Chitharal Jain temple - chitharal malai kovil

I am much interested to say about one of my favorite places Chitharal Rock Cut Temple or Chitharal Malai Kovil (ചിതറാല്‍ പാറ കോവില്‍ in Malayalam, சிதறால் மலை கோவில் in Tamil). I have more things to share with you about it. I came to know about this place by my wife. She was a teacher of Excel Central School, Thiruvattar. As a study trip she has taken her students to this place. According to her information my self and colleague planned to have a trip on Sunday here. Actually we planned to start at 6am, because of some reasons we became late. So we started our journey at 7.30am from Thiruvananathapuram.

There are many ways to reach here. We selected the way Marthandam-Attoor. From Marthandam we sent our vehicle to Kulasekharam road. When we traveled 4 km, we reached Attoor junction. From there turn left to go to Chitharal. Again we traveled 2km to Chitharal junction. Locally this temple is known as ‘Malai Kovil’. We traveled about one more kilometer from the junction. It was a remote area.

The famous Jain temple known as Malayil kovil is just 4 km from Marthandam, the exact name of the place is Chitharal. The Jain temple is one of the very few surviving temples in Tamil Nadu while many others were either demolished or converted into Hindu ones. Frequent buses are available from Marthandam to Thikurichy. A number of foreigners are visiting this temple. The temple is under the control of Archaeology department

Chitharal Malai Kovil :  I have more things to share with you about Chitharal Malai Kovil. Here the specialty goes to the rocks. Because, here rocks seems like somebody has taken risk to keep the rock over another rock. Also the rocks are very huge.

Location
Nearby Attoor(3km), Thiruvattar(5km), Marthandam(7km), Kanyakumari district, Tamilnadu

How to reach Trivandrum(0)-Marthandam(39)-Attoor(4)-Chitharal Jn(2)-Chitharal Malai Kovil(1)  - 46km
Nearest Railway Station: Kuzhithurai
Nearest Airport: Trivandrum International Airport

Sri Kumaraswami Temple – Velimalai

Presiding deity	Kumaraswami Also known as Subramania
Height	10 feet
Goddess	Valli
Procession deity	Manavalakumaran
Holy tree	Vengai
Holy spring	Teppakulam
Place	Kumarakoil
Scriptural name	Velvimalai
District	Kanyakumari

Prayer:
Velimalai Murugan is all blessigful to his devotees granting them their needs in marriage, wise children, business growth, education, mental and physical strength etc. Those trekking the mount to have the darshan of the lord get their needs fulfilled.
Prayer commitments:
Head shaving (Mottai), offering coins to one’s equal weight, decorating the deity with sandal paste, abishek in Panchamirtham, lighting ghee lamps, carrying Kavadi and milk pots are the commitments undertaken by the devotees. The rich offer liberal donations for temple maintenance and renovations.

Speciality:
In this ancient temple, the presiding deity Kumaraswami’s shrine is in the North East with his consort Valli. The idol is 10 feet tall, with long ears. It appears that the idols belong to Buddhist period. The stone also does not belong to some ordinary variety but is too strong in its homogeneity. The temple is at the border of Kerala state and noted for its reputation.
Reputation:
It is said that the wedding of Lord Muruga (Kumaraswami) and Valli took place here. A very famous temple touching the Kerala border. The Kanji (rice porridge) offered in the temple is believed to cure diseases. It is here Valli played with her friends and it is known as Kuravar Padukalam. The idol belongs to the Buddha period. Valli is on the left side. It is here Nambirajan (Valli’s father) lived. Lord Muruga was here in the form of Vengai tree to meet Valli.
General Information:
Velimalai is 4 km from Thakkalai and 12 kms from Nagercoil. There are lodges in Nagercoil for the pilgrims’ convenience. Adequate bus facilities are available from Nagercoil. Velimalai can be reached on the Thakkalai route.
Nearest railway stations are Iranial and Nagercoil, Airports are Thiruvananthapuram and Madurai. The temple Executive Officer of Kumaraswami Temple may be contacted on telephone o4651-250706. Fax 232270.
Festivals:
10 day Vaikasi Visakam (May-June) festival attracting over 15,000 devotees, Pushpabishekam on last Friday in Avani (August-September), 7 day Panguni (March-April) wedding festival and days considered important for Lord Muruga, Pongal, Deepavali, New Year days are festive days in the temple.
History:
Six places in Tamilnadu are revered as Aaru Padai Veedu of Lord Muruga. Velimalai is considered as the 7th. The place is now in Kerala. This is the place where Nambirajan, Valli’s father lived. Muruga-Valli wedding also took place here. Lord Muruga appears so majestically in 10 feet tall idol form. A very famous Muruga Temple in the region.