Tirukoilur also spelt as ''Tirukkoyilur'' or ''Tirukovilur'' is a city and the headquarters of Tirukoilur taluk in Kallakurichi district, Kallakurichi District, Tamil Nadu, India. The town is located on the southern bank of Thenpennai River and famous for Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Tirukoyilur, Ulagalantha Perumal TempleTirukoilur is located on the highway connecting cities of Tiruvannamalai and Vellore with Southern Tamil Nadu. The town is served by Tirukoilur railway station (formerly, Arakandanallur Thirukoilur division, Thirukovilur railway station). It is of interest to note that Vanavan Mahadevi, the mother of Rajaraja Chola I, was born as a princess of Malayaman family in Tirukoilur.

Demographic

India census, Tirukkoyilur had a population of 60212. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Tirukkoyilur has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 83%, and female literacy is 73%. In Tirukkoyilur, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Transport

Thirukoilur had widely bus facilities as both same as Rail facilities. The city well connected by State highways the major highways are below: State Highway 9 (Tamil Nadu), SH9 Cuddalore-Thirukovilur--Vellore SH-7 Tirukkoyilur (state assembly constituency), Thirukoilur-Villupuram SH-211 Thirukoilur division, Thirukoilur Bye-Pass Road -Kandachipuram State Highway 68 (Tamil Nadu), SH68 Cuddalore-Thirukovilur-Sankarapuram SH-137 Thirukoilur division, Thirukoilur-Elavanasurkottai-Asanoo, Asanur-Tiruchirappalli, Trichy MDR-1014 Thirukoilur division, Thirukovilur-Manalurpet-Tiruvannamalai MDR-812 Tirukkoyilur taluk, Thirukoilur-Veerapandi, Viluppuram, Veerapandi-Vettavalam MDR-784 Thirukoyilur block, Thirukoilur-Rishivandiyam-Thiagadurgam, Thiyagadurugam- Kallakurichi MDR-785 Thirukoilur - Thagadi

Significance

Tirukoilur is one of the Veerateeswarar Temple, Ashta Veeratanams, Ashta – eight Veeratanam – Place of Bravery. As per legends, Shiva is believed to have destroyed eight different demons namely Andakasuran, Gajasuran, Jalandasuran, Thirupuradhi, Kaman, Arjunan, Dakshan and Taaragasuran. There are eight temples built signifying each of his victories in the war, and also as places where he is believed to have performed with fury.#Madhavan, Madhavan 2014, p. 145 The eight temples are: Thiruvadigai Temple, Panruti, Tiruvadigai Veerattaaneswarar Temple at Thiruvadigai, Veerateeswarar Temple, Tirukkovilur Veerateshwarar Temple at Tirukoilur, Korukkai Veeratteswarar Temple, Veerateswarar temple at Korukkai or Thirukkurukkai, Amritaghateswarar-Abirami Temple, Thirukkadaiyur, Amirtagateswarar Temple at Thirukadaiyur, Viratteswara Temple, Vazhuvur, Vazhuvur Verateswarar Temple at Vazhuvoor, Keelaparasalur Veerateswarar Temple at Tirupariyalur, Kandeeswarar Temple at Thirukkandiyur and Tiruvirkudi Veerataneswarar Temple at Thiruvirkudi. Shiva in all these temples are described to have used bow and arrow, trident and spear. *Ulagalantha Perumal Temple or Trivikrama Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu located in Tirukkoyilur, Tamil Nadu, India. As per Hindu legend, Vishnu appeared to the ''mudhal Alvars'' (first three ''Alvars'') at Thirukkoilur. The temple plays a special part in Vaishnavism as it is where the first three Alvars sang the first three ''Thiruvandadhis'' compiled in ''Naalayira Divya Prabandham, Naalayira Divya Prabandam'', the Sri Vaishnava canon. Thirumangai Azhwar, Thirumangai Alvar, another Alvar saint also revered the deity in his verses compiled in ''Nalayira Divya Prabandam''. *Kabilar Kundru (or Kabilar rock) is a hill rock in the middle of the Ponnaiyar River in Tirukoilur. It is known for Tamil poet Kapilar did Vadakirrutal (fast unto death) here, after his friend Vēl Pāri was killed in a battle. It is one of the List of State Protected Monuments in Tamil Nadu, protected monuments in Tamil Nadu by the Archaeological Survey of India. *Raghuttama Tirtha, Shri Raghuttama Teerthar was one of the greatest saints of Shri Uttaradi Matha. Shri Raghuttama Teerthar entered the Brindavana at Manampundi, near Tirukoilur *Gnananandagiri Swamigal, established his modest ashra
“Sri Gnanananda Thapovanam”
, which is a quiet place, situated on the northern banks of Pennar river, near Thirukovilur in Tamil Nadu. Thapovanam meaning “forest of penance” is today a place of pilgrimage.

Anecdote

While on a visit to Ceylon, the ancient female Tamil poet Avvaiyar was caught up in a torrential rain, and took shelter in the house of two women, Angavay and Sangavay. These women took care of Avvai with great kindness and promised that they will be given in marriage to the King of Tirucovalur. On hearing this the King agreed to take the women in marriage if they were given away by the Chera, Chola and the Pandya. Avvai then makes an invocation to Ganesha for making the invitation on a palmyra leaf, on which Ganesha appears before her. On receiving the invitation the three kings come for marriage and give away Angavay and Sangavay in marriage (pp. 57–59). There is a mention of this time period in ''Ponniyin Selvan.''

References

External links

* http://www.thirukovalur.org (Official Devasthanam Website) * http://www.tirukoilur.com {{Authority control Cities and towns in Kallakurichi district