CaitlinBecker07 at 21:48, 30 April 2026

2026-04-30T21:48:08Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox temple
| name = Kalugasalamoorthy Temple
| image = Kazhugachalamurthi temple view (1).jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|9|08|58|N|77|42|11|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| other_names =
| proper_name =
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Thoothukudi district|Thoothukudi]]
| location = [[Kalugumalai]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = Kalugasalamoorthy ([[Murugan]])
| primary_deity_Godess =
| utsava_deity_God =
| utsava_deity_Godess=
| Direction_posture =
| Pushakarani =
| Vimanam =
| Poets =
| Prathyaksham =
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]], Rock cut
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website = {{url|kalugumalaitemple.tnhrce.in/}}
}}

'''Kalugasalamoorthy Temple''' (or '''Kalugumalai Murugan temple''') in [[Kalugumalai]], a panchayat town in [[Kovilpatti taluk]], [[Thoothukudi district|Thoothukudi district]] in the South Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]], is dedicated to the Hindu god [[Murugan]]. Constructed in the [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian style of architecture]], the temple is believed to have been expanded during the 18th century with the images excavated from Kalugumalai. The core temple has a rock-cut architecture exemplary of early Pandyan Art. The other portions of Kalugumalai houses the 8th century [[Kalugumalai Jain Beds]] and [[Vettuvan Koil]], an unfinished Shiva temple.

The temple has a gateway leading to a pillared hall and the sanctum. The temple is open from 5:30 am – 12:30 pm and 4:30 - 9 pm. Four daily rituals and many yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the ten-day Vaikasi Visagam, 13-day Kanthasasti festival, ten-day Thaipoosam festival and the 13-day Panguni Uthiram festival being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].

==Legend==
[[File:Kazhugachalamurthi temple (4).jpg|250px|left|thumb|Sculpture on the ceiling of the temple]]
As per [[Sthala purana|regional tradition]], the temple is associated with the [[Ramayana]]. [[Ravana]], the demon king, killed [[Jatayu]] the eagle as he attempted to prevent the abduction of [[Sita]], the consort of [[Rama]]. Rama performed the final rites for Jatayu, who informed Rama about the abduction before he died. Jatayu's brother [[Sampati]], also called Kalugumahamunivar in local tradition, was worried about the repercussions of not performing the final rites for his brother. Rama advised him to perform penance at Gajamukaparvatham and taking a holy dip in the tank. Ages passed by, and in the same region, Murugan pursued [[Surapadman]], another demon. Tarukasuran, the brother of Surapadman, was troubling the sages in the region. Murugan slew Tarukasuran and was resting at Kalugumalai. Sampati assisted Murugan and also indicated the hideout of Surapadman, whom Murugan slew subsequently. Pleased with his devotion, Murugan offered him salvation. The place came to be known as Kalugumalai since the sage Kalugumahamunivar resided here.<ref name="dinamalar"/>

==Architecture==
The temple is located in [[Kalugumalai]], a rockyhill in near [[Kovilpatti]], [[Thoothukudi district]] in southern [[Tamil Nadu]]. The sanctum of the temple is approached through a pillared hall near the gateway. The temple tank is located outside the temple. The sanctum is built in a rock-cut cave, which houses the image of Murugan in the form of Kazhugachalamurthi in seated posture. The sanctum faces West and the image of the presiding deity is {{convert|4|ft|abbr=on}} tall. The image is sported with six hands with one of them holding [[Vel]] (divine spear), his left leg over the shoulder of the peacock and right is left hanging. There are separate shrines of his consorts [[Valli]] facing South and [[Deivanai]] facing North. There is a separate shrine for Shiva and Parvathi and all the Parsvatah Devatas (attendant deities) associated with Shiva temples. Usually in Murugan temples, his vehicle peacock would be heading towards his right, but it is sported on to the left of Murugan in this temple. It is believed that [[Indra]], the king of celestial deities, appeared as peacock to worship Murugan. The image of the peacock is hence covered during the festivals.<ref name="dinamalar"/> The other portions of Kalugumalai houses the 8th century [[Kalugumalai Jain Beds]] and [[Vettuvan Koil]], an unfinished Shiva temple.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kazhugumalai deserves universal recognition|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/kazhugumalai-deserves-universal-recognition/article3740232.ece|publisher=The Hindu|date=8 August 2012|location=Tuticorin|accessdate=4 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=பல்நோக்குப் பார்வையில் முருகத் தத்துவம் II: Proceedings of the International Conference on Murugabhakthi 2014|publisher=Thirumurugan Thiruvakku Thirupeedam|year=2014|editor1-last=Virupa|editor1-first=Kumaresan|page=1047}}</ref>

==History and religious significance==
[[File:Kazhugachalamurthi temple (8).jpg|250px|thumb|Image of the temple tank]]
The images of the presiding deity was excavated from the Southwestern corner of [[Kalugumalai]]. The images were installed and the leading pillared halls were constructed during the 18th century.<ref name=official>{{cite web|title=Sthala Varalaru|url=http://www.kalugumalaitemple.tnhrce.in/kalakumalai_history.html|publisher= Hindu Religious and Endowment Board, [[Government of Tamil Nadu]]|year=2015|accessdate=4 November 2015}}</ref> The temple finds mention in ''[[Kanthapuranam]]'', a work by [[Kachiappar]]. Kachiappar mentions that there are only three sacred temples of Murugan where he faces the South and this is the only temple where he faces south and also in seated posture.<ref name="dinamalar"/> The temple was under the control of Ettaiyapuram Zamindar under 1954. The Raja gifted the village to the temple and formed five streets around the temple to enable the temple car to pass easily. He also allocated a middle street for the temple priests. During the Panguni Uthiram festival procession, the elongated conflict between two castes in the region, namely, [[Nadars]] and [[Maravar]]s resulted in a riots, popularly called [[Kalugumalai riots of 1895]]. A total of ten people were killed, many injured and the temple car and other property in the region were destroyed.<ref>{{cite journal|title=
The Car and the Palanquin: Rival Accounts of the 1895 Riot in Kalugumalai, South India|jstor=313150|journal=Modern Asian Studies|volume=33|issue=1|publisher=Cambridge University Press|last=Good|first=Anthony|pages=23–65|doi=10.1017/s0026749x99003200|year=1999}}</ref> In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].<ref name=official/>

==Festival==
{{Multiple image|caption_align=center|header_align=center
|align=left
| total_width = 350
| width1 = 5184| height1 = 3456
| width2 = 5184| height2 = 3456
|direction=horizontal
|image1=Vettuvan Kovil (3).jpg
|footer=Vettuvan Kovil and [[Kalugumalai Jain Beds]], both located in Kalugumalai, in the same hill
| footer_align = center
|image2=Kazhugumalai Jain beds (8).jpg
}}

The temple priests perform the ''[[puja (Hinduism)|pooja]]'' (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals performed in the temple. The temple is open from 5:30 am – 12:30 pm and 6 - 9 pm on all days except during festive occasions when it has extended timings. The major festivals of the temple include the ten-day Vaikasi Visagam celebrated during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] month of ''Vaikasi'' (May - June), 13 day Kanthasasti festival, Ten day Thaipoosam festival celebrated during the Tamil month of ''Thai'' (January - February) and the 13 day Panguni Uthiram festival during ''Panguni'' (March - April).<ref name="dinamalar">{{cite web|title=Sri Kazhugachalamurthi Temple|publisher=Dinamalar |url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/New.php?id=525|year=2011|access-date=4 November 2015}}</ref> Kalugumalai was chosen in the plan to be included as a rural tourism site in Incredible India campaign by the Tourism Ministry of the [[Government of India]].<ref>{{cite news|title=14 more rural tourism sites to be ready|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1486464911.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409234949/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1486464911.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 April 2016|publisher=Hindustan Times|location=New Delhi, India|date=29 May 2008|accessdate=4 November 2015 }}</ref> As a part of the campaign the ministry allocated {{INR}}10 million to develop the infrastructure around the region in 2008. The tourist inflow to the town increased to 3,000 persons per month during 2009 from 400 per month during the previous years.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tourism shoots up in picturesque Tamil temple town|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1620483881.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018231131/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1620483881.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 October 2016|publisher=Hindustan Times|location=New Delhi, India|date=1 January 2009|accessdate=4 November 2015 }}</ref>

== Gallery ==
{{gallery
|File:Kazhugumalai temple.jpg
|File:Kazhugachalamurthi temple view (1).jpg
}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Kazhugachalamurthi temple}}
{{Murugan temples}}

{{Pandya dynasty}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Thoothukudi district]]
[[Category:Murugan temples in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Rock-cut architecture of India]]
[[Category:Pandyan architecture]]
[[Category:Pandyan Empire]]
[[Category:Pandya dynasty]]

Kalugasalamoorthy temple - Revision history

CaitlinBecker07 at 21:48, 30 April 2026