Koodal Azhagar Temple in Madurai - 108 Divya Desam

The Koodal Azhagar Temple (Koodal Alagar Temple) in Madurai is an ancient temple that reflects the cultural heritage of the land in keeping the tradition. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified by the Alwar saints from the 6th to 9th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divya Desam temples of Vaishnavism. Brahmanda Purana vividly describes this place in seven chapters. Vishnu Chiththa, one of the devotees of lord Vishnu, was invited to visit the Pandya Court in order to settle the disputes among the various religious sects. Vishnu Chitta established the supremacy of Sriman Narayana by quoting profusely the vedic texts.

The purse containing gold coins suspended in a pole landed down in the hand of Vishnu Chitta, which was a divine acceptance. The King celebrated this victory by seating Vishnu Chittha on the decorated throne placed on the back of a royal elephant and he himself led the procession accompanied by the vedic Pandits. Vishnu Chitta got himself immersed in the infinite beauty of the lord, expressing his wishes in the form of twelve verses in Tamil known as ‘Thirupallandu’. Vishnu Chitta recited the verse in tune with the ringing of the bells tied to the elephant. The Pandya King praised Vishnu Chitta as ‘Battarbiran’ while the lord gave him the name ‘Periyalwar’. Vishnu Chitta is regarded as the foremost among the twelve Alwars by the merit of his infinite love and utterance of Pallandu.

This temple was initially built during Pandya reign, while the pillars and shrine were developed later during the rule of Madurai Nayak kings. The history of this temple can be traced back to the Sangam Period and so, it is believed that the construction was initiated by the Pandya kings and later supported by successive rulers. At a height of 125 feet in 5 tiers, the main tower of the temple stands to its architecture. Intricates are painted with the epics Ramayana and Mahabharatha. The temple covers an area of 2 acres enclosed by granite walls. The temple is under the maintenance of Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.