Uthirakosamangai Temple

Getting there

• By train

  Express and passenger trains connect Ramanathapuram town to major cities, and the temple is 18 km from the town.

• By road

  Ramanathapuram town has a bus terminus with mofussil, intra-city and private omni buses from major cities of Tamil Nadu. The temple lies 32 km east of Paramakkudi.

Rules to know

• No percussion instruments are used in worship, because even small shaking is believed to damage the emerald idol.

Why devotees come here

Uthirakosamangai Temple, in Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu, is a Shiva temple where Shiva is worshipped as Mangalanathar in lingam form. What sets it apart is an ancient emerald Nataraja idol, 6 ft tall, kept inside the temple.

The temple is considered sacred along with Ramanathapuram, Sethu Madhava Theertham and Lakshmana Theertham. It lies 32 km east of Paramakkudi. Legend says Shiva was pleased by a rishi and appeared as a thousand lingams for the 999, and one more for himself.

The temple is said to have a history of about 3,000 years. During the reign of the Pandyan kings, the temple was a prominent place. Their capital was Uttarakosamangai. The gateway tower, the rajagopuram, has seven tiers. At the entrance of the main precinct, stone yalis, mythical dragons, hold a rolling stone ball in their mouths.

Inside stands an ancient Nataraja idol, 6 ft tall and carved from emerald. A hall holds a thousand lingams, called Sahasralingam. The idol stays covered in sandal paste for a year before it is unveiled at Arudra Darshan.

Festivals

• Thiruvathirai day in the Tamil month of MargazhiArudra Darshan

  The emerald idol, kept covered in sandal paste for a year, is unveiled for public darshan.

• Tamil month of Chittirai (April to May)Tirukalyana Vaibhavam

  A sacred marriage festival.

Tips for your visit

• If you want to see the emerald idol unveiled, plan the trip for Margazhi and ask the temple for the date.
• There are two shrines to visit, one for Mangalanathar and one for Mangalambigai, both inside the temple.

Questions people ask