Kovilur is a small village close to Karaikudi in Sivaganga District. Sri Katravaleeswarar Temple is known be one of the most ancient Temples in the District of Sivaganga. It is said that this Temple would have been built by the early Pandya Kings. This is an East facing Temple with a five tiered Rajagopuram. Facing the Temple is a huge Pushkarani or Sacred Tank at the centre of which is a Neerazhi Mandapam. There is a small Mandapam and the Gopuram of this Mandapam has the Idols of Shivan, Parvathy Rishabaaroodar and Murugan.

In the East facing Sanctum Sanctorum the Presiding Deity of Sri Kotravaleeswarar is seen in the form of a Shiva Lingam. Around the Koshtam of the Moolavar Sannadhi are the Idols of Vinayagar, Dhakshinamoorthy, Annamalaiyar, Brahmma, Durgai and Chandikeshwarar. The Ambal who is known as Sri Thirunellai Ambal is seen in an adjacent East facing Shrine in a standing posture. There are Sub Shrines in this Temple for Sri Somaskandar, Sri Aadhi Shivan, Sri Kasi Viswanathar, Sri Visalakshi, Sri Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Samedha Sri Subramaniyar etc. In the Navagraha Sannadhi all the Navagraha Idols are unusully seen in a seated posture. There is an all important Shrine of Sri Kailasanathar who is seen in the form of a Shiva Lingam. His Consort is known as Sri Nithya Kalyani Ambal. Both the Shivan and the Ambal's Shrine could be circumambulated. The pillars of this Temple have intricate carvings of Shivan, Parvathy, Bhairavar and Mahisasura Mardhini.

History says that Shivagupthan and his wife Sudhanmai had sent their daughter Aradhanavalli to guard their paddyfield. Instead of going to the paddy field to guard it Aradhanavalli went to the garden to play there. Hence Goddess Parvathy Herself took the form of Aradhanavalli and started guarding the paddy field. Meanwhile Sudhanmai thinking that her daughter Aradhanavalli would be feeling hungry took food to the paddy field. Not realising that Goddess Parvathy was in disguise as Aradhanavalli, Sudhanmai fed Goddess Parvathy with food thinking that She was her own daughter. After a long time Aradhanavalli came home and asked for food since she was hungry for a long time since she was in the garden instead of the paddy field. Only then Sudhanmai did realise Goddess Parvathy had guarded their paddy field instead of their daughter Aradhanavalli and that she had fed Goddess Parvathy instead of her own daughter. Therefore the name of the Goddess is Thirunellai Ambal.

The Temple is quite big and has huge pillars from which it could be easily deciphered that it would have taken a long time with painstaking efforts to build such a big Temple. There is a general belief that this Temple would have been built between the 6th and 7th century by the early Pandya Kings. The Vijayanagara Rulers too had a great hand in promoting this Temple. Sri Muthuramalinga Gnana Desika Swamigal whose Madam is close to the Temple had a very big hand and was instrumental in renovating this Temple to this level. Festivals like Prodosham, Pournami and Mahashivarathri are celebrated in a grand  manner.

Contact Details: 94892 78792, 94424 39473 and 90435 67074

Temple Timing: 7 AM to 11 AM and 5 PM to 8 PM

Distance from Karaikudi to Koviloor is 4 Kms

Distance from Devakottai to Koviloor is 19 Kms

Distance from Pillayarpatti to Koviloor is 11 Kms

Distance from Kundrakudi to Koviloor is 8 Kms

Distance from Vedaranyam to Koviloor is 155 Kms

Distance from Madurai to Koviloor is 89 Kms

Distance from Pattukkottai to Koviloor is 90 Kms

Distance from Pudukottai to Koviloor is 41 Kms

Distance from Nagapattinam to Koviloor is 188 Kms

Distance from Tiruchirapalli or Trichy to Koviloor is 93 Kms

Distance from Thanjavur to Koviloor is 107 Kms

Distance from Kumbakonam to Koviloor is 149 Kms

Distance from Thirunageswaram to Koviloor is 152 Kms

Distance from Thiruppanandal to Koviloor is 159 Kms

Distance from Papanasam to Koviloor is 133 Kms

Distance from Dharasuram to Koviloor is 141 Kms

Distance from Marungapallam to Koviloor is 76 Kms

Distance from Avudaiyarkoil to Koviloor is 53 Kms

Distance from Devipattinam to Koviloor is 77 Kms

Distance from Uthirakosamangai to Koviloor is 108 Kms

Distance from Thiruvadanai to Koviloor is 44 Kms

Distance from Nattarasankkottai to Koviloor is 38 Kms

Distance from Thiruppaththur to Koviloor is 18 Kms

Distance from Chennai to Koviloor is 434 Kms

Nearest Railway Station is Karaikudi R.S. 

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