Heading towards Palani Town you’d come across Palani Murugan Temple, one of the oldest temples in the world. It is one among the famous six temples of Murugan, all located in Tamil Nadu. Palani is located in Dindigul District and is an important pilgrimage spot for Hindus. Additionally, the temple sits on the foothills of Palani hills.



The temple is an important centre of worship for Hindus and holds a significant value especially for the followers of Kartikeya. Palani Murugan Temple Alangaram timings range from 6:40 AM to 8:00 PM. It starts from Sanniyasi alangaram followed by Vedan, Balasubramaniar, Vaitheekal, Raja, and Puspha alangaram.



Palani Murugan Temple in Tamil Nadu.

Palani Murugan Temple History

Sage Bogar is one of the greatest Hindu siddhaas who created the idol. The temple is a mystery as no-one knows when it was constructed. Nine poisons, called ‘Navapashanam’, amalgamated to create the idol. Additionally, there is a Bogar shrine in the temple premises. It is believed that the shrine is connected to a cave, in the middle of the hill, through an underground tunnel. According to tales, Bogar meditated and kept his vigil here. However, people forgot about the idol at Palani Murugan Temple. The king of the Chera Dynasty, who sought refuge at the hills, restored the idol after Subrahmanyan appeared in his dreams.

The Architecture

Sage Bogar is one of the greatest Hindu siddhaas who created the idol. The temple is a mystery since there is no idea about its construction. The amalgamation of nine poisons, called ‘Navapashanam’, created the idol. The term also means “New” and “Mineral.” There is also a shrine of Bogar in the temple premises. There also is a belief that the shrine connects to a cave in the middle of the hill through an underground tunnel. It’s also the place where Bogar meditated and kept his vigil.

The Deity

The deity sits on a stone pedestal with an archlike frame depicting Lord Subramanya as Palani. The Palani Murugan Temple steps are around 670 in all, and it starts at a vegetarian restaurant. The temple nests on Sivagiri, the taller hill of Palani and the staircase is cut into the hill-side. Additionally, t he main sanctum is of the Chera Dynasty and the walkway draws inspiration from the Pandyan Dynasty. Ancient Tamil Script runs across the sanctum walls that features a gopuram of gold. This gopuram has several sculptures including shrines each for Lord Shiva and Parvathi.



Additional Features

Another area within the temple boundary has a shrine dedicated to Lord Ganesha. The famous Palani Murugan Temple’s Golden Chariot is open for procession bookings. It costs INR 2,000 and the procession is not possible during special days like the Dasara festival.

Palani Murugan Temple steps that are carved on the hill



Religious Practices at Palani Murugan Temple

Shaving the head either partially or fully is the most common tradition of the temple. It’s a sign of devotion to the Lord. The deity’s head is rubbed with sandalwood paste at night before closing. This procedure helps acquire medicinal properties and is available for distribution to devotees. The deity is considered a child who needs restful sleep. For this reason, the temple is not open in the afternoon and early evening. The priests recite a poem every night to put the Lord to sleep.

Darshan and Timings

Palani Murugan Temple Darshan Timings start with the Vilaa pooja at 6:30 AM. Devotees can attend the Siru Kall pooja at 8:00 AM following the Kaala Santhi at 9:00 AM. The other three poojas include:



Utchikkala Pooja at 12:00 PM

Raja Alankaram at 5:30 PM

Iraakkaala Pooja at 8:00 PM



Religious Significance At Palani Murugan Temple

Arunagirinathar suffered the ill-effects of being a rioter and a womanizer. He was a 15th-century Tamil poet of Tiruvannamalai. Lord Murugan saved him from his attempt to commit suicide from the tower of Annamalaiyar Temple. Following this, he became a follower of Murugan, composing Tamil hymns in praise of the Lord. He visited several Murugan temples and, the one in Palani became the most important one.

Palani Murugan Temple amidst the hill.

Travel options to Palani

Palani is reachable by train or even by air. There are several KSRTC buses from Karnataka, Kerala and several towns in Tamil Nadu. The temple is just 2 KM away from Palani railway station.

Devotees can also cover the Thirumoorthy Temple located on Thirumoorthy Hills that is 50 KM away from Pollachi. The Thirumoorthy falls is also located nearby. The famous tourist spot and a leading hill station, Kodaikanal, is only 60 KM from Palani.

Conclusion

Visiting the Palani Murugan Temple drives home the religious aura and also the mystical vibrations. Besides, it makes a lasting impression on devotees and induces a calming effect on the mind, body and soul.