Palani Murugan Temple – One of the Six Shrines of Muruga in the Arupadaiveedu Temples in Tamilnadu

Dandayuthapani Temple, popularly known as Palani Murugan Temple, is one of the Arupadaiveedu Temples in Tamilnadu – the six shrines of Muruga on hills. Muruga is here worshipped as an ascetic young boy holding a dandam or staff. The main murti worshipped in the Palani Murugan Temple is believed to be more than 5000 years old.

Story of Palani Murugan Temple

Legend has it that Shiva and Goddess Parvati once got a single sweet mango fruit. The divine couple told their two sons, Ganesha and Muruga, that the first to circle the world will get the mango fruit. Muruga set off on his peacock. Ganesha circled his parents, symbolically meaning that his parents are his world. Thus Ganesha won the sweet mango.

Muruga felt dejected and renounced his family and retired to a hill in south India. The divine couple came down to pacify their son and goddess Parvati pacified him by calling the fruit of wisdom – ‘pazham nee’ which became Palani.

Another legend has it that Idumban, a student of Sage Agasya, attempted to lift two hillocks for his master. At first he was able to lift them up. He then prepared to take them to the sage.

Now, Lord Muruga was watching all this from a distance. He decided to test Idumban’s determination as well as his devotion for his master. Lord Muruga took the shape of a small child and stood atop a hill.

Now Idumban could not move the hill. He asked the boy to come down but the boy was adamant. The talks soon gave way to full-fledged battle. Idumban could not match the war tactics of the boy.

A defeated Idumban gained his composure and looked at the boy and suddenly realized who the child really was and folded his arms in reverence. Soon, Lord Muruga appeared before him and was pleased with his determination and devotion and appointed him as his guard. Muruga then settled on of the hills.

The Kavadi carried to Palani symbolizes the burden of hills carried by Idumban.

The Unique Murti of Murugan Worshipped in Palani Murugan Temple

The murti worshipped at the Palani Murugan Temple is believed to have been created by Siddhar Bogar from nine poisons (Nava Bashanam). He mixed nine deadly poisons and created a medicine which could cure all diseases of Kali Yuga (the present era). But the medicine could not be taken directly. So Siddhar created the murti of Muruga out of the medicine. The milk poured on the murti is believed to contain medicinal properties.

The murti in sanctum sanctorum is four-feet tall. The murti is slim and straight and holds a staff or Danda in one hand. The other hand rests on the waist.

689 steps to reach Palani Murugan

One has to climb 689 steps to reach the temple and the hill is surrounded by various medicinal herbs, grooves, fields and trees like sandalwood and kadamba.

The main offering in the temple is panchamirtham, vibhut (sacred ash) and rose water.

The most important festival is the Thaipoosam (January - February).

Palani Murugan Temple is around 100 km from Madurai and Coimbatore.