Venugopala Swamy Temple

Overview

Kallikudi is a City in Kallikudi Taluk in Madurai District of Tamil Nadu State, India. It is located 35 KM towards South from District headquarters Madurai. It is a Taluk head quarter. Kallikudi Pin code is 625701 and postal head office is Kalligudi . Kallikudi is surrounded by Virudhunagar Taluk towards South, T.Kallupatti Taluk towards west , Tirumangalam Taluk towards North , Kariapatti Taluk towards East . Thirumangalam , Virudhunagar , Aruppukkottai , Madurai are the nearby Cities to Kallikudi. This Place is in the border of the Madurai District and Virudhunagar District. Virudhunagar District Virudhunagar is South towards this place .

About The Temple

Sri Venugopala swamy temple is situated in Kallikudi which is in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.It is believed that Sri Venugopala swamy temple is about 500 to 1000 years old.This temple is established on the banks of Kamandala River, and the river flows in the direction of South to North which was a dry river spot centuries ago.It is believed that the villagers at the local place saw the river filled with Kura flowers as it is mentioned in the Vaishnavite text of Nalayira Divya Prabandam and this is the reason the name of the village was kept as Kuraiyur.

About The Deity

The Main Deity is where the handsome Lord Venugopalan flanked by Rukmini and Satyabhama is seen in a standing posture playing the flute. This is the Kula Deivam deity for many people including those from Srirangam.

Legend/Story

According to the tradition, when the King Vendru Malaiyitta Veerapandian of Tenkasi visits the Madurai region in the 14th century it is believed that he had a revelation and he constructed this temple.A retried Archaeological officer C. Santhalingam claims that there was no King by that name as such found.He also included that the name was similar to a ruler of Kerala in 17th Century which is Vendru Mankonda Boothala Veera Marthanda.The king ruled the Pandya region for a while which was particularly the southernmost regions of Tirunelveli and Virudhunagar.After the kingdom of Pandya was destroyed he regenerated his headquarters at Tenkasi.A devotee named Venkataraman says that the history of the temple is unknown and he added up saying that it is also be levied that a King named Musukunda Chakravarthy had build the temple, although there are no traces of such name in the history he says that the pujas done in the temple are quite similar to the Sriangam temple which includes Adhiyayana utsav also.The holy place or the sanctum and the Arthamandap is made up of stones and the mahamandap is constructed with bricks which is a symbol that it is a later addition.Teak beams helps to support the roof of the sanctum.

Sri Venugopalaswamy temple was broken down two decades ago and with the consistent efforts of D. Krishnamoorthy, a native who paved the way for the restoration and renovation of the temple.The temple was under the custody of government, in total there were four utsavar idols from which only two could be recovered.A migrated group from the village to cities came up together and they formed a Sabha which was called as Venugopalaswamy Kaingarya Sabha which organizes Kumbahiskeam.On july 9 and 10 the sabha planned to conduct homams just for the prosperity of the village.By their own efforts, devotion, the urge to get back the glory of the temple and to make it a village in all respects they all joined hands.

Significance

Belief is also that this is a Guru Dosham liberation temple.

Festival

In centuries gone by, Horse Vahana Procession on last Saturday of Puratasi and Garuda Seva on Sri Jayanthi were celebrated in a grand manner. A few decades ago, the Utsava Idol was stolen from the temple.

Accessibility

Airport

Madurai airport is just 10 km away from the main city and it is well connected to all major cities of India.

Railways

Direct trains are available from many cities of India.

Road

The city of Madurai is well connected by all southern parts of India.