Marudamalai Murugan Temple

Marudamalai, one of the most popular abodes of Lord Muruga, is next in importance only to the Aru Padai Veedugal of the south Indian deity. Situated on a scenic hill in the Western Ghats, Marudamalai is about 15 km to the industrial city of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, India.

At least 1200 years old, the Marudamalai Murugan temple has been mentioned in the works of the Hindu saint Arunagirinathar. Lord Muruga is enshrined as Dhandayutapani in the Marudamalai Temple. The area around Marudamalai is a lush hilly landscape that is home to some tribal peoples and is also famous for various medicinal herbs that are native to the forests here.

Palani Murugan Temple

Symbolically situated at the top of a hill, Palani is perhaps the most celebrated of the Murugan temples in India. An ancient pilgrimage site dedicated to the quintessential Tamil deity, Lord Muruga, the Palani temple is a part of Indian folklore and Hindu tradition. Palani is one of the Aaru Padai Veedugal of Murugan in Tamil Nadu, and he is worshipped here in the form of Lord Dandhayudhabani.

The idol of Lord Muruga worshipped here is made from an amalgam of nine minerals known as navabashana. It is generally believed that an ancient ruler from Kerala, Cheraman Perumal, built the first temple here in the 7th century AD. Pandyan and Nayak rulers of nearby Madurai have made significant contributions to the temple through the ages.

The Legend of Palani Murugan in Tamil Nadu

The story surrounding the Palani Murugan temple is a well known Tamil legend. The sage Narada presented a divine mango, known as jnanapalam or fruit of wisdom, to Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati, who in turn wanted to give it to their children – Ganesha and Muruga. As there was only one fruit, Shiva devised a test for his sons– the first to circumambulate the Earth would win the divine fruit. Lord Muruga immediately mounted his peacock and began his journey around the Earth.

Lord Ganesha, meanwhile, whose mount was a rat, knew he could not beat his brother in this race, and after giving the matter some thought, went around his parents claiming they were his world. Lord Shiva and Parvati were satisfied with this explanation and awarded the mango to Ganesha. Lord Muruga, who completed the circulation of the Earth, however, felt slighted at this gesture and went away to Palani Mazhai, or the Hill of Palani, to meditate and express his displeasure. It is in this form, in a standing posture and holding a staff, that Murugan is worshipped as Lord Dhandayudhabani at Palani.

Murugan Temple of Pazhamudhircholai

There are two important Murugan temples around Madurai – one at Thiruparankunram and one at Pazhamudhircholai. Both are sacred abodes of Lord Muruga known as Aaru Padai Veedugal, all six of which are in Tamil Nadu. Lord Muruga is indeed a south Indian diety, and is essentially unknown in the north.

The Pazhamudhircholai temple is small compared to the other Padai Veedugal of Murugan and located in the Azhagar hills that also contains the Azhagar Kovil. It is a sylvan setting and the temple has been praised by the ancient Hindu saint Arunagirinathar as well as the legendary poet Nakkirar.

Thirupparankundram is a hill located in a lush landscape 5 miles southeast of Madurai. The Murugan temple at Tirupparankundram is one of the Aru Padai Veedugal, or six sacred abodes of Lord Muruga. The original shrine was a cave temple built in the hill, and extensions were built through the ages.

The significance of the Tiruparankunram temple comes from the legend of Murugan’s marriage to Devayanai, daughter of the king of the Gods, Indra, which took place at this temple and witnessed by Surya and Chandran, the sun and the moon. The marriage took place at Tirupparankunram following the victory of Lord Muruga over the demon, Surapadma.