{"id":30005,"date":"2016-11-04T10:06:36","date_gmt":"2016-11-04T09:06:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/no-problem-mam.com\/?p=30005"},"modified":"2020-04-03T08:00:15","modified_gmt":"2020-04-03T06:00:15","slug":"palani-tamil-nadu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magikindia.com\/en\/palani-tamil-nadu\/","title":{"rendered":"Palani, the third ‘Aarupadai Veedu’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Palani temple is one of the most important temples to the Hindu god Muruga or Kartik, being the third of his Six Holy Abodes (aarupadai veedu<\/em>). Like most Muruga temples it stands on a hilltop, 100km southeast of Coimbatore<\/a> and it is buzzling with pilgrims dressed in yellow and green exclaiming ‘Haro Hara’ and dancing until they fall into a trance…<\/strong><\/p>\n

Arupadai Veedu : the 6 sacred abodes of Lord Muruga<\/h3>\n
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Statue of Muruga, Sri Premananda Ashram<\/p><\/div>\n

Tamil Nadu has a considerable number of temples dedicated to Muruga but the Aarupadai Veedu<\/em> are the most sacred,<\/strong> for legend has it they are built on the sites of six battles in which Muruga fought against demons.<\/p>\n

The six sites are Thiruparamkundram, Thiruchendur, Palani-Thiruavinangkudi, Swamimalai, Thiruthani and Pazhamudhircholai. Although it is not on this list, Marudhamalai<\/a> Temple in Coimbatore is also considered an aarupadai veedu<\/em> by some.<\/p>\n

The legends associated with these six temples derive from the sacred Purana texts and local mythology.<\/p>\n

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The Legend of Palani<\/h3>\n
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As Shiva and Parvati sat on the summit of Mount Kailash one day, Lord Narada came to visit and gave them a celestial fruit (pazham<\/em>) of wisdom and knowledge.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Ganesha walking around his parents while Muruga set off for a journey<\/p><\/div>\n

The fruit could not be shared, so Shiva decided to set a challenge for his two sons, Ganapati (the Tamil name for Ganesha) and Muruga, and give the fruit to whoever won the contest. He told them to go round the world, and promised the fruit to whichever returned first.<\/p>\n

Muruga set off on his peacock (his divine vehicle) and journeyed right round the world. Ganapati simply walked around his parents, and as Shiva and Parvati represent the universe, he won the fruit.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When Muruga returned he was so furious that he renounced the world and retreated to a hilltop. Shiva and Parvati tried to comfort him, saying: “Muruga, you yourself are a divine fruit, the fruit of all wisdom and all knowledge, so why would you need this fruit?” In Tamil, pazham nee<\/em> means “you are the fruit”, so the place came to be known as Pazhani, which became Palani. However, some say the name derives from pazhanam<\/em> meaning “paddy fields”.<\/p>\n

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Kavadi<\/h3>\n
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Kavadi<\/p><\/div>\n

A typical feature of festivals and pilgrimages dedicated to Muruga is the kavadi<\/em>, generally a wooden yoke carried on the shoulders.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is decorated with flowers, peacock feathers and suchlike and usually has bags of offerings for Lord Muruga hung on each end. A kavadi<\/em> can weigh up to 30kg.<\/p>\n

The kavadi<\/em> tradition derives from Hindu mythology, the bags carried symbolising two hills.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Legend says that Lord Shiva on Mount Kailash instructed the sage Agastya to move two hills (Shivagiri and Shaktigiri) to southern India. The sage asked his disciple Idumban to help him, so Idumban hung one hill on each end of his yoke and set off. After journeying for a long time, Idumban stopped to rest in Palani and set the hills down on the ground.<\/p>\n

At that very moment Muruga arrived, having lost the contest with his brother (see above).<\/p>\n

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Idumban carrying the two mountains<\/p><\/div>\n

After resting, Idumban prepared to continue his journey but found he could not pick up the Shivagiri hill as there was a child standing on top of it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Boy carrying the kavadi in Palani temple<\/p><\/div>\n

This was Muruga, but Idumban took him for an ordinary child and ordered him off the hill. Muruga refused and a fight ensued in which Idumban was defeated. Realising that he had fought Lord Muruga, Idumban begged forgiveness and asked the young god to grant him two wishes: first, that whoever visited the temple at Palani bearing a kavadi<\/em> on his shoulders should be blessed; second, that he, Idumban, be granted the honour of guarding the hill. As a result, half-way up the hill there is a shrine to Idumban, where pilgrims make offerings before visiting the temple and its Muruga statue.<\/p>\n

Ever since, pilgrims have come to Palani bearing a kavadi<\/em> with their offerings, a custom that has now spread to Muruga temples all over the world.<\/p>\n

[Video of pilgrims procession in Palani temple]<\/h4>\n