Ilanji Kumaran Koil: An Ancient Temple Near Courtallam

Courtallam is famous for its waterfalls, but the region around it has several old temples that are equally worth exploring. One such place is Ilanji, a small village surrounded by fertile fields with the Western Ghats rising in the background.

Located about 3 km from Tenkasi and 5 km from Courtallam, Ilanji is home to the ancient Ilanji Kumaran Koil.

The name suggests that this is primarily a Murugan temple. That is how the temple is popularly known today. Interestingly, however, the original presiding deity of the temple is Shiva.

An Ancient Temple Praised in Tiruppugazh

Ilanji Kumaran Koil has been praised by Arunagirinathar in his Tiruppugazh, establishing its long association with Murugan worship.

Another tradition connects the temple with sage Agastya. According to the belief, when Shiva sent Agastya towards South India, the sage visited Ilanji before proceeding to the temple at Courtallam.

Although the temple is now closely identified with Kumaran, another name for Murugan, the principal Shiva shrine remains an important part of the complex.

The present structure appears to have undergone renovation around the 15th century CE.

The temple faces east and has two entrances. Interestingly, there is no towering gopuram, giving the entrance a relatively simple appearance compared with many other large Tamil Nadu temples.

Iruvaluga Ishwar

The east-facing main sanctum is dedicated to Iruvaluga Ishwar, represented as a Shiva Linga.

Two large Dwarapalas guard the entrance to the sanctum. Their size and appearance immediately attract attention before entering the shrine. A murti of Ganesha is also found close to them.

Facing the Shiva shrine is Nandi, occupying his customary position before the sanctum.

The Goddess, Iruvaluga Isarkkiniyal, has a separate shrine facing south.

Near the entrance to the inner courtyard are murtis of Ganesha and Murugan. Shrines for Nataraja with Shivakami and the utsava murtis are also located close to the main sanctum.

Tiruvilanji Kumaran

To the left of the Shiva sanctum is the shrine that has given the temple its present popular identity.

Here Murugan is worshipped as Velavan or Tiruvilanji Kumaran.

He is depicted with four arms, seated on the peacock and accompanied by Valli and Devasena. The composition is one of the important features of the temple and explains why devotees increasingly identify the entire complex with Kumaran.

The dhwajastambha and the peacock face this shrine, just as Nandi faces the Shiva sanctum. This arrangement itself shows the importance given to both Shiva and Murugan within the temple.

Varadaraja Perumal

Another interesting feature of Ilanji Kumaran Koil is the presence of a shrine for Varadaraja Perumal.

A Vishnu shrine inside a temple predominantly associated with Shiva and Murugan adds another dimension to the complex and makes the temple worth exploring beyond its principal sanctums.

Walking Through the Inner Prakara

The temple has two prakaras.

The inner prakara contains a surprisingly large number of shrines and murtis. Among them are Surya, the 63 Nayanmars, Sapta Matas, Jwaradeva, Shaneeswarar, Chandikeswarar and Bhairava.

There is a separate shrine for Kanni Vinayaka, while Murugan appears in several forms throughout the prakara. These include Murugan with Valli and Devasena as utsava murtis, a separate shrine for Shanmukha with his consorts, and another set of metal procession murtis of Shanmukha with Valli and Devasena.

One can also find Venugopala with his consorts and Vishwanatha with Vishalakshi, accompanied by Nandi and Ganesha.

Another group represents Kuttralanathar and Kulalvaimozhi along with Agastya, an interesting connection with nearby Courtallam and with the tradition linking the sage to this temple.

The prakara also contains Sapta Kannis, Nagakanni, Vasuki, Lakshmi and Saraswati, along with two Ganesha murtis.

Dakshinamurti occupies the appropriate niche on the outer wall of the Shiva sanctum.

One unusual representation here is Ayyanar, whose form is different from the more familiar depictions seen in many Tamil temples.

With so many deities represented within a relatively compact space, walking around the inner prakara slowly is worthwhile. It is easy to miss several of them if the visit is limited only to the main sanctums.

The Outer Prakara

Compared with the inner enclosure, the outer prakara is far simpler.

Its principal shrine is dedicated to Shenbaga Vinayaka.

The open spaces around the temple, together with the green surroundings of Ilanji and the nearby hills, give the temple a completely different atmosphere from the crowded pilgrimage centres nearby.

Ilanji Kumaran Koil is interesting precisely because it cannot be understood through its name alone. It is popularly a Murugan temple, yet Shiva remains the original presiding deity. Vishnu too has a shrine here. Arunagirinathar connects it with the Murugan tradition, while Agastya connects it with the sacred geography of Courtallam.

If you are visiting Tenkasi or Courtallam, Ilanji is only a short detour. Spend some time walking through both prakaras instead of stopping only at the Kumaran shrine. The layers of worship within this old temple make the visit far more interesting than its modest exterior first suggests.

Happy travelling.