Turuthankkal - Thangalappan Temple

This ancient Vaishnava kshetra enjoys the reputation of being the august venue of Aniruddha's wedding with Usha solemnized by Bhagawan Krishna on killing Banasura. Legends are many and they elaborately recount the glory of this place. It is a big temple built in the Dravidian architectural style with Devachandra vimana on the garbhagriha. The archamurti Narayana is in standing posture and facing east. He gave darsan to Salvya Pandya and Sri Vallabha, There are four sannidhis for Tayars called Anantanayaki, Nalvar Natchiyar, Anna Nayaki etc. The masterly sculptured image of Garudalwar in Anjalai pose and Jambavati detain the visitors for long. Tirumangai Alwars pasurams lull the listeners with, its sweet cadences. The temple tank is called Papavinasa thirtha. Pudhathalwar too visited and offered Mangalasasan. Daily puja is offered with due devotion and periodical festivals lure large crowds.

The sthalapurana traces its origin to Dwaparayuga and ends. Its narration that it is here Lord Krishna celebrated his son Aniruddha's wedding with Usha, the ravishing beauty of the entire danava race, ruled then by Banasura, the formidable demon - a terror to the three worlds. The Moolavars icon is a specimen of superb sculptural art and mesmerizes one and all with a single darsan.

It lies 3 km off Sivakasi, a reputed commercial town of Tamilnadu, accessible by four wheelers and autos.

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