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{{Short description|Hindu temple of the god Murugan in Thiruparankundram, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Subramaniya Swamy Temple
| native_name =
| image = Thiruparamkundram (1).jpg
| alt = Temple's Main [[Gopuram]]
| caption = View of the [[Gopuram]]
| district = [[Madurai district|Madurai]]
| deity = [[Murugan]]
| festivals = [[Vaisakha|Vaikasi Visagam]], Avani Festival, [[Sura Samhaaram|Skanda Sasti Festival]] and Masi Festival
| temple_board = [[Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department|Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department]]
| location = [[Thiruparankundram]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| country = [[India]]
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in Tamil Nadu
| coordinates = {{coord|9.8798|78.0711|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| architecture = [[Tamil architecture]]
| elevation_m =
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity =
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator = [[Pandyas]]
| website = {{URL|http://www.thiruparankundrammurugantemple.tnhrce.in/}}
| established = 6th century
}}

'''Arulmigu Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Thiruparankundram''' is a [[Hindu temple]] dedicated to the god [[Murugan]] (also known as Kartikeya and Subramaniya Swamy) at [[Thiruparankundram]], [[Tamil Nadu|Tamilnadu]], India. It is regarded as one of the "[[six Abodes of Murugan]]". The temple is built in rock-cut architecture and believed to have been built by the [[Pandyas]] during the 6th century. According to the legend. it is where Murugan slayed the demon [[Surapadman]] and married [[Deivayanai]], the daughter of the king of heaven, [[Indra]]. Also, Murugan is said to have worshipped his father [[Shiva]] here as Parangirinathar.

The temple is located {{convert|8|km|mi}} from [[Madurai]] in [[India]]. In the main shrine, apart from Murugan, the deities Shiva, [[Vishnu]], [[Vinayaka]] (Ganesha) and [[Durga]] are housed. The temple follows [[Shaivism|Shaiva]] tradition of worship. Six daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the Kantha Sashti festival during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil month]] of ''Aippasi'' (October - November) being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].

==Legend==
[[File:Thiruparamkundram (22).jpg|left|thumb|250x250px|Image of Sarava Poigai and the temple]]
Thiruparamkundram finds mention in the ''[[Kanda Puranam]]'' detailing the slaying of [[Surapadman]] by the god Murugan. As per Hindu legend, the demon king Surapadman, once obtained boons from the god Shiva on account of severe [[Tapas (Indian religions)|penance]]. He started ruling the 1008 worlds on account of the power attained. He married Padumakomalai and had several sons. Viramkendiram, a city created in the seas, became his capital and he started troubling the [[Deva (Hinduism)|deva]]s (the gods). He imprisoned [[Indra]] (the king of the gods) and also desired Indra's wife [[Indrani]]. Indra sought the help of Shiva's son and the god of war Murugan. Murugan sent his messenger Viravakutevar to the demon, who remained unmoved. A severe battle was fought in Thiruparamkundram where Murugan killed all the sons of the Surapadman except Iraniyan. Surapadman hid under the sea. Murugan split him into two pieces, which went on to become the god's divine vehicles, peacock and rooster.<ref>{{cite book|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&q=surapadman&pg=PA399|page=399|last=Dalal|first=Roshen|publisher=Penguin Books India|year=2010|isbn=9780143414216}}</ref> The day when Murugan slayed Surapadman is celebrated as Skanda Sashti festival in all the Murugan temples.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Skanda-Ṣaṣṭi: A Festival in Tamil India|jstor=1061761|journal=History of Religions|publisher=The University of Chicago Press|volume=8|issue=3|year=1969|page=241|last1=Clothey|first1=Fred|doi=10.1086/462586|s2cid=162341469}}</ref>

In gratitude, Indra married his daughter [[Deivayanai]] to Murugan at Thiruparamkundram. Murugan is believed to have worshipped Shiva here as Parangirinathar. ''Kanthar Anoobothi'', a treatise of the divine marriage records that Murugan asked all the divine angels and gods who attended the marriage to fly back to heaven in their own vehicles in ''Mano veham'' (speed of thought).<ref>{{cite book|title=Transition, Infinity, and Ecstasy|first=Suresh|last=Hariramsai|pages=82–3|publisher=Partridge Publishing|year=2016|isbn=9781482869446|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uYRuCwAAQBAJ&q=thiruparankundram}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Tirupparamkundram Murugan temple gopuram.jpg|200x200px|left|thumb|Top View]]
Inscriptional evidences point out that this temple, being carved out of a hill, was most probably earlier a [[Jainism|Jain]] cave. There is another theory that earlier to this, the Murugan temple existed much before the 6th century and converted into Jain shrine by [[Jain monasticism|Jain monks]] under the aegis of Pandya king [[Koon Pandiyan]]. The temple was later converted into a Hindu temple under the tutelage of Gajapathy, the minister of a later Pandya King, during the later part of the 8th century. The temple has several additions during the regime of [[Madurai Nayak]]s who commissioned the pillared halls in the temple.<ref name=Meena/> As of 2021, the temple is maintained and administered by the [[Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department]] of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].<ref>[http://www.tnhrce.org/hrce_act_1959.html Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959]</ref><ref name=official>{{cite web|title=Arulmighu Subramania Swamy Temple|url=http://www.thiruparankundrammurugantemple.tnhrce.in/|access-date=29 January 2017|publisher=Hindu Religious Endowment Board, Government of Tamil Nadu}}</ref>

==Architecture==
{{Multiple image|caption_align=center|header_align=center
|align=right
| total_width = 300
|direction=horizontal
|image1=Thiruparamkundram (29).jpg
|caption1=[[Gajasurasamhara]], form of [[Shiva]]
|image2=Thiruparamkundram (25).jpg
|caption2=[[Vishnu]] as Ulagalantha Perumal
}}
The temple is located {{convert|8|km|mi|abbr=on}} from Madurai, on the Madurai - [[Tenkasi]] road. The temple is built rock-cut architecture dating back to the Pandya period of 6th century and the life sized sculptures in the ''mandapa''s of the [[Nayakar|Nayaka]] period during the 16th century.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rajarajan|first=R.K.K.|year=1991|title=Further Light on Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam Caves|url=https://www.academia.edu/4172694|journal=Annali del Istituto Orientale, Naples|volume=51|issue=4|pages=395–408}}</ref><ref>Rajarajan, R.K.K. (2006) ''Art of the Vijayanagara-Nāyakas: Architecture and Iconography.'' 2 Vols., Sharada Publishing House, New Delhi. Pages xxxii + 248 with 25 plans, 350 plates, {{ISBN|81-88934-30-5}}</ref> An ''Aasthaana Mandapa'' with several artistically carved [[Column|pillar]]s lead one to the towering {{convert|150|ft|m}} high seven-tiered rajagopuram at the entrance.<ref name=Meena>{{cite book|title=Temples in South India|last=V.|first=Meena|publisher=Harikumar Arts|location=Kanniyakumari|pages=16–17}}</ref> The granite hill behind the temple is {{convert|1050|ft|m|abbr=on}} has a shrine of Kasi Viswanatha (Shiva) at the top. The image of [[Ganesha|Vinayaka]] (Ganesha) in the temple holds sugarcane and fruits.<ref>{{cite book|title=Pilgrimage to Temple Heritage, Volume 1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nAt8AgAAQBAJ&q=thiruparankundram&pg=PA551|page=551|editor-last=Mathew|editor-first=Biju|publisher=Info Kerala Communications Pvt Ltd|isbn=9788192128443|year=2013}}</ref> The inner rock cut image is made from a single stone.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Top Ten Temple Towns of India|publisher=Mark Age Publication|first=S.C.|last=Karkar|location=Kolkota|isbn=978-81-87952-12-1|year=2009|page=21}}</ref>

The Kambathadi Mandapam, Ardha Mandapam, and Mahamandapam, the three halls leading to the sanctum, are situated at varying elevation. The main shrine is an early rock cut temple which has cells that house the sanctums of Murugan, [[Durga]], Vinayaka, Shiva and [[Vishnu]]. All the statues are carved on the wall of the parankundram rock. Shiva is worshipped as Parangirinathar with his wife [[Parvati]] as Aavudai Nayaki. Panels depicting Shiva's dance of bliss are seen outside the sanctum.<ref name=Meena/>

A notable feature of this temple is that the Shiva and Vishnu face each other in the main shrine, considered a rare thing in ancient Hindu temples. Outside the temple there is a [[Temple tank|water tank]], where the fishes are served with salt and rice flakes by the devotees. There is also a Vedic school on the banks of the temple pond. In front of the ''[[Dhwaja Stambha|Dwajasthambam]]'', the flag staff, there is a carved [[Nandi (bull)|Nandi]] (bull), Mayil (peacock) and mouse, the [[Vahana|Vahanas]] (vehicles) of Shiva, Murugan and Vinayaka. There is a flight of six steps called the "Shadashara Padigal", before Ardha Mandapam. The rock carvings of Mahisshasura Mardini (Durga), Karpaga Vinayagar (Ganesha), Andarabaranar and Uggirar are seen in the hall. There are five water bodies, namely, Saravana Poigai, Lakshmi Theertham, Saniyasi Kinaru (well), Kasi Sunai, and Sathiya Koopam.<ref name=Meena/>

== Literary mention ==
The 7th-century Shaiva saint [[Sambandar]] visited Thirupparamkunram and praised the Shiva icon of the temple Uchinathar in ten verses in ''[[Tevaram]]'', compiled as the ''[[Tirumurai|First Tirumurai]]''. As the temple is revered in ''Tevaram'', it is classified as ''[[Paadal Petra Sthalam]]'', one of the 276 temples that find mention in the Saiva canon. The temple is counted as the third in the series of the temples on bank of river [[Vaigai]].<ref name="R">{{cite book |last=R. |first=Dr. Vijayalakshmy |title=An introduction to religion and Philosophy - Tévarám and Tivviyappirapantam |publisher=International Institute of Tamil Studies |year=2001 |edition=1st |location=Chennai |pages=321-22}}</ref>

Sambandar met the three Tamil chiefs, the [[Chera]], the [[Chola]] and the [[Pandya]] in this temple and blessed them. [[Sundarar]] and Sambandar composed the Tevaram Pathigam here. [[Nakkirar I|Nakkirar]] composed many poems on the Murugan icon. ''Tiruppugazh'', ''Kandapuranam'' and other works speak of the glory of this shrine.<ref name="dinamalar" />

==Religious importance and festivals==
[[File:Tirupparankundram Murugam Temple, near Madurai (10) (36847484233).jpg|thumb|250px|View of the temple entrance]]
The temple priests daily perform the ''[[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]]'' (rituals). The temple rituals are performed three times a day; ''Kalasanthi'' at 8:00 a.m., ''Uchikalam'' at 12:00 a.m. and ''Sayarakshai'' at 6:00 p.m. Each ritual comprises four steps: ''[[abhisheka]]'' (sacred bath), ''alangaram'' (decoration), ''[[Naivedhya|naivethanam]]'' (food offering) and ''deepa aradanai'' (waving of lamps) for Uchinathar (Shiva) and Uchinayagi (Parvati).<ref name=R/> There are weekly rituals like ''{{lang|te-Latn|somavaram}}'' (Monday) and ''{{lang|te-Latn|sukravaram}}'' (Friday), fortnightly rituals like ''[[pradosha]]m'', and monthly festivals like ''[[amavasya|amavasai]]'' (new moon day), ''kiruthigai'', ''[[pournami (festival)|pournami]]'' (full moon day) and ''sathurthi''.

Skanda Shashti festival celebrated during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil month]] of ''Aippasi'' (October - November) is the most prominent festival of the temple. Murugan killing Surapadman is enacted during the last of the six days and the festive image of Murugan is taken in different mounts around the streets of the temple during the festival. [[Brahmotsavam]] here falls in the [[Tamil people|Tamil]] month of [[Panguni]]. The Vishnu named Pavalakanivai Perumal, and Murugan are taken in procession to Madurai to celebrate [[Minakshi]]'s wedding ([[Chithirai festival|Chittirai festival]]), with residents of Madurai dressed in festive clothing. Nakkirar's association with this temple is also celebrated as a festival. [[Karthigai Deepam]] festival is also celebrated during the Tamil month of ''Karthigai'' by lighting a lamp on top of the hill. Vaikasi Visakam, and the float festival in ''Thai''(Tamil month) are the other festivals celebrated in the temple. Since the image of Vishnu is in the temple, [[Vaikunta Ekadashi]] is also celebrated.<ref name="dinamalar">{{cite web|title=Sri Subramania Swamy temple|url=http://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=1072|publisher=Dinamalar|access-date=31 May 2014|year=2014}}</ref>

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

==External links==
{{commonscat|Tirupparamkunram Murugan Temple}}

* [http://sss.vn.ua/india/tamilnadu/madurai/thirupparankundram_en.htm Photo gallery of Thirupparamkunram Murugan Temple]

{{Murugan temples}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Madurai district]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Madurai]]
[[Category:Religious buildings and structures in Madurai]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Madurai]]
[[Category:Murugan temples in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Kaumaram]]

Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Thiruparankundram - Revision history

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