Six Abodes of Murugan

2023-07-18T13:06:20Z

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{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Six Abodes of Murugan
| image =File:Murugan, print c. 1930.jpg
| alt =
| caption =Painting of Murugan, c. 1930.
{{location map+|India Tamil Nadu|width=260|caption=The Six Temples' location in [[Tamil Nadu]]|places=
{{location map~|India Tamil Nadu|label=[[Thiruparankundram Murugan temple|Thiruparankundram]]|lat=9.8798|long=78.0711}}
{{location map~|India Tamil Nadu|label=[[Tiruchendur Murugan Temple|Tiruchendur]]|lat=8.495833|long=78.129167}}
{{location map~|India Tamil Nadu|label=[[Palani Murugan temple|Palani]]|lat=10.438805|long=77.520261}}
{{location map~|India Tamil Nadu|label=[[Swaminathaswamy Temple, Swamimalai|Swamimalai]]|lat=10.956844|long=79.325776}}
{{location map~|India Tamil Nadu|label=[[Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Tiruttani|Tiruttani]]|lat=13.171833|long=79.603769}}
{{location map~|India Tamil Nadu|label=[[Pazhamudircholai]]|lat=10.094069|long=78.223445}}
}}
| map_type = 
| map_caption = Location in Tamil Nadu
| coordinates =
| native_name = Arupadaiveedu
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district =
| location = [[Thiruparankundram]], [[Tiruchendur]], [[Palani]], [[Swamimalai]], [[Tiruttani]], [[Pazhamudircholai]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = [[Murugan]] (Kartikeya)
| festivals = {{Bulleted list
| [[Sooranporu|Skanda Sashti]]
| [[Thaipusam]]
| [[Karthikai Deepam]]
| [[Panguni Uthiram]]
| [[Vaisakha | Vaikaasi Visakam]]
| [[Mahashivarathri]]
}}
| architecture = [[Tamil architecture]]
| temple_quantity = 6
| monument_quantity =
| inscriptions =
| established =
| creator =
| website =
}}{{Short description|Six sacred temples of Hindu deity Murugan}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}{{Use Indian English|date=July 2013}}

The '''Six Abodes of Murugan''' ({{Lang-ta|ஆறுபடைவீடுகள்|translit=Āṟupadai veedu}}) are six temples situated in the state of [[Tamil Nadu]] in [[South India]], dedicated to the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] deity [[Kartikeya|Murugan]], also referred to as [[Nallur Kandaswamy temple|Kandaswamy]], [[Kartikeya]], Skanda, and Vadivela at various temples. These six sacred abodes of Murugan are mentioned in Tamil [[Sangam literature]], ''Thirumurugatrupadai'', written by [[Nakkeerar]] and in ''Tiruppugaḻ'', written by Arunagirinathar. The six abodes are [[Thiruparankundram Murugan temple|Thiruparankundram]], [[Tiruchendur Murugan Temple|Tiruchendur]], [[Palani Murugan Temple|Palani]], [[Swaminathaswamy Temple, Swamimalai|Swamimalai]], [[Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Tiruttani|Tiruttani]], and [[Pazhamudircholai]].

==Legend==
The legend of Murugan is described in [[Skanda Purana|Kanda Puranam]], the Tamil iteration of the Skanda Purana. According to the text, the [[asura]] [[Śūrapadmā|Surapadman]] drove the [[Deva (Hinduism)|devas]] out of [[Svarga]], and the latter sought the assistance of the deities [[Vishnu]] and [[Brahma]]. They assigned [[Kamadeva]] to disturb [[Shiva]] from his penance and fall in love with [[Parvati]], and the couple later gave birth to [[Kartikeya|Murugan]]. Murugan slew Surapadman in battle and restored Svarga to the devas. Murugan is anointed as the commander of the devas prior to the war. Murugan married the goddesses [[Valli]] by love and married [[Deivayanai]] after the war that is regarded to have occurred at [[Tiruchendur]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Arupadaiveedu|url=http://www.hindu.com/2010/11/12/stories/2010111259230200.htm|date=12 November 2010|access-date=3 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120063752/http://www.hindu.com/2010/11/12/stories/2010111259230200.htm|archive-date=20 November 2010|work=[[The Hindu]]|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In [[Tamil literature]], five [[Sangam landscape|types of land]] are explained. These are the Kurinji (mountainous region), Mullai (forest region), Marutham (agricultural region), Neithal (coastal region) and Palai (desert region). Various deities are designated as the patron gods of these regions in [[Sangam literature]]. According to these texts, [[Muruga|Murugan]] is the deity of the Kurinji region.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sttemple.com/STT/english/murugan.asp |title=Worship of Murugan |access-date=26 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100126014218/http://www.sttemple.com/STT/english/murugan.asp |archive-date=26 January 2010 }}</ref>

== Religious importance ==
[[Arunagirinathar]] was a 15th-century Tamil poet born in [[Tiruvannamalai]]. According to regional tradition, he spent his early years as a rioter and seducer of women. After ruining his health, he tried to commit suicide by throwing himself from the northern tower of [[Annamalaiyar Temple]], but was saved by the grace of god [[Murugan]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=V.K. |first=Subramanian |title= 101 Mystics of India |year=2007 |publisher=Abhinav Publications|location=New Delhi |isbn=978-81-7017-471-4|page=109}}</ref> He became a staunch devotee and composed Tamil hymns glorifying Murugan, the most notable being ''Tiruppugaḻ''.<ref>{{Citation |last=Aiyar |first=P.V.Jagadisa |title=South Indian Shrines: Illustrated |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NLSGFW1uZboC&q=tiruvannamalai&pg=PA190 |year=1982 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-206-0151-3 |pages=191–203 |access-date=4 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221033942/https://books.google.com/books?id=NLSGFW1uZboC&pg=PA190&lpg=PA190&dq=tiruvannamalai#v=onepage&q=tiruvannamalai&f=false |archive-date=21 December 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |first=Kamil |last=Zvelebil |title=Tamil literature, Volume 2, Part 1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OQ33i496MsIC&q=tiruvempavai&pg=PA105 |year=1975 |publisher=E.J. Brill, Leiden |location=Netherlands |isbn=90-04-04190-7 |page=217 |access-date=4 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221032209/https://books.google.com/books?id=OQ33i496MsIC&pg=PA105&lpg=PA105&dq=tiruvempavai#v=onepage&q=tiruvempavai&f=false |archive-date=21 December 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Arunagirinathar visited various Murugan temples and on his way back to Tiruvannamalai, visited Palani and sung praises about Swaminathaswamy.<ref>[[#kamil|Zvelebil 1991]], p. 53</ref> Tiruparamkundram is considered the first of the six abodes. This is the only temple where the [[Abhisheka|abhishekam]] is performed for the divine spear called [[vel]] instead of Murugan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Arupadai Veedu - Famous Murugan Temples|url=https://www.dharisanam.com/pages/arupadai-veedu|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Dharisanam|language=en}}</ref> Palani is considered the most prominent abodes of Murugan.<ref>{{cite book|title=Economic Reforms and Small Scale Industries|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SIHLq5XvZMEC&q=palani+murugan+temple&pg=PA35|page=25|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|year=2009|isbn=9788180694493}}</ref>

==Practices==
One of the main traditions of the six temples, is the [[tonsure|tonsuring]] of devotees, who vow to discard their hair in imitation of the Palani deity. Another is the anointing of the head of the presiding deity's idol with [[sandalwood]] paste, at night, prior to the temple being closed for the day. The paste, upon being allowed to stay overnight, is said to acquire medicinal properties, and is much sought after and distributed to devotees, as {{transl|ta|rakkāla chandaṇam}}.<ref name=JSTOR>{{cite journal|title=Pilgrimage Centers in the Tamil Cultus of Murukan|jstor=1461919|last=Clothey|first=Fred W.|year=1972|page=82|publisher=Oxford University Press|journal=Journal of the American Academy of Religion|volume=40|issue=1}}</ref> A commonly followed worship practice involves devotees wearing ochre clothes and carrying a {{transl|ta|kavadi}}, an ornamental mount decked with flowers, glazed paper, and tinsel work, on foot for long distances.<ref>{{cite journal|title=N.P. Mohamed in Conversation with A.J. Thomas|jstor=23341738|last1=Mohamed |first1=N.P.|first2=Thomas|last2=A.J.|year=2003|page=147|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|journal=Indian Literature|volume=47|issue=1}}</ref>

==List==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="background:#FFC569"
| style="width:200pt;"| '''Temple'''
| style="width:200pt;"| '''Original name'''
| style="width:200pt;"| '''Location'''
| style="width:200pt;"| '''Picture'''
| style="width:500pt;"| '''Description'''
|-
| [[Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Thiruparankundram]]
| Tenparangunram
{{lang|ta|தென்பரங்குன்றம்}}
''Teṉparaṅkuṉṟam''
| [[Thiruparankundram]], [[Madurai district]]
| [[File:Thiruparamkundram (22).jpg |200px|center]]
| Located on the outskirts of Madurai on a hillock where Murugan is said to have married Indra's adopted daughter, Deivanai. Nakkeerar is regarded to have worshipped Murugan in this shrine and is said to have worshipped Shiva here as Parangirinathar. This is the first of the Arupadaiveedu.
|-
| [[Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Tiruchendur]]
| Trichiralaiwai
{{lang|ta|திருச்சீரலைவாய்|italic=}}
''Tiruccīralaivāy''
| [[Tiruchendur]], [[Thoothukudi district]]
| [[File:Thiruchendur11.jpg|200px|center]]
| Located on the seashore near Thoothukudi amongst the remains of Gandhamadana Parvatam or Santhanamalai (Sandal Mountain). The temple commemorates the place where Murugan won a decisive victory over the asura Surapadman by worshipping Shiva.
|-
| [[Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple, Palani]]
| Tiruvavinankudi
{{lang|ta|திருவாவினன்குடி}}
''Tiruvāviṉaṉkuṭi''
| [[Palani]], [[Dindigul district]]
|[[File:Palani Hills 1.JPG |200px|center]]
| Located in Dindigul District, on the Palani hill bottom ( Malai Adivaram ) called 'Thiruaavinankudi', where the deity is known as 'Kulanthai Velayuthaswami' and is said to have been worshipped by the goddess Lakshmi ('Thiru' in Tamil), owner of cows ('Aavinan' in Tamil), living place ('kudi' in Tamil).
There is also a Murugan temple on the Palani hill top where 'Dhandayuthapani' is the main deity, in a meditating state, carrying a staff ('danda') as a weapon ('ayutha') in his hands ('pani'). This is the place where Murugan is said to have resided after his feud with his family over a [[Jnana Palam|divine fruit]].
|-
| [[Arulmigu Swaminatha Swamy Temple, Swamimalai]]
| Thiruveragam
{{lang|ta|திருவேரகம்}}
''Tiruvērakam''
| [[Swamimalai]], [[Thanjavur district]]
| [[File:Swamimalai temple.jpg |200px|center]]
| Located at 5 km from Kumbakonam, the temple is built on an artificial hill. The temple commemorates the incident where Muruga is regarded to have explained the essence of the pranava mantra "[[Om]]" to his father [[Shiva]].
|-
| [[Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Tiruttani]]
| Kundrottal
{{lang|ta|குன்றுதோறாடல்}}
''Kuṉṟutōṟāṭal''
| [[Tiruttani]], [[Thiruvallur district]]
|[[File:Thiruthani Murugan Temple.jpg |200px|center]]
| Located near Chennai, Murugan is said to have reclaimed his inner peace after waging a war with the asuras and married Valli here.
|-
| [[Arulmigu Solaimalai Murugan Temple, Pazhamudircholai]]
| Solaimalai
{{lang|ta|சோலைமலை}}
''Cōlaimalai''
| [[Pazhamudircholai]], [[Madurai district]]
| [[File:Pazhamuthir solai Murugan 2.JPG |200px|center]]
| Located on the outskirts of Madurai on a hillock with a holy stream nearby called "Nupura Gangai". Murugan is seen here with both his consorts, Deivanai and Valli.
|}

==References==
{{reflist|20em}}

{{Murugan temples}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Six Abodes of Murugan}}
[[Category:Murugan temples in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Kaumaram]]
[[Category:Temples in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Shaivism]]
[[Category:Kartikeya temples]]

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Six Abodes of Murugan