Adhi Kesava Perumal Temple, Koovathur – The Temple
This temple is facing towards east. Deep Sthambam can be seen in front of the temple. The temple consists of sanctum, ardha mandapam and mukha mandapam. Balipeedam and Garudazhwar shrine can be seen in front of the mukha mandapam. Dvarapalas can be seen guarding the entrance of the ardha mandapam on either side. The sanctum enshrines an image of presiding deity, Aadhi Kesava Perumal in standing posture. He stands here without his consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi similar to Tirupati Venkatesha Perumal.
He is about six feet tall and is four armed. His upper hands holds conch and chakra. The lower right hand is in the pose of blessing devotees (abhaya hasta) and lower left hand rests on the waist (kati hasta). Paramapada Nathar, Varaha, Narasimha, Krishna, and Aadhi Kesava Perumal are the koshta idols located around the sanctum walls. There is a separate east facing shrine for goddess Maragathavalli Thayar in the prakaram. Her shrine is situated on the right side of the sanctum.
The sanctum enshrines an image of Maragathavalli Thayar in sitting posture. She is four armed. She holds lotus in her upper hands and her lower hands shows abhaya and varada hastha. There is a separate east facing shrine for goddess Andal situated to the left side of the sanctum. There is a separate shrine for Sudarshana / Chakrathazhwar with Narasimha behind him in the temple premises. The Sudarshana has sixteen arms holding various weapons.
The Narasimha behind him is shown seated on the naga with chakras in all four arms. Shrines of Vinayaga, Vedaghosha, Ashtabhuja Vishnu Durga and Azhwars can be seen in the temple premises. The temple has eight wells representing the eight sacred rivers of India namely Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Sarayu, Godavari, Narmada, Tungabhadra, and Kaveri. There is a separate shrine for Hanuman situated across the road. The Sarayu well is located opposite to Anjaneya shrine.
