Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Thirukovilur

Ulagalantha Perumal Temple at Thirukovilur is one of the 108 Divya Desams — the temples celebrated in the hymns of the Azhwar saints, and the circuit that Sri Vaishnavite pilgrims work through over a lifetime. It stands on the banks of the Thenpennai in the heart of Thirukovilur town, and it is the reason most visitors come.

The presiding deity is Trivikrama: Vishnu in the striding form he took after appearing as the dwarf Vamana before the king Mahabali, asking for three paces of land and then measuring the worlds with them. The temple's standing image of that moment is among the largest of its kind in Tamil Nadu, with one leg raised, and the sanctum is built tightly around it so that the scale registers immediately on entering.

Thirukovilur also holds a particular place in Azhwar history. The first three Azhwars — Poigai, Bhutham and Pei — are traditionally said to have met here for the first time, sheltering together in a narrow passage during a night of heavy rain, and the verses attributed to that meeting are counted among the earliest in the Vaishnavite canon. Visitors following that history rather than the temple circuit alone tend to spend longer here than they planned.

The temple follows the usual Tamil Nadu pattern of opening in the morning, closing through the middle of the day and reopening in the late afternoon, so time your arrival for the morning if you are coming from Chennai. Confirm current timings locally before travelling, particularly around festival days, when they change.

About Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Thirukovilur

A Divya Desam on the Thenpennai, dedicated to Vishnu as Trivikrama, and traditionally the place where the first three Azhwars met.

Nearby attractions

Veerateeswarar Temple, Villupuram, Ulundurpettai

Taxi routes to Thirukovilur

One-way drop fares from major cities. Round trips available on request.

More places in Tamil Nadu