- Viralimalai
:"This aricle is about the town of Viralimalai in
Tamil Nadu . For the famous temple there seeViralimalai Murugan temple "Viralimalai is a developing town in
Tamil Nadu ,India located 30 km FromTiruchirapalli . Altitude: 137m. population:36,866. [Falling Rain Genomics [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/25/Viralimalai.html Virilimalai] ]The famous Lord Shanmuganathar temple is situated on the top of the granite hill at Viralimalai. The temple was once a renowned seat of the
Bharatanatyam dance form and boasted of a separate dancer for each of the 32 adavu-s (அடவு, dance movements). Most of the inhabitants of this village can trace their descent from the Isai-vellala (மேளக்காரர்,Melakarar ) community.History
The natural caverns in the hillock show signs of early human habitation. This place may have shared the fortunes of
Kodumbalur (கொடும்பாளுர்), six km away. The presence of an earlyChola temple suggests that Viralimalai (விராலிமலை) was a prosperous village as early as the 9th century AD. [Pudukkottai_District#Pandya_empire ] The sides of this hill have traditionally been covered with non-thorny trees, mainlyWrightia (veppaalai, வெப்பாலை).Viralimalai is home to an exclusivekuravanji (குறவஞ்சி) dance-drama. The kuravanji named after Viralimalai has had an unbroken tradition of presentation for nearly two centuries. OnMaha Shivaratri (மகாசிவராத்திரி) night every year, till 1993, the kuravanji (குறவஞ்சி) was played as an all-night show to large crowds of nobles, officials and ordinary folk, in front of the mandapam below the foot of the hill. [Sundarsuman center for Arts and Culture, Pudukkottai [http://www.pudukkottai.org/places/viralimalai/01viralimalai.html#dance%20tradition%20of%20Viralimalai More details on Viralimalai] ]Peacock Sanctuary
Viralimalai is one of the few places where Peacocks, the National bird of India, are abundant. A large number of wild Peacocks roam around the Murugan Temple and surrounding woodlands, which form a sanctuary for the birds. [Services International, Viralimalai Sanctuary [http://www.indogreek.org/tour/wildlife/viralimalaisanctuary.htm Viralimalai Sanctuary] ] The town, Temple and Peacock Sanctuary have been declared and funded as a Heritage Place by order of the Governor. [Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (PR.2) Department, G.O. (Ms) No.19, Dated: 23.1.2008 [http://www.tnrd.gov.in/Pt_Raj/linkfiles/19-23.1.2008.re.pdf Declaring Viralimalai as a heritage place] ]
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