Tirukoilur also spelt as ''Tirukkoyilur'' or ''Tirukovilur'' is a city and the headquarters of Tirukoilur taluk in

Kallakurichi District Kallakurichi is one of the 38 districts in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. The district headquarter is Kallakurichi. Kallakurichi District was announced on 8 January 2019 and it came into existence on 26 November 2019. History During Ancien ...

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. The town is located on the southern bank of Thenpennai River and famous for Ulagalantha Perumal TempleTirukoilur is located on the highway connecting cities of

Tiruvannamalai Tiruvannamalai ( Tamil: ''Tiruvaṇṇāmalai'' IPA: , otherwise spelt ''Thiruvannamalai''; ''Trinomali'' or ''Trinomalee'' on British records) is a city, a spiritual, cultural, economic hub and also the administrative headquarters of Tiruva ...

and

Vellore Vellore (English: ), also spelt as Velur (), is a city and the administrative headquarters of Vellore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Palar River in the northeastern part of Tamil Nadu and is separ ...

with Southern Tamil Nadu. The town is served by Tirukoilur railway station (formerly, Arakandanallur

Thirukovilur Tirukoilur also spelt as ''Tirukkoyilur'' or ''Tirukovilur'' is a city and the headquarters of Tirukoilur taluk in Kallakurichi District, Tamil Nadu, India. The town is located on the southern bank of Thenpennai River and famous for Ulagala ...

railway station). It is of interest to note that Vanavan Mahadevi, the mother of

Rajaraja Chola I Rajaraja I (947 CE – 1014 CE), born Arunmozhi Varman or Arulmozhi Varman and often described as Raja Raja the Great or Raja Raja Chozhan was a Chola emperor who reigned from 985 CE to 1014 CE. He was the most powerful Tamil king in South ...

, was born as a princess of Malayaman family in Tirukoilur.

Demographic

India

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

, Tirukkoyilur had a population of 60212. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Tirukkoyilur has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 83%, and female literacy is 73%. In Tirukkoyilur, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Transport

Thirukoilur had widely bus facilities as both same as Rail facilities. The city well connected by State highways the major highways are below: SH9

Cuddalore Cuddalore, also spelt as Kadalur (), is the city and headquarters of the Cuddalore District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Situated south of Chennai, Cuddalore was an important port during the British Raj. While the early history of Cudda ...

SH-7 Thirukoilur-

Villupuram Viluppuram, Villupuram, or Vizhuppuram () is a Municipality and the administrative headquarters of Viluppuram district. Located south west of a Tiruvannamalai and north west of Cuddalore null The town serves as a major railway junction, ...

SH-211 Thirukoilur Bye-Pass Road -

Kandachipuram Kandachipuram is a village in the Kandachipuram taluk of Viluppuram district, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of its namesake taluk, but was previously in Tirukkoyilur taluk, when that taluk and the entirety of Kallakur ...

SH68

Sankarapuram Sankarapuram is a Town Panchayat of Kallakurichi district in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu Theatres NVN Theatre Barkath Theatre. Schools in sankarapuram # Government Boys Higher secondary School # Government Girls Higher Secondar ...

SH-137 Thirukoilur- Elavanasurkottai- Asanur-

Trichy Tiruchirappalli () ( formerly Trichinopoly in English), also called Tiruchi or Trichy, is a major tier II city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli district. The city is credited with bein ...

MDR-1014

Manalurpet Manalurpet is a town panchayat in the Tirukkoyilur taluk of Kallakurichi district, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Geography Manalurpet is within Tirukkoyilur taluk, which is in the northeastern part of Kallakurichi district. The town covers ...

MDR-812 Thirukoilur- Veerapandi-

Vettavalam Vettavalam is a first grade panchayat town in Tiruvanamalai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Geography Vettavalam is located at . It has an average elevation of 211 metres (692 feet The foot ( : feet) is an anatomical s ...

MDR-784 Thirukoilur-

Rishivandiyam Rishivandiyam is a Village panchayat in Sankarapuram Taluk of Kallakurichi district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Rishivandhiyam is one of the 20 blocks of Kallakurichi, and has 43 panchayat villages in it. Elections and winners in the co ...

- Thiyagadurugam- Kallakurichi MDR-785 Thirukoilur - Thagadi

Significance

Tirukoilur is one of the Ashta Veeratanams, Ashta – eight Veeratanam – Place of Bravery. As per legends, Shiva is believed to have destroyed eight different demons namely Andakasuran, Gajasuran, Jalandasuran, Thirupuradhi, Kaman, Arjunan, Dakshan and Taaragasuran. There are eight temples built signifying each of his victories in the war, and also as places where he is believed to have performed with fury. Madhavan 2014, p. 145 The eight temples are: Tiruvadigai Veerattaaneswarar Temple at Thiruvadigai, Tirukkovilur Veerateshwarar Temple at Tirukoilur, Veerateswarar temple at Korukkai or Thirukkurukkai, Amirtagateswarar Temple at

Thirukadaiyur Thirukkadaiyur (Thirukadavur) is a village on the east coast of Tamil Nadu, about 300 km south of Chennai and 15 km north of Karaikal. The history of the village is associated with the legends of Markandeya and Abirami Pattar. The vil ...

, Vazhuvur Verateswarar Temple at Vazhuvoor, Keelaparasalur Veerateswarar Temple at Tirupariyalur,

Kandeeswarar Temple Kandeeswarar Temple (also called Brahmakandeeswarar temple, Brahmasirakandeeswarar temple and Veerataneeswarar temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva located in Kandiyur also known as Thirukkandiyur or Tirukkandiyur, near Tiruv ...

at Thirukkandiyur and

Tiruvirkudi Veerataneswarar Temple Veerateeswarar Temple (also called Thiruvirkudi Veerateeswarar temple) is a Hindu temple located at Thiruvirkudi in Mayiladuthurai district of Tamil Nadu, India. The presiding deity is Shiva in the form of Veerateswarar and his consort is known ...

at Thiruvirkudi. Shiva in all these temples are described to have used bow and arrow, trident and spear. *Ulagalantha Perumal Temple or Trivikrama Temple is a

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 ...

temple dedicated to

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...

located in Tirukkoyilur,

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 ...

. As per Hindu legend, Vishnu appeared to the ''mudhal Alvars'' (first three ''Alvars'') at Thirukkoilur. The temple plays a special part in Vaishnavism as it is where the first three Alvars sang the first three ''Thiruvandadhis'' compiled in '' Naalayira Divya Prabandam'', the Sri Vaishnava canon.

Thirumangai Alvar Thirumangai Alvar (IAST: ), also referred to as Thirumangai Mannan is the last of the 12 Alvar saints of south India, who are known for their affiliation to the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. He is considered one of the most learned Alvar ...

, another Alvar saint also revered the deity in his verses compiled in ''Nalayira Divya Prabandam''. *Kabilar Kundru (or Kabilar rock) is a hill rock in the middle of the

Ponnaiyar River The South Pennar River (also known as ''Dakshina Pinakini'' in Kannada and ''Thenpennai or Ponnaiyar'' or ''Pennaiyar'' in Tamil) is a river in India. Bangalore, Hosur, Tiruvannamalai, and Cuddalore are the important cities on the banks of ...

in Tirukoilur. It is known for Tamil poet

Kapilar Kapilar or Kabilar (Tamil: கபிலர்) was the most prolific Tamil poet of the Sangam period (c. 3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE). He alone contributed some 206 poems, or a little less than 10% of the entire Sangam-era classical corpus ...

did

Vadakirrutal Vatakkiruttal (), also Vadakiruthal and vadakiruttal, was a Tamil ritual of fasting till death. It was especially widespread during the Sangam age. The Tamil kings, in order to save their honour, and prestige, were prepared to meet their death f ...

(fast unto death) here, after his friend

Vēl Pāri Vēḷ Pari was a ruler of Vēḷir lineage, who ruled ''Parambu nādu'' and surrounding regions in ancient Tamilakam towards the end of the Sangam era. The name is often used to describe the most famous amongst them, who was the patron and frie ...

was killed in a battle. It is one of the protected monuments in Tamil Nadu by the

Archaeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexand ...

. * Shri Raghuttama Teerthar was one of the greatest saints of Shri

Uttaradi Matha Shri Uttaradi Math ( IAST:''Śrī Uttarādi Maṭha'') (also known as Uttaradi Peetha), is one of the main monasteries (matha) founded by Madhvacharya with Padmanabha Tirtha as its head to preserve and propagate Dvaita Vedanta (Tattvavada) out ...

. Shri Raghuttama Teerthar entered the Brindavana at Manampundi, near Tirukoilur *Gnananandagiri Swamigal, established his modest ashra
“Sri Gnanananda Thapovanam”
, which is a quiet place, situated on the northern banks of Pennar river, near Thirukovilur in Tamil Nadu. Thapovanam meaning “forest of penance” is today a place of pilgrimage.

Anecdote

While on a visit to

Ceylon Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

, the ancient female Tamil poet Avvaiyar was caught up in a torrential rain, and took shelter in the house of two women, Angavay and Sangavay. These women took care of Avvai with great kindness and promised that they will be given in marriage to the King of Tirucovalur. On hearing this the King agreed to take the women in marriage if they were given away by the Chera, Chola and the Pandya. Avvai then makes an invocation to

Ganesha Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu d ...

for making the invitation on a palmyra leaf, on which Ganesha appears before her. On receiving the invitation the three kings come for marriage and give away Angavay and Sangavay in marriage (pp. 57–59). There is a mention of this time period in ''

Ponniyin Selvan ''Ponniyin Selvan'' () is a historical fiction novel by Indian author Kalki Krishnamurthy, written in Tamil. It was first serialized in the weekly editions of ''Kalki'', a Tamil magazine, from 29 October 1950 to 16 May 1954 and later integrat ...

.''

References

External links

* http://www.thirukovalur.org (Official Devasthanam Website) * http://www.tirukoilur.com {{Authority control Cities and towns in Kallakurichi district