Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple

Azhagiya Manavalan Perumal Temple (also called Thirukozhi or Nachiyar Koil) in Uraiyur, a suburb Tiruchirappalli in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu God Azhagiya Manavalan (Vishnu) and Goddess Kamalavalli (Lakshmi).

Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE.

The temple is believed to have been built by the Medieval Cholas of the late 8th century CE, with later contributions from later Pandyas, Vijayanagar kings and Madurai Nayaks.

As per Hindu legend, Azhagiya Manavalan appeared to Kamalavalli, the daughter of Chola king Nanda Cholan, in this place to marry her.

The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Time came when Kamalavalli fell in love with Vishnu in the form of Ranganatha, the presiding deity of Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple.

[6] The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

The temples were painted during the early 1800s and has images of Matsya and Narasimha avatars of Vishnu, Vaishnava Acharyas, Alvars, Vaishnavite mythology, the law of justice and dharma as enunciated by Ambarisha.

As at other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Vaishnavaite community, a Brahmin sub-caste.

The temple rituals are performed six times a day: Ushathkalam at 7 a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 p.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at 7:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 8:00 p.m. Each ritual has three steps: alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Azhagiya Manavalan and Kamalavalli.

In Srirangam Ranganthaswamy temple, a yearly birth festival of Thiruppaan is celebrated with Viswaroopa darshan of Ranganatha at the sanctum on the occasion of his birthday.

Legend of Nachiyar's marriage to Azhagiya Manavalar
Entrance of the sanctum