ஆழ்வார்கள் பாசுரங்களில் திருமாலிருஞ்சோலையும், வரலாறும் / Thirumaliruncholai and its History in the Hymns of Alvars

Thirumaliruncholai is a small hill temple (Azhagar Kovil) located on the northern side of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams, the holy abode of Lord Vishnu praised in the hymns of the Alvars from the 6th to 9th century. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is called Sri Parama Swami and Sundararaja Perumal. The history of Thirumaliruncholai can be traced back to the Sangam period, around 300 BCE to 300 CE. The temple is mentioned in many ancient Tamil literature works like “Silappathikaram” and “Manimekalai”, which describe the glory and significance of this holy site. It is said that this temple was a prominent centre for Vaishnavism during the Sangam period. The Alvars were staunch devotees of Lord Vishnu and praised Thirumaliruncholai in their hymns. The hymn dedicated to Thirumaliruncholai was composed by Periyalvar. In his hymn, Periyalvar described the beauty and divine presence of Perumal in the temple. In general, Thirumaliruncholai is a revered place of worship, deeply rooted in history and mythology and holds great significance in the Vaishnavite tradition as well as the cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu.