Kumara coil

The Kumara coil(Template:Lang-ta Kumāra Kōvil) is the important and renowned among the Murugan temples in the district of Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu. It is located at the foot of velimalai 15 km from Nagercoil. Kumaracoil, also called "Kumara Shethram" and "Subramania Sthala" in Malayalam language "Thiruveragam" in ancient Tamil scripts is at the foot hills of the Velimalai Hills also known as "Velvi Malai". The temple there is dedicated to Lord Muruga also known as Lord Subramania. Legends have it that Lord Muruga is the cosmic son of Lord Shiva, created by Shivas third eye. He was created to destroy three demons (Asuras) who were a source of misery to the Devas (devine people). The annihilation of the demons by Lord Muruga is still being enacted every year in almost every temple dedicated to Lord Muruga and the celebration is known as “Soora Samharam”. Lord Muruga has two consorts, Devanai and Valli. Legends have it that these two are sisters and after prolonged penance they were destined to marry Lord Muruga. Devanai the first consort was married at Thiruparankuntrum near Madurai. There in the temple dedicated to Lord Muruga, the Lord is with Devanai alone. Valli the second consort of the Lord was married at Velimalai or Velvi Malai. There also in the temple Kumara Shethram or Kumara Koil dedicated to Lord Muruga the Lord is with Valli alone. The temple is considered to be one of the six "Padai veedu" (the six places where the Lord showered devine powers) of Lord Muruga. The ancient poetry "Thirumurugattu Padai" written by poet Nakkeerar refesrs to the place unique in the sense that the devotees there wear only wet clothes only in the lower part of their body and enter the temple with flowers to have a darshan. This unique feature of worship is being followed there at Kumaran Koil till date. The Tamil epic "Silappathykaram" written by Illangovadigal refers four shetras (temples) as Padai veedu of Lord Muruga. They are Senthil, Kongu Nattu Shengodu, Chola Nattu Venguntu and Chera Nattu Eragam (Thiru Eragam). These evidences and the places connected with Valli viz, Valliyoor. Valli Aaru (river), Valli Kugai (cave) in the hill top. Kilavan Cholai, (connected with the disguised form as an old man enacted by Lord Muruga) Valli Cholai (ravine), Valli Chunai (small water body) the sacred place where Valli is believed to have taken bath, Uravar Padukalam, connected with the war waged by the relatives of Valli against Lord Muruga, the Vengai tree etc., are in and around Veli Malai are evidences that the marriage of Lord Muruga with Valli took place at Valli Malai. The Valli marriage function is being re-enacted every year in the Tamil month of Painkuni (March–April). Therefore it is natural that the two marriage places are within the ambit of the Padai Veedu of Lord Muruga. The history of the temple is available in book form. Therefore Kumaran Koil is a religious important place for the Hindus. The temple is built on the foot hills of Veli Malai where Lord Muruga enactead a drama to win the heart of Valli the daughter of Nambi Arasan, a chieftain ruled over the place. The temple faces east and can be reached by a flight of Thirty eight steps. The statue of Muruga is eight feet eight inches height. Apart from Valli sametha Murugan sannithanam, sannithanams are dedicated to Lord Shiva (Mahadevar). Parvathy (Shivakami Ammai), Kalyana Vinayagar, Shree Dharma Sastha, Ilaya Naynar, Arumuga Nayinar, etc. The unique feature is that there is a Sannithanam dedicated to Dhakshan who was punished by Lord Shiva for his misdeeds. The Theppakulam (sacred lake) where the devotees take bath before darshan of the Lord bears fresh stream water all the time. There are separate enclosures for the sacred cows, bulls, pecock etc., in the temple enclosure. Devotees feed them and also the fish in the theppakulam. Anna Thanam (feeding poor people) is being done on a daily basis. It is believed auspicious to fed the first feed to the children in the precincts of the Lord. Marriages, ear boring ceremonies, head trouncing, etc., are being done there by devotees as offer to the Lord. During Navarathri Pooja the Lord travel in a procession to Trivandrum to particupate in the Navarathiru Pooja celebrations at the Devi Koil in the vicinity of the Trivandrum Palace. This practice has been in vogue since 1840 when the rulers of the erstwhile Trivancore Samasthanam (State) changed their headquarters from Padmanabhapuram in Thuckalay to Trivandrum. Kumara Koil could be reached by road from Nagercoil (15 kilameters) and Thuckalay (3 Kilometers), Trivandrum (about forty five kilometers). Bus facilities are available. The whole place is filled with lush green paddy fields, banana gardens, coconut trees with the mountain in the background, natural beauty, a feast to the eyes. The other places of historical importance around Thickalay are, Padmanabhapuram Palace from where the Trivancore Kings ruled the erstwhile Trivancore State till 1839. The Puliyurkurichi Fort where many a battle had been fought in the past. The mortal remains of the Dutch warrior Delenoy had been laid to rest there. The memorial for Delenoy inside the Fort attracts many tourists from within India and abroad.