The Soundararaja Perumal Temple in Thadikombu (approximately 9 km from Dindigul) is often referred to as the “Northern Abode” of the famous Kallazhagar Temple in Madurai. While the Nagapattinam temple is a Divya Desam, this Dindigul temple is celebrated primarily for its extraordinary Vijayanagara-era sculptures and its reputation as a “remedy temple” (Parihara Sthalam).
🏛️ History and Architecture
- Era: Built primarily in the 16th century by Achyuta Deva Raya (brother of Krishnadevaraya) and later expanded by the Madurai Nayaks.
- Style: A classic example of the Vijayanagara/Nayak style, characterized by hyper-realistic stone carvings.
- Main Tower: Features a 90-foot tall, five-tiered Rajagopuram.
- Artistic Mastery: The temple is a “museum of stone.” The sculptures in the Ranga Mandapam are so detailed that you can see individual veins, muscles, and fingernails on the deities.
🕉️ Unique Deities & Shrines
Unlike many other Vishnu temples, Thadikombu is famous for several specific sub-shrines that attract devotees for unique reasons:
- Swarna Akarshana Bhairavar: It is very rare to find a separate shrine for Lord Bhairava (usually a Shiva temple deity) in a Vishnu temple. Devotees pray here on Theipirai Ashtami for financial stability.
- Hayagriva & Saraswathi: They are housed in the same shrine. Students and parents throng here before exams to offer honey and cardamom garlands to Lord Hayagriva (the God of Knowledge).
- Rathi & Manmatha: There are life-size, stunningly beautiful sculptures of the God and Goddess of Love. Unmarried people perform special poojas here for 5 consecutive Thursdays to find a life partner.
- Dhanvantari: A dedicated shrine for the God of Medicine. On New Moon days (Amavasya), a special medicinal paste (Lehiyam) is distributed as prasad.
📜 The Legend (Sthala Purana)
The legend mirrors that of the Madurai Alagar Temple. A sage named Mandukya was cursed to live as a frog. While he performed penance on the banks of the Kudaganaru River, he was harassed by a demon named Thalasuran.
Lord Vishnu (as Alagar) appeared from Madurai, destroyed the demon, and relieved the sage of his curse. At the sage’s request, the Lord stayed here as Soundararaja Perumal (“The Beautiful King”).
📅 Practical Information
- Location: 9 km from Dindigul on the Karur-Dindigul National Highway.
- Timings: * Morning: 7:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Evening: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Major Festival: The Chithirai Festival (April-May), where the Lord goes to the riverbed of Kudaganaru, similar to the Alagar festival in Madurai.
