Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Vazhutheeswarar	Ambal / Thayar:	Gomathi Amman
Deity:		Historical name:
Vriksham:		Teertham:
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	to & to	Parikaram:
Temple group:		–
Sung by:		Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Perunkulam	District:	Tirunelveli
Maps from (click):	Current location	Thoothukudi (31 km)	Tirunelveli (41 km)
	Kanyakumari (98 km)	Nagercoil (99 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

This temple is located very close to the Mayankoothar temple in Perunkulam (one of the Nava Tirupati temples in Tirunelveli district), and is a must visit temple.

The temple is set amidst a verdant landscape, and provides a peaceful sanctuary for quiet meditation. The temple was built in the time of a Pandya king called Uttama Pandyan, who was also called Vazhuthu Pandyan (though there is contrary information that it could have been in the time of Varaguna Pandyan).

It is regarded that this is the place where the arangetram (inaugural rendition) of Tirukkural, the magnum opus of Tiruvalluvar, the Tamil poet-saint, was done.

The moolavar’s name is said to derive from either Vazhuthu Pandyan, or from the Tiruvalluvar story here (and hence the moolavar is sometimes also referred to as Tiruvallutheeswarar).

The temple is replete with classic Pandya style architecture, as is evident in the mandapams and pillars. As is typical of most temples in the region, this temple also does not feature a raja gopuram, but has a mottai gopuram instead.

The garbhagriham faces east, while Amman’s shrine is located to the right of the moolavar, also facing east – this makes this temple representative of Siva and Parvati’s kalyana kolam. Despite the relatively large size of the temple complex, the garbhagriham itself is quite small. There is an inner prakaram after the ardha mandapa, called the Agni Prakaram, which is exclusively for the moolavar Vazhutheeswarar.

Inside the Amman shrine is a murti said to be of Tiruvalluvar (given his connection to the temple), but it is yet to be confirmed by official sources.

Other information for your visit

There is very limited public transport service available to this town/village, so it is best to use one’s own personal transport or hired car to reach this place.

A visit to this temple can be easily combined with a trip to the Nava Tirupati temples.

Contact

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