Thanumalaya Temple, popularly referred to as the Suchindram Temple, is an ancient shrine in
Suchindram, about 12 km from
Kanyakumari.
Trimurti – the combined force of
Lord Shiva,
Lord Vishnu and
Lord Brahma – in the form of a ling is the presiding deity here.
The shrine is believed to have been erected over a period spanning approximately 600 years. Built of stone, the shrine is noted for its architectural splendor in Dravidian style. Noteworthy among the features are a beautiful gopuram of 130 ft high and inscriptions dating back to the 9th century.
Thanumalaya Temple is a treasure trove of sculpture, prominent being an imposing 3 m tall image of Lord Hanuman, gigantic statue of Nandi, the image depicting the scene of Geethopathesa (Bhagavad Gita), and the sculpture of Vinayaki – the female form of Lord Vinayak(Lord Ganesh). Musical pillars add to the charm of the temple.
The temple is open from 03:00 hrs to 13:00 hrs and 16:00 hrs to 20:00 hrs.
