Dindigul - Palani Murugan Temple

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Dindigul - Palani Murugan Temple

Palani Murugan Temple

The deity of Palani is known as Dandayudhapani Swami, the Lord having the Staff in his Hand. The deity at the sanctum sanctorum is made out of an amalgam of nine minerals popularly called Navabashana. The deity is in a standing position with a baton in his hand. He has the look of a person who has renounced all worldly pomp. He has just a loincloth besides the baton. He is a mute messenger of the great precept 'Renounce all to reach Me'. The icon is unique in the whole world. It was made by siddha Bhogar by combining nine poisonous substances (navabashana). Murugan signifies beauty and Lord Murugan of Kurinji land is the god of Beauty and Youth.

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.

At this stage, Subrahmanya or Muruga had been outwitted in a contest for going round the world. Ganapati had won the prized fruit (pomegranate or mango) by simply going round His parents. Long after, this, Subrahmanya came sweating on His peacock to find that the prize had already been given away. In anger, the frustrated child left the divine parents and came down to Tiru Avinankudi at the Adivaram (pronounced Adivâram. It means foot of the Sivagiri Hill). Siva pacified Him by saying that He (Subrahmanya) Himself was the fruit (pazham) of all wisdom and knowledge; nee —you. Hence the place was called 'Pazham Nee' or Palani. Later, He withdrew to the hill and settled there as a recluse in peace and solitude.

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:

whosoever carried on his shoulders the Kavadi, signifying the two hills and visited the temple on a vow, should be blessed and 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. Since then, pilgrims to Palani bring their offerings on their shoulders in a kavadi. The custom has spread from Palani to all Muruga shrines worldwide.

The temple was constructed in the period of Chera Kings rule of South Kongu Nadu. In the epigraphs found in the Karpagraham dated 13th century it is known that Pandiyan Kings, Chola Kings also contibuted much for the festivals of this temple and worshiped Lord Muruga. There is also a book named Thalapuranam ( Temple History ) of 400 pages published at the Lord Muruga Worship and Tamil Cult conference which deals in detail about Palani and Murugan. The conference proceedings will be published soon. Deligates from various part of the world participated in the conference and presented papers about Palani and Murugan.

People arrving Palani by walking all long the way. This is known as "Paadha Yathirai" - means "Holy walk". Chain of people reaching Palani from all the direction. Usually people around 250Km perform this Holy walk. People arrive Palani starting from 10 days before Thai Poosam festival. Buses were diverted from the roads reaching Palani inorder to facilitate the piligrims.

While walking people chat, listen to walkman ( listening Bajans ), groups singing Bajans, etc.,, Usually people carry their homemade food on their head. The piligrims wear green or saffron or yellow color clothes. Small shops sell drinking water and snacks became usual bussiness during Thai Poosam festival.

Subrahmanya is unknowable even by Vishnu, Brahma, Indra, the four Vedas, the devas and others. He is the Lord without beginning, sign, and attribute. He is the Paramasiva seated ever in the hearts of the wise. He is the Siva whom knowledge seeks to know. He is the Divine Bliss which wells forth without end for souls to attain salvation, freed from the taint of the three malas (impurities). He assumes in His infinite mercy many shapes — with Form or without Form, and with Form-cum-Formlessness according to the needs of His devotees, he is inseparably interpenetrated win all beings.

Unless His Grace vouchsafes knowledge of Himself, none can expound His Nature. And no faculty can measure Him. He is the one Substance which all religions seek to scale, each in its own measure. He is the Brahma whom the Vedas proclaim. He is the Sadasiva who performs the three-fold action of Creation, Sustenance and Destruction. He is the Mystic meaning of the Pranava mantra ‘Om’. He is the Muruga of Uncreated Form, Perpetual Youth, Divine Fragrance that never fades.

The beauties of the many gods of love (Cupid) are dust before His Feet. He is the Divine Preceptor and Lord who put in prison Brahma (the creator) who knew not the meaning of Creation and taught the Truth to His adoring Father. He is the Guru who showered His Grace on Agastya who humbled Vishnu. His is the Illimitable Guhaswami who owns the Universe. He is the youthful Lord who shames Manmada in beauty. He is the Lord who breaks the fetters of the three Malas binding the souls. He is the Lord, enshrined in the secret caverns of the human heart. He is the Lord of the hosts of souls. He is the primal whole but called by a million names.

The Lord seated at Tirupparankundram for quenching the insatiable thirst of those whose love for Him knows no diminution, and at Centil where conch shells vibrate over the sea waves and at Tiru Avinankudi where hosts of siddhas worship Him and at Erakam where the Brahmins perform the priestly task of ablution and in the fields of tinai and in the huts of Kuravas and in the hillocks over which the pearly drops flow and in Palamudircolai where the peacock dances to the reverberations of the clouds or in the cities where festivals are performed in His Honour, gives His Bliss to His devotees.

Dindigul - Palani Murugan Temple

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