Viralimalai Murugan Temple, Pudukottai
Viralimalai Murugan Temple is one of the
famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord
Muruga, located in the town
of Viralimalai about 38 km from Trichy, 40 km from Pudukottai and 15 km from Manapparai in Tamil
Nadu, India.
The famous Lord Shanmuganathar temple is situated on the top of the granite hill at Viralimalai.
The temple was once a renowned seat of the Bharatnatyam dance form and boasted of a separate dancer for
each of the 32 adavus (dance movements).
The temple hill abounds in rich woody orchards with
peacocks roaming freely. The temple-hill has 207 steps. Beautiful mandapams are
also constructed, which serve as restrooms.
Location
Viralimalai is on the bus route between Madurai and
Tiruchy. It is 25 kilometers from Tiruchy and 40 kilometers northwest of
Pudukottai. From Azhankudi, Viralimalai is 38 Kilometers. A railway station is
very close to the town. Viralimalai temple is on top of a big rock and can
be seen from a great distance.
Viralimalai temple is situated in the heart of the town
of Viralimalai. Hence the town takes the name of the hill. Buses, which ply
from Tiruchy to Madurai and from Pudukottai to Illupur, go via Viralimalai.
Devotees can reach Tiruchy by road, rail or air and hence proceed to
Viralimalai. In Tiruchy and Viralimalai there are many private boarding and
lodging houses and food facilities are also available.
General Information
The hill has a huge population of
peacocks. The peacock bearing Lord Muruga on its back is called
Asura Mayil – giant peacock.
Greatness of Temple
Saint Arunagiriar came to this place as instructed by
Lord Muruga after the darshan granted in Vayalur. The saint was in search
of the way to Viralimalai. Lord Muruga came and led the saint to the
place. Muruga wrote the OHM letter in the saint’s tongue in Vayalur
and taught him the arts of Ashtama Siddhis – eight great miracle arts including
the one of entering into others body known as Koodu Vittu Koodu Paithal.
The saint lived in this place for a while. His hymns are a holy record of the
history of Viralimalai.
Viralimalai had been the home of many Siddhas next only
to Thiruvannamalai. This is also the place where Lord offered a sweet
preparation called Appam in Tamil to the devotees of Tiruvarur Lord
Dakshinamurthy. Great four sages – Sanakar, Sanantanar, Sanantar and
Sanatkumarar performed penance here and were granted darshan by Lord
Muruga.
A Nagar – idol of a snake is installed at the centre of
Naga theertham.
A devotee, Karuppamuthu by name was engaged in the renovation of the
temple. One day it rained heavily accompanied by wild winds. The
river was in full flow. He was trembling with cold. Praying to Lord
Muruga, he lighted a cigar to fight the cold.
Another man came near him also trembling.
Karuppamuthu offered him a cigar. The second man disappeared. When Karuppamuthu
went to the temple, he was shocked to see cigar bits before the Lord. He
told the gathering in the temple what happened. Since then, cigar nivedhana
became a practice in this temple.
Later, Maharaja of Pudukkottai banned this system in the
temple. Lord Muruga is believed to have appeared in his dream saying that
the cigar nivedhana system had behind it the noble quality of helping one when
in need and not to encourage smoking, hence this need not be prohibited.
People take the cigar and keep it in their houses. This is to show that
love and devotion are important in the offering and not the object offered, it
is said.
Temple History
The natural caverns in the hillock show signs of early
human habitation and may have shared the fortunes of Kodumbalur, 6 km away. The presence of an early Chola temple suggests that Viralimalai was a prosperous
village as early as the 9th century AD. The sides of this hill are covered
with non-thorny trees, mainly Wrightia. Viralimalai is home to an exclusive kuravanji dance – drama.
The kuravanji named after Viralimalai has had an
unbroken tradition of presentation for nearly two centuries. On Maha
Shivarathri night every year,
till 1993, the Kuravanji was played as an all – night show to large crowds of
nobles, officials and ordinary folk, in front of the mandapam below the foot of
the hill.
The stone inscription of the period of second Devarayar (1422-1446
AD) a successor of Vijayanagara Empire is found here. The political chief of
Devarayar 2 was ‘Azhagiya Manavaala Thevan’. He ruled over this region with
Kathalur and perambur as the capital. Viralimalai was under his control.
Legends
According to one story, there was a Kura tree in the
place where now the temple exists. A hunter was chasing a tiger. It
disappeared at this spot. It was believed that Lord was there where the
tiger disappeared and people began their worships. Lord Muruga showed the
way to Viralimalai to Saint Arunagiriar who was coming from Vayalur and also
taught him the rare eight miracle arts – Ashtama Siddhis. This is a
Muruga temple that has 18 Thirupugazh hymns sung by Arunagiriar.
Sages and yogis are said to have lived in the form of
Kura trees and worshipped Lord Murugan here on this hill. Hence the name of the
temple has come to be known as Viralimalai. The temple was acquired by Vadi Lakkaiya
Naicker and was supposed to have renovated by them and their descendants of
Marungapuriyar. In the 18th century the temple was under the control of
Pudukottai Thondaiman. The Palayamkarar’s used to offer cigar to the Lord.
Saint Vashishtar’s wife Arundhati forgets to feed Lord
Murugan when he was born at Saravana Poigai. Due to this Vasishta cursed his
wife Arundhati for her negligence & in turn Lord Murugan cursed Vashista
for showing wrath on his wife Arundhati. It is said both Vashista and his wife
Arundhati prayed here in Viralimalai to redeem themselves of the curse.
Saints like Kashyapa Munivar and Naradar are believed to
have offered their prayer here in Viralimalai to please the Lord and get their
sins propitiated. The mute Sivachariyar obtained the power of speech after
worshipping Lord Murugan here. These and many more are the marvels of this
temple.
Legend of Arunagirinathar
Poet – saint Arunagirinathar who lived during the 15th
century was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. He was once directed in a dream to
go to Viralimalai which in those days was situated amidst the thick jungle. Not
far from Viralimalai, Arunagirinathar lost his way in the jungle. From out of
nowhere there appeared a Veddar or hunting tribesman and guided him to a large
rock from where he could see Viralimalai Hill. The Veddar vanished. And
Arunagirinathar realized that Lord Murugan Himself guided him.
When Arunagirinathar was in Viralimalai the Lord gave
him jnanopadesam in the Sandana Kotta Mandapam and we can learn this from his
verses. Viralimalai has been praised by Arunagirinathar is 16 verses of Thirupugazh
(344 -364). In Shastra Kovai Pillai Tamizh the 25th song is about Viralimalai.
Today this spot on the hill has become a meditating place for devotees.
Temple's Speciality
Cigar is a special offering at this Viralimalai Murugan
Temple just like sandal paste is offered to Lord Dhandayuthapani in Palani
during Arthajama pooja. During the reign of Ramachandra Thondaiman of
Pudukottai the Lord is believed to have appeared in his dream and requested the
offering of cigars for the Kalasandhi and Sayaraitchai pooja. The king is said
to have been cured of his diseases after the offer of cigars to the Lord
according to the history.
Another legend is that Karuppamuthu Pillai, a devotee of
Lord Murugan used to visit the temple every Friday. During one such visit,
there were heavy rains, the river Mamundi was in spate and the area was flooded
with tank bunds broken. Karuppamuthu Pillai was cut off from the mainland. He
neither had food nor cigars to smoke for he was a chain smoker. He was greatly
distressed at the situation. He prayed to Lord Murugan. The Lord appeared
before him and offered him a cigar and a matchstick; and took him inside the
temple for darshan. From that day onwards cigar is offered to Lord Murugan
along with naivedyam and given away as Prasadam to devotees.
This is a place where the Lord blesses devotees with the
power to control the indriyas or senses. The temple is praised in the hymns of
Saint Arunagiriar. Cigar is offered as nivedhana to Lord Muruga in this temple.
Peacock Sanctuary
Peacocks are abundant in the region and Viralimalai forms a
sanctuary for the birds. The town, Temple and Peacock Sanctuary have been
declared and funded as a Heritage Place by order of the Governor. For brief details, Please refer link below
Temple Description
The hill is small and rocky. From the foot of the hill a
beautiful flight of steps take us to the top. These footsteps are engraved on
the rock and are 207 in number. In between there are beautiful mandapams for
devotees to rest.
Moolavar
The presiding deity Lord Murugan is in the divine form
of Arumugam, a six-faced and twelve hands seated elegantly on the peacock
facing east. His consorts Valli and Deivanai are seen standing on either side
of him. The front 3 faces are viewed directly while the other three faces at
the back are viewed in the mirror in the light of the camphor-lit during
arathi.
Sub-Shrines
There are idols of sage Kashyapa, Vasishta, Arundhati
and Narada Munivar. There are sculptures of Arunagirinathar; the foremost of
the 63 Nayanmars and that of Lord Arumugam on the pillars of the temple.
Goddess Maikannudaiyal Shrine
At the foot of the hills there is a water tank called
Saravana Poigai located on southern side. On the eastern side there is a Shrine
for the goddess Maikannudaiyal. One has to worship this goddess before going up
the hill to worship Lord Arumugam.
Idumban Sannidhi
Upon reaching the end of the flight of steps there is a
small cave called Idumban Sannidhi where Meenakshi Sundareshwarar dwell and a
small mandapam called Sandana Kottam.
Mandapams
Adjacent to this there is a Navarathri and Shanmugha Moorthy
Mandapam. Next to the Navarathri Mandapam there is a Raja Gopuram which faces
towards south.
In Shanmugha Moorthy Mandapam the Uthsavamoorthi dwells
with other gods. On the western side, there are shrines for Lord Vinayagar, Dhakshina
Moorthy, Agasthiyar and Arunagirinathar and in the northern side there are
shrines for Chandigeswarar and Bhairavar.
Navagraha Shrine
The Navagraha shrine is located on the way to the Maha
Mandapam in front of the sanctum sanctorum. In the Maha Mandapam there are
idols of Natarajar, Sivakami, Manika Vinayagar and Srinivasa Perumal are
installed. On the outer walls of the garbhagriha we find inscriptions. Inside
the main sanctum sanctorum Lord Muruga in the divine form of Arumugam is seen
seated majestically.
Theertham
On the southern part of the foothill Saravana Poigai,
the Sthala Theertham is located. It is also called Naga Theertham. A Naaga
is fixed (Prathistai) at centre of the theertham. The Sthala Vriksham in this
temple is Kasi Vilvam.
Temple Opening Time
The temple is open from 6.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and from
5.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.
Prayers
Those realizing their child boon leave the child with
Lord. The maternal uncles of the child offers husk to Lord Muruga and
take back the child and entrust with its parents. The place is one of the
noted prayer centres in the state. People pray to Lord for health,
happiness, longevity, education, wisdom, good yields in farming.
People follow different methods of prayer commitments.
Tonsuring, ear boring, carrying Kaavadi, Milk pots, Anga Pradakshanam – whole body
circumambulating (men), Kumbidudandam and step by step prakshina by women,
performing Shanmugha archana and Shanmugha Velvi, fasting on Kruthika days,
feeding the poor and contributing to temple renovation fund are the prayer
commitments undertaken by the devotees.
Special Poojas & Festivals
The daily puja is performed six times a day as per
Kamika Agamam. Thaipusam, Panguni Uttiram, Kanda Sashti and Adikrittikai are
the main festivals as in other Murugan temples. Viralimalai Kuravanchi written
by Muthu Pazhani Kaviraayar is played every year during the time of the
festivals.
10 days Vaikasi Visakam in May-June; 10 days Thai
Poosam; 6 days Aipasi Skanda Sashti – Soora Samharam in October – November; and
Arunagirinathar Music Festival each year are very grandly celebrated in the
temple. Also the devotee crowd will be huge on Deepavali, Tamil New Year day
and all Muruga related days.
Contact
Sri Shanmuganathar Temple,
Viralimalai – 621 316,
Pudukkottai district
Phone: +91 4322 221084
Mobile: 98423 90416
Connectivity
The temple is on the Madurai-Trichy highway with
comfortable conveyance facilities. Town bus facility is available to the temple
from Trichy bus stand.
By Bus:
Buses from all places in Tamil Nadu are available to
reach this temple in Viralimalai, which is 25 km away from Tiruchirappalli.
Buses which ply from Tiruchy to Madurai and from Pudukottai to Illupur go via
Viralimalai.
By Train:
Nearest railway station is Manapparai Railway Station
which is 15 km away from the temple. Buses and Autos are available to access
the temple. From Trichy Railway Station the temple is 25 kms away.
By Flight:
Nearest airport is Trichy Airport which is 25 km away.
Bus and taxi services are available to reach the temple.
