Tirukoilur also spelt as Tirukkoyilur or Tirukovilur is a city and the headquarters of Tirukoilur taluk in Kallakurichi District, Tamil Nadu, India. The town is located on the southern bank of Thenpennai River and famous for the Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, the Veerateeswarar Temple and the Kabilar Kundru. Tirukoilur is located on the highway connecting cities of Tiruvannamalai and Vellore with Southern Tamil Nadu. The town is served by Tirukoilur railway station (formerly, Arakandanallur Thirukovilur railway station). Vanavan Mahadevi, the mother of Rajaraja Chola I, was born as a Tamil princess of Chera dynasty in Tirukoilur.

Demographics

India census, Tirukkoyilur had a population of 60212. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Tirukkoyilur has an average literacy rate of 78%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 83%, and female literacy is 73%. In Tirukkoyilur, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Transport

Thirukoilur had widely bus facilities as both same as Rail facilities. The city well connected by State highways the major highways are below: SH9 Cuddalore-Thirukovilur--Vellore SH-7 Thirukoilur-Villupuram SH-211 Thirukoilur Bye-Pass Road -Kandachipuram SH68 Cuddalore-Thirukovilur-Sankarapuram SH-137 Thirukoilur-Elavanasurkottai-Asanur-Trichy MDR-1014 Thirukovilur-Manalurpet-Tiruvannamalai MDR-812 Thirukoilur-Veerapandi-Vettavalam MDR-784 Thirukoilur-Rishivandiyam-Thiyagadurugam- Kallakurichi MDR-785 Thirukoilur - Thagadi

Significance

Tirukoilur is famous for the Ulagalantha Perumal Temple. This temple has a very big raja gopuram and is the 3rd longest gopuram in Tamil Nadu. The statue of Vishnu is so beautiful with varnakalapam. There is a sanathi even for Vamana. As per Hindu legend, Vishnu appeared to the mudhal Alvars (first three Alvars) at Thirukkoilur. The temple plays a special part in Vaishnavism as it is where the first three Alvars sang the first three Thiruvandadhis compiled in Naalayira Divya Prabandam, the Sri Vaishnava canon. Thirumangai Alvar, another Alvar saint also revered the deity in his verses compiled in Nalayira Divya Prabandam. Ashta Veeratanams, Ashta – eight Veeratanam – Place of Bravery. As per legends, Shiva is believed to have destroyed eight different demons namely Andakasuran, Gajasuran, Jalandasuran, Thirupuradhi, Kaman, Arjunan, Dakshan and Taaragasuran. There are eight temples built signifying each of his victories in the war, and also as places where he is believed to have performed with fury. The eight temples are:

Anecdote

While on a visit to Ceylon, the ancient female Tamil poet Avvaiyar was caught up in a torrential rain, and took shelter in the house of two women, Angavay and Sangavay. These women took care of Avvai with great kindness and promised that they will be given in marriage to the King of Tirucovalur. On hearing this the King agreed to take the women in marriage if they were given away by the Chera, Chola and the Pandya. Avvai then makes an invocation to Ganesha for making the invitation on a palmyra leaf, on which Ganesha appears before her. On receiving the invitation the three kings come for marriage and give away Angavay and Sangavay in marriage (pp. 57–59). There is a mention of this time period in Ponniyin Selvan.