Palani Murugan temple

Palani Murugan Temple is one of the most famous Murugan temples in India. It is located in the township of Palani, 100 km southeast of Coimbatore and a similar distance northwest of Madurai, and near the famous hill station, Kodaikanal.

It is one of the major Arupadaiveedu (6 houses of the Lord) of Lord Muruga. The other Arupadiveedus are Thiruchendur Murugan Temple, Swamimalai Murugan Temple, Thiruthani Murugan Temple, Pazhamudircholai, and Tirupparamkunram Murugan Temple.

Legend

As per the Hindu mythology, Sage Narada once visited the divine court of Lord Shiva at Mount Kailash. Lord Shiva was with his consort, Goddess Shakti, and their two children, Lord Ganesha and Lord Subrahmanya. Sage Narada gave Lord Shiva a fruit and told him that it was a special one, the fruit of wisdom (Jnana-Pazham).

Lord Shiva wanted his children to have the fruit of wisdom. However, when he offered it to them to be shared between the two sons, Sage Narada requested not to cut the fruit in two, lest the power be diminished. As a result, they had to decide to conduct a simple competition to decide who should get the fruit. Shiva and Shakti decided that the son who first circled the Earth would get the fruit. Immediately accepting the challenge, Lord Murugan started his journey around the globe on his divine vehicle, the peacock or mayil.

Lord Ganesha, who believed that his parents were his world, simply circumbulated Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakti and claimed the mango fruit. Lord Subrahmanya returned to Mount Kailash, only to find that Lord Ganesha had already won the contest. Lord Murugan felt he had been deceived and decided to leave Mount Kailasam. He reached to top of what is today called Pazhani malai (the Hill of Pazhani) and set up his abode there.

Goddess Shakti and Lord Shiva rushed to the hill and tried to pacify their son, calling him, Gnana Pazham Nee appa (in Tamil, "you are the fruit - Pazham; of wisdom - Gnana"). Hence this place came to be called Pazhani, or Palani.

Legend also has it that a divine siddhar named Boghar, created the idol of Dhandayuthapaani using navapashanam, an amalgam made from 9 poisonous elements which on getting mixed develops highly curative powers for many ailments of the human body. A small deity, dedicated to Boghar is also placed inside the temple. The adjoining walls depicts the history of the creation and other facts related to the temple.

Even though number of festivals are celebrated in the temple throughout the year, two major festivels of Palani is "Thaipposam" and "Pankuniuthiram". Thaipoosam is the festivel celebrated on the full moon day of the Tamil Month "Thai" and Pankuniuthiram is the festivel celebrated on "Uthiram" star day. In both the festival times thousands of people from all over Tamil nadu come to the Temple by walk. Even from places as distant as 300 km from Palani, people walk even without wearing foot wears. Before starting walking yathra to Palani, the devotees must follow some practices such as fasting, avoiding wearing of foot wears, dressing with yellow or red coloured cloths, avoiding smoking, drinking of liquors and etc.

On the days nearing to such festival days, there are big crowds of people moving to Palani like river on Dindigul to Palani road, Sempatti to Palani road. The Tamil nadu Government has paved 6 feet berth road from Dindigul to Palani for the convenience of devotees. Many people issue on free of cost the Food, Tea, coffee,Breads, Drinking water, fruits and etc to the Devotees. The most famous walking yatra group is Karaikudi group where devotees carry the "Kavadi" on their shoulders.

There is a legend associated to the “Kavadi”. Sage Agastya wanted to take two hills—Sivagiri and Sakthigiri—to his abode in the South and commissioned his disciple Idumban to carry them. Idumban bore the hills slung across his shoulders, in the form of a kavadi one on either side. When he was fatigued, he placed the kavadi near Palani to take rest.

When Idumban resumed his journey, he could not lift the hill. Muruga had made it impossible for Idumban to make it. In the fierce battle that ensued, Idumban was killed but was later on restored to life. Idumban prayed that:

1. whosoever carried on his shoulders the Kavadi, signifying the two hills and visited the temple on a vow, should be blessed and
2. he should be given the privilege of standing sentinel at the entrance to the hill.

Hence we have the Idumban shrine halfway up the hill where every pilgrim is expected to offer obeisance to Idumban before entering the temple of Dandâyudhapani.

Lord Palani Murugan called in other names such as Dhandapani, Dhandayudhapani, Subramaniaswamy, Palaniappan and etc., is very powerful God. If we pray for anything along with Lord Palni Muruga, he must comple it. Hence we are all try to visit Palani even once in our life in order to get his blessings.