Kalaiyar Kovil is a historic temple in Sivaganga District, Tamil Nadu, India. Kalayarkoil is a town in Kalaiyarkoil Block in Sivaganga District of Tamil Nadu State, India. It comes It is located 18 km towards East from District headquarters Sivaganga.466 km from State capital Chennai.
Location
The temple is in kalayarkoil , Sivaganga District, east of Sivagangai.i NH-85 thondi- madurai-cochin National Highways connects kalayarkoil with other major towns.SH 29 connects kalaiyarkoil with paramakudi,karaikudi towns.
Industry
National Textile Corporation has Mill in the town its was also Known as Kaleeswara mills B unit.majority of people dependent on agric ulture.Now service sector growing rapidly in kalayarkoil town.
Tourism
Major tourism attraction was the kalayarkoil temple and King Periya Maruthupandiyar Temple opposite to it.Among the nearest important places, Kollangudi kali Temple is one of prominent Hindu shaktam worship shrine.
Transport
Kalaiyarkoil well connected with major towns through Buses.Direct bus to trichy,madurai,sivaganga,karaikudi,tanjore,kumbakonam,paramakudi,pattukottai is available.Nearest airport is Madurai Airport (63 km).Nearest Railway station Sivaganga railway station 18 km and kallal railway station 16 km
Geography
Kalayarkoil has an average elevation of 94 metres (308 feet). The town has a tropical wet and dry climate. The maximum temperature during summer is 37 °C or and during winter it is 28 °C or . The minimum temperature varies from 23.9 to 27.8 °C (75.0 to 82.0 °F). The seasonal climate conditions are moderate and the weather is uniformly salubrious. The town gets the majority of its rainfall during the north east monsoon period. The average annual rainfall is 931 millimetres or 36.65 inches.
Name of temple
Kalaiyar Kovil derived its name from the kaleeswarar Temple the place. Kalaiyar is a corruption of the word Kaleeswaran. During the Sangam period, this place was known as Kaanapair as can be seen from the 21st verse in the purananooru sung by Iyur moolakizhar, a poet of the Sangam period. In the ninth century A.D. Saint Sundara moorthy nayanar described the presiding deity in his devotional songs as Kaalai. Since then the deity was known as Kalaiyar, with the Tamil sufix yar added to it denoting respect. The temple came to be known as Kalaiyar Kovil and this was later adapted to the place also. It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams.
Temple structure
A lofty Rajagopuram () and an imposing Teppakkulam tank (with a mandapam) named Aanai madu adorn this shrine. Airavatam the elephant of Indra is said to have created this tank. There are three shrines in this temple associated with the three functions of creation, preservation and completion. Maruthu Pandiyars built a big wall like a place around the temple to safe guard the temple but it was demolished by the Britishers during the war , Colonel James Welsh wrote all the details and drawing of the castle in his book Military Reminiscences 2. The presiding deity Lord shiva is called as Kaaleeshwarar, Someshwarar, Sundareshwarar and the Ambal his consort mother Parvati is called as Swarnambikai, Soundara Nayaki, Meenakshi. Additional to that there are three separate shrines for both the male and female deities of famous Shiva temples in a mandapam outside the shrine.
Seat of kings
Kalaiyarkoil was the seat of the kings from very early days. King Vengai Marban ruled over this area Sangam period It was the stronghold of rulers of Sivangangai. It was also the seat of the sivaganga rulers like Muthu Vatuka Natha Thevar and Maruthu brothers.
Legend
KaliDevi fought against chandasuran at kalayarkovil. She prayed the kaleeswarar lingam and joined hands with saptha mathargal and won the battle. That is why the place is named as kalipuram.
dhakshinakalaipuram,jothiwanam,mandharavanam,mokshapradam,kaandhaaram,dhavasthikaram,vedhaaruvanam,bhoologakailaayam,makaakaalapuram, akashathiyapuram are other names of the kalayarkoil