Palani Murugan Temple – Shanmuga Nadi Group of Temples
The bathing ghats on this river are at a distance
of three kilometres from Palani town and can be reached from Adivaram by town
buses 3, 4, 9 and 14. During the eclipses and on the days of the waning moon
(new moon or Amavasya), thousands flock here to have their sins absolved in the
purifying waters. Kavadi bearers have a bath here before marching to the
temple.
Shanmuga Nadi Ghat is also a place for oblations to the
dead; the devout perform post-mortem rites to deceased ancestors. There are
many shrines on the banks of the river near the bathing Ghat and elsewhere.
Of all
these temples, that of Peru-Udayar (called Periya Avudaiyar Kovil) is by far the most important and deserves special
mention. Located near the railway line on the banks of the Shanmuga Nadi in
sylvan setting, it is about four kilometres from the bus-stand reached by two
stages, by buses going on the Old Dharapuram road for three kilometres and by
walking one kilometer from the arch on that road. It is convenient to go by a
taxi or auto rickshaw and alight at the doors of the temple.
In the evening and in the pre-dawn period, sounds of
birds are heard and if you have a tape-recorder, you cannot afford to miss
recording these. The air here is unpolluted and good breeze can be had. The Devasthanam
has put up a Kalyana Mandapam behind the temple.
The temple is dedicated to Peru Udayar or Brihadeeswarar
a name that became a legend in the days of the great Raja Raja Chola. The deity
here is a swayambu linga (i.e. naturally formed lingam) and so, local
belief is that it existed even before Bhogar. Only male gods are found in the
temple. A majestic figure of Dakshinamurti, a rare Rudran and other gracious
images in stone, as also the 16 old inscriptions should be taken note of.