Temple

Kolavalvil Ramar Temple is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Kola Valvill Ramar and his consort Lakshmi as Maragathavalli. The temple is located 19 km away from Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India on the Kumbakonam-Chennai highway. The temple is counted as Vaishnava Sukra Kshetra as Vishnu appeared as a beautiful deity. This is the only temple where Garuda Bhagwan appears with 4 hands holding discus and conch.The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Legend

According to the legends, the demon guru, Sukrachariyar, was against king Mahabali donating land to Lord Vishnu who appeared in front of Mahabali in the form of a Brahmin boy. Sukrachariyar took the form of a insect and blocked the hole of water bowl used by the king to spill water during the donation. Vishnu identified the trick and  inserted a grass stick and removed the insect. The stick hit at one eye of Shukrachariyar and he lost the vision. Shukrachariyar visited many places and prayed  to regain the vision of his one eye, finally landed in  worshipped Perumal and got back his vision. Sukrachariyar also wished to the Lord that he should make this place as His permanent abode and bless all devotees who visit this temple with good eye sight and cure all eye ailments.                                                                                       
Another legend is that once the architects, Viswakarma and Mayan had an argument as to whose skill was superior. They appraoched Lord Brahma. Brahma informed Mayan that Viswakarma attained betterment as he built Vaikunta, the abode of Vishnu and to attain similar status Mayan has to identify and build an abode near river Kaveri similar to Vaikunta. Mayan inspected various places and finally identified Thiruvelliyangudi, where sage Markendeya was doing penance. He built a beautiful temple and its compound, which is believed to be the temple in modern times.

This temple is part of the famous Kumbakonam Divyadesam Yatra.

Architecture

The Thiruvelliyangudi Perumal temple is built in Dravidian architecture style. A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all the shrines and two bodies of water. There is a four-tiered rajagopuram, the temple's gateway tower, in the temple.  Leaving the central shrine of the presiding deity, which is built with granite, all the other shrines are built with brick

Darsan Info

The temple is open from 8.00 AM to 12.00 PM and from 5.00 PM to 7.00 PM

Darsan Dresscode

Male devotees have been advised to wear dhoti, shirt, pyjama or pant and shirt while women and girls should wear saris or churidhar or 'pavadai' with half-sari. Devotees wearing lungi, bermudas, jeans and tight-leggings would not be allowed.

Famous Festival

March-April (Panguni) - Sri Rama Navami
August-September (Aavani) - Gokhulashtami
November-December - Tirukarthikai
December-January (Margazhi) - Vaikunda Ekasi

Culture

The Kola Valvill Ramar Temple is counted as Vaishnava Sukra Kshetra as Vishnu appeared as a beautiful deity. The place derived its name Thiruvelliyangudi hence and the presiding deity is also referred to as Velliyan. It is the place where Lord Vishnu had made his abode for 4 yugas. In the Krita Yuga this place was known as Brahma Puthiram, Prasuram in the Treta Yuga, Chandra Nagara in the Dwapara Yuga and Bhargava Puram in the Kali Yuga.

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Temple Rituals

The temple practises Vaigasana Agama and Vadagalai tradition.The temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis.The temple rituals are performed four times a day: Kalasanthi at 8:00 AM, Uchikalam at 12:00 PM, Sayarakshai at 5:00 PM, and Ardha Jamam at 7:30 PM. Each ritual has three steps: alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Kolavalvil Ramar and Maragathavalli Thayar. During the last step of worship, nagaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion instrument) are played, religious instructions in the Vedas (sacred text) are recited by priests. There are other weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals performed in the temple as in other Vishnu temples in South India.

Special Rituals

On Fridays there are special pujas for Sukra Vaaram. Vishnupathi Punniya Kalam, an auspicious time during the first days of Tamil months of Vaikasi, Avani, Karthigai and Masi is celebrated in the temple seeking divine auspices from Garuda

Additional Info