Palani Murugan Temple:
Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple is the third of Murugan’s Six Abodes. (Aarupadai veedugal). It is located in Palani, previously known as Thiru Avinankudi Dindigul district, 100 km southeast of Coimbatore and northwest of Madurai in the Palani Hills, Tamil Nadu, India. Palani Murugan temple is associated with Panchamritam, a five-ingredient sweet mixture.
According to Hindu legend, Sage Narada visited Shiva’s celestial court at Mount Kailash to gift him with a fruit known as the gnana-palam. (literally, the fruit of knowledge). He chose to give it to the first of his two kids to round the globe three times. Murugan accepted the challenge and set out on his voyage around the world on his horse peacock. Ganesha, however, who reasoned that the world was nothing more than his parents Shiva and Shakti together, circumambulated them and earned the fruit. Murugan was enraged and felt the need to mature from boyhood, therefore he chose to live as a hermit in Palani. The Muruga deity in Palani was fashioned and consecrated by sage Bogar, one of Hinduism’s eighteen great siddhaars, from an amalgam of nine deadly herbs known as Navapashanam.
Legend of this Palani Temple:
Sage Narada once went to Shiva’s celestial court on Mount Kailash to present him with a fruit, the gnana-palam (literally, the fruit of knowledge), which contained the elixir of wisdom. When Shiva expressed his desire to divide the fruit between his two sons, Ganesha and Murugan, the sage advised him not to chop it. He intended to give it to the first of his two kids to circle the globe three times.Karthikeya accepted the challenge and set out on his adventure around the world on his peacock ride. Ganesha, on the other hand, who reasoned that the world was nothing more than his parents Shiva and Shakti together, circumambulated them. Shiva bestowed the fruit on Ganesha because he was pleased with their son’s insight. When Kartikeya returned, he was enraged to see that his efforts had been futile. He left Kailash and settled in the Palani highlands of South India. Karthikeya is said to have sensed the urge to mature since childhood, thus he chose to live as a hermit and shed all of his robes and jewels. He entered meditation to learn more about himself.
According to another tale, once upon a time, all sages and gods gathered on Kailash, Shiva’s dwelling. As a result, the earth tilted in one direction. To balance the imbalance, Shiva requested sage Agathiyar to go to the south. Agastya hired a demon named Ettumba to carry two hills to the south on his shoulders. The demon carried the hills southward and rested in a location. When he attempted to lift one of the hills, it refused to budge, and he discovered a young man standing at the top of the hill, refusing to let it be moved. The monster attempted to attack the young man but was defeated. Sage Agastya recognised the young guy as Murugan (Karthikeya) and requested him to forgive the demon. Murugan gladly agreed and allowed the hill to remain in Palani. It is a modern-day practice in which people carry milk on both shoulders as a devotion to please the Lord. The demon took the second hill to Swamimalai, another of Lord Murugan’s six abodes.
Palani Murugan Temple History:
The Muruga idol in Palani was fashioned and consecrated by sage Bogar (Bhoga Muni), one of Hinduism’s eighteen great siddhas, from an amalgamation of nine rocks, or navapashanam. (Pashana in Sanskrit means poison). According to mythology, the sculptor had to work very quickly to complete and perfect its feature. Later, some people with access to the deity employed heinous poisons to rob the idol’s contents, severely injuring the idol and fueling conspiracy beliefs that the sage did not sculpt the outside features as well as the face. A shrine to Bhogar exists in the temple’s southwestern corridor, which is supposed to be connected by a tunnel to a cave in the centre of the hill, where Bhogar continues to meditate and keep his vigil, with eight Muruga idols.
After years of adoration, the deity fell into disuse and was allowed to be swallowed by the forest. Perumal, a king of the Chera Dynasty who ruled the area between the second and fifth century A.D., became separated from his hunting group one night and was forced to seek safety at the foot of the hill. As a result, the Subrahmanyan appeared to him in a dream and instructed him to restore the idol to its original state. The monarch started looking for the idol, and when he found it, he built the temple that now holds it and re-instituted its devotion. A modest stela at the foot of the winding stairs up the hill commemorates this.
Architecture of Palani Murugan Temple:
The deity’s idol is claimed to be formed of an amalgam of nine toxic chemicals that, when blended in a specific ratio, generate an eternal medicine. It is set on a stone pedestal with an archway framing it and depicts the god Subrahmanya in the form He took at Palani – that of a very young recluse, shorn of his locks and finery, dressed in nothing more than a loincloth and armed only with a staff, the dhandam, as befits a monk.
The temple was re-consecrated by the Cheras, whose dominions were to the west and whose eastern border was meant to be guarded by the Kartikeya of Palani. The deity is housed in the temple’s garbhagriha, or sanctum sanctorum, and can only be accessed and handled by the temple’s priests, who are members of the Palani Gurukkal community and have hereditary privileges to sacerdotal devotion at the temple. Other devotees are authorised to enter the sanctum, while priests’ aides, usually from the Pandram community, are permitted to enter the sanctum sanctorum’s antechamber.
Palani Murugan Temple Timings:
The timings of palani temple is 6.00 am – 9.00 pm
Pooja Timings:
Vishwarupa Darshan: Morning 6 o’clock
Vila Pooja (Satu Sanniyasi Decoration) : 6.40 am – 7.15 am
Sirukalasandhi Pooja (Vedar decoration) : 8.00 am – 8.30 am
Kalasandhi Pooja (Balasubramaniar decoration) : 9.00 – 9.30 am
Uchikala Pooja (Vaidikaal decoration) : 12.00 -12.45 noon
Sayaratchai Pooja (Royal decoration) : 5.30 pm – 6.15 pm
Irakala Puja (Flower Decoration) : 8.30 – 9.00 PM
Palliyarai Pooja: Lord Retiring to Bed
Thirukaapu iduthal : Closing the Shrine for the day
Festivals at Palani Murugan Temple:
Every year, days devoted to the god Subrahmanyan are celebrated with pomp and splendour, and hordes of devotees from all over the world gather. These festivals include the Thai-Poosam, Panguni-Uthiram, Vaikhashi-Vishakham, and Sura-Samharam. Thai-Poosam, the most prominent event in Palani, is celebrated on the full moon day of the Tamil month of Thai. (15 January-15 February). Vaiyaapuri nattu Pattakkarar Muthukaali Tharagan gothram pangaalis of Sengunthar Kaikola Mudaliyar have the authority to give this temple a festival flag.
Because these people are sprung from Nava Veerargal, who aided Lord Murugan in the battle of Surasamharam. Pilgrims trek barefoot from distant towns and villages after taking a stringent vow of abstinence. Many pilgrims also bring a litter of wood called a Kvadi, which they carry on their shoulders in remembrance of the demon Hidumba, who is said to have slung the two hills of Palani onto his shoulders in a similar method. Others bring holy water, known as theertha-kvadi, for the priests to use to perform the abhishekam on the holy day. Traditionally, the most revered pilgrims, whose presence is eagerly anticipated by all, are the people of Karaikudi, who bring with them the Lord’s diamond-encrusted vél, or spear, from His temple at Karaikudi.
The temple is open daily from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. The temple opens at 4.30 a.m. on festival days.
Palani Temple Official Website: https://palanimurugan.hrce.tn.gov.in/
palani murugan temple steps : Palani temple is reached by climbing 689 stairs. Palani Town may be seen from the top of the hill.
Palani Temple Online Booking:
Devotees can reserve the Palani Murugan temple online by visiting the official website.
Palani Temple Address:
Palanisamy Nagar, Malumichampatti, Tamil Nadu 641021
Best Places to visit in Palani:
Periyanayaki Amman Temple
Thiru Avinankudi Temple
Idumban Temple
Varathamanathi Dam
Kannadi Perumal Temple
Palani Temple Distance:
Madurai Airport to Palani murugan Temple: 20 min (9.7 km) via Airport Rd
coimbatore airport to palani murugan temple: 51 min (26.2 km) via NH544
By Air: The closest airports to Palani Hills are in Coimbatore and Madurai.
By Road: Palani is accessible by road from all cities in Tamil Nadu.Coimbatore is the closest city.It is around 105 kilometres from Palani.
By Train : Dindugal and Coimbatore are the closest railway stations.
Palani Temple Photos:
