The legend of Lord Murugan dates back to the Skanda Purana, which describes the greatness of the deity. According to the Tamil texts, the devas (gods) were driven out of Svarga (heaven) by the asura, Surapadman. The helpless devas sought the assistance of Vishnu and Brahma, who tasked Kamadeva with disturbing Lord Shiva from his penance so that he could fall in love with Parvati and give birth to Murugan. Appointed as the commander of the devas, Lord Murugan went on to slay the demon Surapadman and restore the devas to Svarga.
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What are The Six Houses of Lord Muruga: Arupadai Veedu
Tamil literature elucidates the five types of land present in this world and assigns Lord Murugan as the deity of the Kurinji region or mountainous land. The six abodes of Lord Muruga encompass the geography of Tamil Nadu in the form of six holy temples, namely Tiruparamkundram, Tiruchendur, Palani, Swamimalai, Tiruttani and Pazhamudircholai. Collectively, these six abodes of Bhagwan Murugan are known as Arupadai Veedu.
Thiruparamkundram
Thiruparamkundram is the first of Lord Murugan’s six holy abodes. The temple was built on a hilltop where Murugan married Indra’s daughter, Devasena or Deivyani. The post-Sangam poet Nakkeerar is regarded for worshipping Murugan during this strike. The significance of this temple lies in the unique rite of abhishekam, where this divine worship is performed for the divine spear, vel, instead of Lord Muruga.
Dating back to the 6th century, the Thiruparamkundram Murugan Temple is mentioned in Sangam Literature. A common legend says that King Harichandra worshipped Shiva from the hilltop and, thus, built a temple here. Other legends state that the temple was built in the 8th century AD by the Pandya rulers, who carved this religious structure out of a rock.
In the 15th century AD, the Nayaks of Madurai complemented this temple with beautiful gopurams, the Mugha mandapam, and 48 ornate pillars. Historical evidence states that before the Pandya King, Koon Pandiyan, built this temple, it was predominantly a Jain cave and shrine built by Jain monks. The Nayaks of Madurai endowed the temple with multiple additions, including its pillared halls and life-sized sculptures on the mandapas.
The Asthana mandapa of the temple depicts multiple exquisitely carved pillars that lead to a seven-tired Raja Gopuram towards the entrance. The three-pillared halls of the temple, the Kambathadi Mandapam, Ardha Mandapam, and Maha Mandapam, lead to the sanctum sanctorum, which is an early rock-cut temple of the 6th century with idols of Murugan, Goddess Durga, Vinayaka, Bhagwan Shiv and Bhagwan Vishnu, carved into the Parankundram rock.
A noteworthy architectural feature of this temple is the main shrine’s face-to-face idols of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu.
A Shaiva style of worship is practiced in this temple, which has six daily rituals and three annual festivals. Each ritual includes four steps: the abhisheka or the sacred bath, Alangaram meaning decoration; Naivethanam by offering food; and finally, the waving of lamps called Deepa Aradanai.
Monthly festivals are celebrated on the new moon and full moon day. The Kantha Sasthi Festival in Tamil, Aippasi, is the most popular between October and November. During Brahmotsavam, the month of Panguni, the avatars of Lord Vishnu and Lord Murugan are paraded to celebrate the Chittirai Festival.
This temple’s beauty and religious virtue in Thiruparamkundram earn it the name ‘Southern Himalaya’ or ‘the land where gods assemble.’ Multiple legends mention that it is in this sacred temple that the Sun and Moon take rest.
Tiruchendur
The Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy Temple of Lord Murugan in Tiruchendur commemorates the triumph of Lord Murugan over the asura, Surapadman. Located on the Bay of Bengal shore, this temple also celebrates Lord Murugan’s worship of Shiva to win over the demon.
Unlike other temples of the Arupadai Veedu, the Tiruchendur Temple hosts the Raja Gopuram on its western side instead of the normative east. It is said that the eastern erection of the gopuram was prevented to avoid washing away by the sea, which is predominantly close to that side. The Mela Gopuram has nine stories with nine Kalasams or copper pots at the top of it.
The temple’s inner sanctum is built within a cave, and it hosts the main deity of Murugan, who is carved in granite as a saintly child. The divine architect Mayan is believed to be responsible for constructing this shrine at Tiruchendur.
A ritual cleansing is a part of the rites wherein devotees bathe from the sacred Nali Kinaru well after immersion into the ocean. This shrine celebrates The Skanda Shasthi festival with utmost pomp and grandeur.
Palani
Lord Murugan’s temple in Palani worships the deity in his ‘Dhandayuthapani’ avatar, which rests in a meditating state with a danda (staff) as an ayudha (weapon) in his hands. This place is often celebrated as the reconciliatory grounds of Lord Murugan with his family after a feud over Jnana Palam, a divine fruit. The name of this holy shrine comes from the syncopation of ‘Pazham Nee,’ translating to ‘You are the Fruit.’
The stories often recall Palani as a transition of Lord Murugan from boyhood to maturity as a hermit. The deity of Lord Murugan in this temple conveys him as a mute messenger of ‘Renounce all to reach me.’ His idol signifies peace, harmony, and the attainment of nirvana. 15th-century poet Arunagirinathar commemorates Lord Murugan and the temple at Palani in his composed Thirpugazh, popularizing this as a prominent abode of Lord Muruga.
The architecture of this temple boasts of an exemplary idol created by sage Bogar, which is said to be made of a conglomeration of 9 poisonous minerals that transform into an eternal medicine when mixed in the accurate ratio called Nayapashanam. It features God Murugan in a loincloth with a staff in his hand, dressed in a monk’s attire atop a pedestal of stone in the Garbhagriha or sanctum sanctorum.
The sanctum of this temple showcases early Dravidian architecture, with the ambulatory influenced by Pandya tradition. Surmounting, it is a vimana or tower plated with gold sculptures of Hindu deities. Amongst the six Arupadai Veedu, this temple bears the most extensive Tamil inscriptions. The temple has shrines dedicated to both Bhagwan Shiva and Parvati in its first precinct, with an additional shrine for its creator, sage Bhogar.
The Abhishekam, or bathing ritual at the Palani temple, is done with oil, sandalwood paste, and milk, followed by ritual purification with water. Four prominent pujas are done once after the temple’s opening, in the afternoon, in the evening, and finally at night before its closing.
During the Sayarakshai Pujai in the evening, the idol of Lord Murugan is dressed in the Alankaram or attire of a king. After that, his idol, Uthsavamurty, is carried in a golden chariot around the temple. On special occasions and festivities, the Panchamritam, consisting of banana, honey, ghee, jaggery, date, and cardamom, is offered to the god, devotees, and prasad.
A major tradition of this temple is the vow to discard one’s hair in imitation of their idol, Bhagwan Murugan. The Thaipusam Festival celebrated during the full moon, is the most eminent festival in Palani, with devotees carrying a burden as a form of debt bondage decorated with flowers. Abhishekam is carried out by devotees who bring sacred water pots (theerta kavadi) or cow milk (paal kavadi). A strict vow of abstinence is carried for 48 hours by pilgrims who come barefoot to the temple.
Swamimalai
The Swamimalai Temple, dedicated to Lord Muruga, is built on an artificial hill. It commemorates Lord Murugan, explaining the essence of ‘Om,’ the Pranava mantra, to God Shiva. Thus, Murugan came to be known as ‘Swaminatha Swami’ or the ‘Teacher of Shiva.’
Another mythology unveils the story of this temple dating back to when sage Bhrugu received a boon that anyone disturbing his meditation would forget all their knowledge. His meditation was so strong and devout that fire emanated from his head and reached up to Swarga. At the request of the devas, Lord Shiva extinguished the sacred fire by breaking the sage’s penance, thereby forgetting his own knowledge. With Lord Muruga’s help, Lord Shiv regained his knowledge within the walls of this holy shrine.
This holy temple has three gopurams or gateway towers and three precincts, one of which is in the basement. There are sixty steps leading up to the Swaminathaswamy Shrine, named after the sixty Tamil years. There are shrines for Vinayaka as well as images of the lingam or Lord Shiva and Meenakshi, an avatar of Parvati. The Swaminathaswamy Shrine is decorated with golden armor, crowns, and a diamond lance. The second precinct of this temple, located between the sixty steps, houses the chariot and a marriage hall. The animal mount of Lord Murugan in this temple is a white elephant in contrast to his most common mount, i.e., a peacock.
The worshipping rituals are conducted at the second precinct with the accompaniment of the nagaswaram, pipe, and tavil or percussion. Priests aloud read religious instructions prescribed in the sacred text of the Vedas.
The major festivity of the Swamimalai Temple is Vaikasi Visagam, observed in the Tamil month, Vaikasi, between May and June. It celebrates the worship of Subramanyaswamy by Lord Indra on the day of Visagam star to defeat the asura, Arikesa. The event of Subramanya Sahasranama was celebrated monthly with Archana of 1008 forms of Lord Murugan. Panchamritam is a common traditional prasad offered to devotees at this temple.
Tiruttani
On the hills of Tiruttani in Tiruvallur district, the Subramaniya Swamy Temple is Lord Murugan’s fifth of the six abodes. Popular mentions of this temple can be found in Nakkeerar’s work
Tirumurugatruppadai of Sangam literature. Vijayanagara rulers and farmers are believed to have patronized the temple.
In popular mythology, during Lord Indra’s daughter Devasena’s marriage with Muruga, he presented him with an elephant named Airavata as an offering. However, upon learning of Lord Indra’s fading wealth, Murugan offered to return the elephant. Refusing his offering, Lord Indra requested that Airavata face his way instead. As the only temple other than Swamimalai to feature a white elephant as the animal mount of Lord Murugan, Tiruttani has the image of Airavata facing east towards Lord Indra.
Regional lore describes this temple as the location of Muruga’s marriage with the tribal lord Nambirajan’s daughter, Valli. Devotees celebrate the occasion with ten-day festivities. This temple is often called Shanti Puri, which is the Abode of Peace, as Lord Murugan led a life of harmony here after defeating the Asuras. Due to this, the Sura Samharan festivity is not celebrated here during Skanda Shasthi, unlike the other Arupadai Veeru Murugan temples.
The temple boasts two illustrious shrines, one dedicated to the Shaktidharar avatar of Murugan and the other shrine of Valli. In his temple shrine, Lord Murugan is awarded the epithets Veeramurti, Jnanamurti, and Acharyamurti for imparting Tamil knowledge to sage Agasthya. There are 365 steps representing the 365 days of the year that lead up to the temple. The vimana, or tower of this temple, is plated in gold.
Saint Arunagirinathar is said to have praised this hill as the place of worship by the gods and chosen abode of sages for performing prolonged meditation. He is often said to have compared it with Kailasha, the abode of Lord Shiva. The month of Karthikai, in particular, attracts many devotees along with the Aadi Karthigai festival. The Brahmotsavam and Valli Kalyanam are also celebrated with pomp and pious during the month of Masi.
Pazhamudircholai
The Arulmigu Solaimalai Murugan Temple is the most prominent temple in the city of Pazhamudircholai and the sixth of the Arupadai Veedu. Tamil Sangam texts like Pattupattu and Ettutokai praise the beauty and peace of this hidden temple.
Surrounded by a dense forest, this temple is credited to the legend of being the abode of Goddess Valli, the wife of lord Murugan. In popular myth, the famous Tamil poet Avvaiyar and a devotee of Murugan, Muruga Bakthai, were put to the test by the lord, who took the shape of a small boy. To date, the tree where the episode took place is worshipped as a holy sanctum.
Unlike other abodes of Lord Murugan, this temple at Pazhamudircholai worships the lord as Jnana Shakti, Valli as Iccha Shakti, and Devasena as Kriya Shakti. Shrines dedicated to Ganesha are also present in abundance.
The main idol of Murugan is presented in a standing position with four hands kept between the idols of his consorts, Devasena and Valli. Devotees worship the spear (vel) of the lord as it has been created with what is believed to be a holy rock.
Apart from the significant architecture of the temple, it adorns Noopura Ganga, a natural spring located atop the temple’s hill. Pilgrims and devotees who come to visit the temple take a dig in this sacred spring that is believed to have originated from Lord Vishnu’s anklet.
Conclusion
The Arupadai Veedu of Lord Murugan is one of India’s most exemplary collections of religious sites, especially in Tamil Nadu. It celebrates the abodes of Lord Murugan and his legend of strength, power, and peace. From the sacred waters of Pazhamudircholai to the historic celebrations of Palani, the shrines of Lord Murugan highlight the architectural glory of the Pandyas, Nayaks, and Vijayanagara rulers. The religious and spiritual energy that radiates from the Arupadai Veedu inspires and attracts devotees from all across the world.
