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Arulmigu Kallazhagar Sundaraja Perumal Temple
Location
Sundaraja Perumal Temple Divya Desam is located approximately 20 km north of Madurai in Tamil Nadu on the slopes of Azhagar Malai which is also the part of a reserve forest. Since time immemorial, monkeys abound in this area.
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Azhagar Koil – Sthalapuranam
It is said that Lord Yama did penance here to have the grand ‘darshan’ of Lord Vishnu. He requested the Lord that the hill is named as Rishabadri and that the Lord should appear here as ‘Sundararajan’. The Lord agreed. The word Sundararajan means ‘a beautiful king.’ During Trivikrama ‘avatara,’ when the Lord stretched His leg up to Lord Brahma and Lord Brahma washed the Lord’s feet, a drop of water fell on this hill and that became ‘Nupura Ganga’.
Even today, the water is pure and tastes sweet. For Abhishekam to the Lord, the water is brought from Nupura Ganga, inspected by Karuppannasamy and then used for the Lord’s Thirumanjanam.
According to a legend, a Kerala king immensely liked the beautiful ‘vigraha’ of Azhagar and sent eighteen trained people in certain arts to steal the idol. They failed in their attempt. The town people caught and buried them under the eighteen steps leading up to the gopuram of Azhagar Koil. The deity Karuppannasamy promised to stay and guard Azhagar. He also requested that in return all the garlands left over from Azhagar worship be sent to him.
Padhinettam Padi Karuppannasamy
He also supervises the assets of the temple. Whenever Azhagar leaves the temple, a list of jewels worn by him is provided which is checked in return. As he sits guarding atop 18 steps, he is known as ‘Padhinettam padi Karuppannasamy’.
Special Features
The Lord is ‘Sundarabahu or Sri Paramaswamy’ and the Universal Mother is ‘Thirumamagal or Sundaravalli’. The Teertham is ‘Nuppuraganga’ and the ‘vimana’ is ‘Soma Sindha’ Vimana. Sudarshana can be worshipped here without Nrusimha on the other side. The idol is said to be made of Aparanji or pure gold and is extremely handsome to worship. When bathed in any water other than from Nupura Ganga, the idol turns darker in complexion.
The Chithrai Festival, when Azhaghar travels to Madurai, is very famous. The devotees gather to watch Azhagar’s entry in the river Vaigai to reach Madurai. The Rajagopuram of the shrine to Karuppannasamy has a set of festivals for itself. No one knows the age of the temple. Its antiquity is attested by the references made in the Sri Varaha Purana, the Brahmanda Purana, the Paripadaal and the Silappadhikaram.
There are contributions from various kingdoms through the ages. The fondness of Perialwar and Andal for this Divya Desam can be readily seen in their respective poetry. When Sri Ramanuja was in Tirunarayanapuram, Kuresa had lost his eyesight in the court of the Chola king. He was denied access to Srirangam temple by the king’s soldiers.
He retreated with his wife and children to Tirumaliruncholai and lived there for more than a decade. He wrote all four ‘stavas’ namely Sri Stavam, Vaikuntastavam, Athimanushastavam, Sundarabahustavam. The last one was in praise of Lord Sundararaja of Tirumaliruncholai. The beauty of the surrounding region with lush vegetation is magnificent.
Mangalasasanam
This Divya Desam has tied for the third place along with Thirukannapuram by having 128 pasurams amongst the 4000. In pasuram 2229, a reference to Tirumaliruncholai comes up from Bhoothath Alvar. ‘You remembered the four Vedas from pralaya to pralaya and conveyed them each time to keep them alive. You also propagated the Smritis with supporting texts to extend the meaning of the Vedas through Manu and the Rishis. You are always with Mahalakshmi who was born and resides on a lotus in Your heart.
On the bamboo-filled slopes of Tirumaliruncholai which people circumambulate, You reside happily, O! Lord!’
In 2235 of the same, Thiruvandhadhi Alvar adds that Tirumaliruncholai and Tirumala (Archa) are the two places where “You have elected to stay to be accessible to Your ‘chethanams.’ Tiruparkadal and Paramapadham (Vyuha) are the two places where we all wish to end up in service to You. My heart is the temple where You will reside when Your interest in being close to Your devotees reduces in other places.”
In his Thirumozhi (71), Periyalvar says: “Carrying You on Her waist and going around talking about You with others in their houses makes them happy. I have the fortune of having You as my son. You reside in Thirukkurungudi which does not get destroyed even during ‘Pralaya.’ You are the resident of Tiruvellarai! You are the resident of tall-walled Tirumaliruncholai! You stand tall like nectar in Thirukannapuram.
You remove all my sufferings! Dance! O! Lord! Dance!” Again in 339 of Periya Thirumozhi, the Alwar adds that it is the hill where the sound of the auspicious recitation resonates in the air always. Its fame cannot be narrated, hence indescribable. He who received the sword from Lord Rudra and who cut of Ravana’s heads and Surpanakha’s nose lives on Tirumaliruncholai eternally.
In 341, Periyalvar adds that the Karpaga Vruksham whose flowers are filled with nectar which flows like a river in Thirumaliruncholai. When the Yadavas made all the food to be served to Lord Indra, He who diverted the offerings to the Hill of Govardhan lives eternally on Thirumaliruncholai Hill.
In 344 the Alwar calls Thirumaliruncholai as part the land of Malayadwaja who carries the ‘Vel’ which assists him in killing, his kingly dharma is flawless, he fights as per the rules and He is the Lord of Madurai also known as Koodal.
On this hill, He lives eternally the one seeing whom kings were wondering if they can kill him, who sat on the front end of the chariot in the guise of a charioteer and who created water from the foot print of the horse using Varunastra to feed them and take rest before resuming the battle.
Click here to explore 108 Divya Desams.
