Karungulam Venkatachalapathy and Srinivasa Temples

Site Name: Venkatachalapathy and Srinivasa Temples

Site Type: Hindu temple

Location:  Karungulam, near Tirunelveli city, Tamil Nadu state, India

Highlights: The combination of two sandolwood sticks is worshiped as Lord Venkatachalapathy

Nearest Railway Station: Tirunelveli

Nearest Airport: Tirunelveli

How to reach: Well connected by road from Tirunelveli

Hotel: Go to Tirunelveli

Restaurants: Go to Tirunelveli 

Tirunveliveli is a historical city located on the banks of the beautiful Tamraparni river in the southern Tamil Nadu state of India. The city and its surroundings have a lot of scenic spots and temples. Karungulam is a small village located near Tirunelveli on the way to Tiruchendur. This village is also located on the banks of the river Tamraparni. The village has a hilltop temple for Lord Venkatachalapathy and another temple dedicated to Shiva at the entrance of the village. Let us explore Venkatachalapathy Temple in this article. 

Highlights:

•  God – Venkatachalapathy and Srinivasa
• Goddess – Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi
• Teerth (holy water) - Tamraparni
• Sthala Vruksha (holy tree) - Tamarind tree
• Two sandalwood sticks joined together are worshiped as the main deity

Legend:

A king Subakandan was suffering from an unbearable pain in his neck. When he prayed to Lord Venkateshwara in Tirupati, he was ordered by the Lord to make a chariot of sandolwood and install the two remaining stick in Vagulagiri. Accordingly, the king installed the two sandalwood sticks joined together to look like Venkatachalapathy of Tirupati. He also built this temple near the temple of Srinivasa and Urangap Puli tree. Urangap Puli is the name of the tamarind tree found near the temple. Its leaves are not closed as the other tamarind trees and hence it is called as sleepless tamarind tree. 

Temple Layout:

The twin Vishnu temples are located on the top of Vagulagiri hill in the peaceful village of Karungulam on the banks of the river Tamraparni.

Venkatachalapathy temple has just the main deity - Venkatachalapathy made up of two sandalwood sticks. 

Srinivasa temple is bigger one. The main deity is Srinivasa who is found along with Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi. The utsava metal idols of all the three main deities are also located in the main shrine. Apart from that, the sub-shrines of Alwars, Vishwaksena, Garuda, Srinivasa and Krishna-Rukmini-Bhama are also found in this temple.

The hill can be reached with the flight of steps. From the hill, one can get an aerial view of this beautiful village.

Happy travelling.