Kalamega Perumal Temple, Thirumohoor

Kalamega Perumal Temple stands at Thirumohoor near Melur, about 20 km from Madurai. One of the 108 Divya Desams, praised by Tirumangai Alvar and Nammalvar, it honours Vishnu as Kalamega Perumal and Lakshmi as Mohanavalli Thayar. Legend places here the episode in which Vishnu took the form of Mohini to keep the nectar of immortality from the asuras; the temple is also called Mohanapuram and Mohanakshetram. The place appears in Sangam literature and the Silappatikaram, and an inscription names one Kaala Maegam alias Kaangaeyan as builder in 1259, under Sadaiyavarman Sundara Pandyan; the present structure is credited to the Madurai Nayaks.

The temple covers 2.5 acres within four prakarams, behind a five-tiered rajagopuram and a large tank. Kalamega Perumal stands holding his five weapons, with Sridevi and Bhudevi who, unusually, do not touch his feet. A separate shrine holds a reclining Anantasayi Vishnu. Behind the Chakratalvar image stands Narasimha amid 48 apsaras, within circles bearing 16 weapons and 154 letters believed to come from a bija mantra.