ILANJI - ILANJI ANDAVAR TEMPLE

This is one of the premier Muruga kshetras of Tamil Nadu establishing oneness of Vishnu and Siva - Hari-Hara abheda. This famous temple, although dedicated to Subrahmanya, the Moolavar is Vishnu in the form of Muruga, and very popular as Ilanji Andavar or Varadaraja Kumaran. Incidentally this archamurti Varadaraja Kumaran is deemed one of the Trimurtis. It lies on river Chitra and is very near Kutralam, renowned for its waterfalls luring lakes of people during the rainy season. The temple built on the Dravidian architectural style is quite vast in dimensions. It has two sturdy prakaras and a mahadwara with an imposing high tower surmounting it. There are scores of mini-shrines installed with the most adorable deities both in the first and second prakaras. The well-chiselled icons of Arupathumoovar, Surya, Valli, Devasena, Vinayakar, Kasi Viswanathar, Visalakshi Tayar, Kutralanathar, Kulavaimouli Ammal, ' Sakti, Saptakannikar, Saneswarar, Chandikeswarar, Bairavan, Arumugan and finally Venugopalaswamy are installed in well-built nuni-mandirs of first prakara and are receiving worship daily. The second prakara houses two garbha grihas - one for Uma and Maheswar and the second for llanji Andavar. Ace craftsmanship of the sculptors' breaks through every frame of construction. Having enjoyed munificent royal endowments, every frame pleases the eye and lifts the soul. The temple tree is called Mahilamaram and the thirtha, Chitra. Due to vicinity of the famous Kutralam Water Falls .and enshrining Saivate and Vaishnavate deities, its pull is immense and conferring of boons on the pious is liberal. Hence huge crowds. Nityanaimithika worship is offered with due fervour.

It lies 5 kms off Kutralam in the Tirunelveli district of Tamilnadu, accessible by bus.

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