Kovilpalayam {{audio, Kovilpalayam.ogg is a town located in the banks of river Kousika, 17 kilometers from

Coimbatore Coimbatore, also spelt as Koyamputhur (), sometimes shortened as Kovai (), is one of the major metropolitan cities in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyyal River and surrounded by the Western Ghats. Coimbato ...

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

, on the Sathyamangalam road (National Highway 209). The Postal name for Kovilpalayam is

Sarcarsamakulam Sarcarsamakulam, also known as Kovilpalayam, is a western suburb in Coimbatore in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This town is located 17 kilometers from Coimbatore Junction and 12 kilometers from Coimbatore International Airport, Tami ...

or S.S.Kulam in short, there are quite a number of villages/towns in the name of Kovilpalayam, the nearest one to this town with the same name located in Pollachi. The name Kovilpalayam would have been derived due to its old

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

temples. The Kaalakaleshwara Temple dedicated to

Lord Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

, is built by Cholas during the 8th century A.D, lies on the banks of the

Kousika River Kousika River is a river that runs 52 km in the State of Tamil Nadu in India. Geography The Kousika River starts at Kurudi Hill, in Coimbatore. Mel Mudi (5,385 feet), Nadukandaan Poli (5600 feet), and Lambton's Peak (5080 feet) are ...

at Kovilpalayam. Dakshinamoorthy statue in this temple is believed to be the largest Dakshinamoorthy statue in Asia . People from all over

and from other states visit on ''Pradosham'' day festivals. Another festival, ''Sura Samharam'', for

Lord Muruga Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...

, takes place after the week of Deepavali festival which is a very famous festival around the area. Kavayakaliamman Temple is located at Kavayanpathi, and named after King Kavayan. The temple here is dedicated to the goddess

Shakti In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and rep ...

. The deity is seen holding a ''Thirisoolam'' (trident) and ''Agni'' (fire) in her two hands. In the ''prahara'' of the temple, there are statues of three soldiers sacrificing themselves by cutting their heads with swords. The specialty of the temple is that there is a practice of ''navagandam'' (people sacrificing themselves to the goddess). Fridays of the Tamil months of Aadi (July–August), Thai (January–February), as well as Sundays, Full Moon days, new moon days, and

Navratri Navaratri is an annual Hindu festival observed in the honour of the goddess Durga. It spans over nine nights (and ten days), first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and again in the month of Sharada. It is ob ...

, are auspicious days for the temple. Other temples include Sakthimaariamman Temple and Veeramachi Amman Temple. There are lot of Buses that connects Coimbatore Gandhipuram Bus Terminal.

External links

* http://www.india9.com/i9show/-Tamil-Nadu/Kovilpalayam-80733.htm * http://www.india9.com/i9show/Kaalakaaleswarar-Temple-43797.htm * https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999 Suburbs of Coimbatore it:KovilPalayam pt:KovilPalayam ta:சர்க்கார் சாமகுளம் vi:KovilPalayam