple
This is
a famous Lord Muruga temple situated at the Kerala – Tamilnadu border. This is
a very ancient temple. The temple faces east and can be reached by a flight of thirty-eight
steps. Presiding Deity is called as Kumaraswamy Manavala Kumaran. Lord Murugan graces
the devotees with his consort Valli. He is facing the east and said to be
facing Sthanumalayan (Lord Siva) of Suchindram. The idol of Lord Murugan is a
monolithic sculpture measuring eight feet and eight inches in height. Its long
ears indicate that it belongs to the Buddhist period.
Goddess
Valli who adorns the sanctum is six and a half feet tall. Nandippadam and
Murugan Padam on the top of the hill are believed to be the imprints of Nandi
and Murugan. Kalyana Vinayakar, who aided his brother in his marriage with
Valli is in the right side of the entrance to the inner circumambulatory path.
On the western circumambulatory path there is a shrine for Kasi Lingam and on
the southern circumambulatory path there are shrines for Mahadevar, Sivakami
and Chandikeswarar.
The
unique feature of this temple is that there is a shrine for Daksha, the
maternal grandfather of Lord Murugan. The sacred tree of the temple is a
venerated vengai tree that is a hundred years old. Here, Arumuga Nayinar (Lord
Murugan) is flanked by both his consorts, Valli and Deivayanai. Shrines of
Dharma Sastha and Ilaya Nayanar can be found in this Temple. This temple is
associated with the legends of Valli’s marriage with Murugan.
This is
said to be the birth place of Valli. Valli Guhai is on the top of the hill
which is two kilometers off the main temple, Valli Sunai, a pond where
Valli took bath, Valli Solai, the millet field that Valli guarded,
and Kizhavan Solai is where Murugan came in the disguise of an old
man to woo Valli. The Theppakulam (sacred lake) where the devotees take bath
before darshan of the Lord bears fresh stream water all the time.
There
are separate enclosures for the sacred cows, bulls, peacock etc., in the temple
enclosure. Devotees feed them and the fish in the Theppakulam (sacred tank). The
protocol of worship offered here is Kerala Tantram. Majority of the devotees
are from Kerala state. A
police party and band from Kerala state is present on certain celebrations of
this grand temple. Many children get their first feed (choor\Oonu kodupu) in
this temple.
