Thiruthani Murugan temple is a Hindu temple, on the hill of Thiruttani, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to Lord Muruga. The hill has 365 steps indicating 365 days of the year. It is one of the Arupadaiveedu, the six holy abodes of Lord Murugan. The other five are Palani Murugan Temple, Swamimalai Murugan Temple, Tirupparangunram Murugan Temple, Pazhamudircholai and Thiruchendur Murugan Temple. Thiruthani is 87 kilometres from Chennai.
Shrine’s History
Puranic Importance Of Lord Murugan’s six Padaiveedus, Tirutanikai ranks prominently as the crown jewel of our Lord. As its very name indicates, when we propitiate our Lord in this holy shrine, He blesses us with mental peace and bodily happiness. His righteous indignation towards the asuras for their cruelty is said to have been quelled and cooled at this place which is, therefore, known as Shantipuri . As the prayers and desires of the devotees who worship our Lord Tanikesan on this hill with unswerving faith and intense devotion are fulfilled in no time, this hill is also called Chanikasalam.
When our Lord came to this hill after wedding Goddess Valli at Vallimalai, She implored Him to enlighten Her on the importance and greatness of this hill. In reply, our Lord said that if one worshipped Him with heart and soul for five consecutive days in this hill temple, that person would be blessed with all that is best in this life and hereafter. Abode of Lord Tanikesan: Tiruttani Hill and Saravana Poikai tirukulam . In Treta Yuga, Lord Rama, after putting an end to Ravana, worshipped Lord Siva at Rameswaram, at whose request Rama came to Tiruttani and found perfect peace of mind by worshipping our Lord Subrahmanya here.
In Dwapara Yuga, Arjuna got the blessings of our Lord here by offering prayers to Him on his way to the South for Teertha Yatra . Lord Vishnu prayed to our Lord at this place and got back His powerful Chakra , Shank which was forcibly seized from Him by Tarakasura, brother of Soorapadma.
Legends Associated with This Shrine
legend also has it that Indra the king of the Gods gave his daughter Deivayanai in marriage to Skanda, and along with her presented his elephant Airavatam as part of his dowry offering. Upon Airavatam’s departure, Indra found his wealth warning. Subramanyar is said to have offered to return the white elephant, however, Indra bound by protocol refused to accept a gift that he had made, and insisted that the elephant faces his direction, hence the image of the elephant in this temple also faces the east. Another legend has it that Indra presented a sandal stone as a part of his daughter’s dowry.
The sandal paste made on this stone is applied to the image of Subramanya and the applied paste is said to acquire medicinal value. Legend also has it that Skanda bore the discus thrown by the demon Tarakasuran on his chest, and hence there is a hollow in the chest region of the image of Subramanya in this temple. Legend also has it that Skanda gifted the discus to Vishnu . Skanda is also believed to have imparted knowledge of Tamil to the stage Agasthyar and he is regarded as Veena Murthy, Gnanamurthy and Acharyamurthy in this shrine. Lord Rama, after putting an end to Ravana, worshipped Lord Siva at Rameswaram and then came to Tiruttani to find perfect peace of mind by worshipping Lord Subrahmanya here.
In Dwapara Yuga, Arjuna got the blessings of our Lord here by offering prayers to Him on his way to the South for Teertha Yatra (pilgrimage to take sacred immersion). Lord Vishnu prayed to the Lord and got back His powerful Chakra (sacred wheel), Shanku , which were forcibly seized from Him by Tarakasura, brother of Soorapadma. Lord Brahma propitiated the Lord here at the holy spring known as Brahmasonai after his imprisonment by our Lord for his failure to explain the Pranava (‘Om’ mantra) and got back his creative function of which he was deprived by our Lord due to his egotistic impudence in neglecting to worship Lord Subrahmanya on his way to Mount Kailasa to worship Lord Siva.
The final steps to the eastern entrance. On worshipping our Lord at Thanikai, the king of snakes Vasuki got his bodily wounds healed, which had been caused during the churning process in the Milky Ocean to secure the Amrita by the devas and asuras when the Mantotra Mountain was used as the churning base and the snake king Vasuki as the rope. Sage Agasthyar Muni worshipped Lord Muruga at Tanikai when he was blessed with the divine gift of the Tamil language.
Shrine’s Map Location and How to Go There
By Road
Tiruthani is 97 km from Chennai, 42 km from Tiruvallur and 42 km from Kancheepuram.
By Rail
Near By Railway Station : Arakonam, Tiruvallur.
By Air
Near By Airport : Chennai.
Shrine Timings
Pooja Time Vishvaruba Dharsanam 06.00 A.M Kala Sandhi Pooja 08.00 P.M Uchala Kala Pooja 12.00 P.M Sayaratchai Pooja 05.00 P.M Ardhajama Pooja 08.00 P.M Palliarai Pooja 08.45 P.M Usually, the temple is open from 5:45 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. On special days, the temple is open until midnight.
Events Celebrated at This Shrine
Besides the monthly Krittikai which attracts a large number of devotees to this shrine, the two outstanding annual festivals are the Aadi Krittikai and the 31st of December New Year Step Festival. The float festival is celebrated in the month of Aadi, Bhramotsavam in the month of Maasi, during which Valli Kalyanam is celebrated on the 8th day, and the Skanda Sasti is celebrated in the Tamil month of Aippasi.
Extra Information About this Shrine
December 31st Step Festival When the old year is rung out and the New Year sets in , lakhs of devotees are present on the sacred Tanikai hill to have the darshan of their Lord. They come to Tiruttani to offer their heartfelt prayers to our Lord on that day and night to be blessed with peace and plenty during the New Year. This festival came into vogue during the British Raj when the famous Vallimalai Swamigal persuaded his followers to offer their homage first to Lord Tanigesan, the giver of all good, and only then to their official bosses. On this day, numerous bhajans parties gather and ascend the hill, singing the melodious Tiruppugazh songs and burning camphor on each of the hill’s 365 steps, one for each day of the New Year. The entire atmosphere is filled with the music of these devotional songs, which is a feast for the eyes and ears. The sight of the Vel Kavadi taken to the shrine by some devotees on this day with the thin, sharp ends pricked and pierced all over the body above the hip (in spite of which they carry it with ease and grace) inspires and elevates our thoughts to adore our Lord for His mighty, marvellous and miraculous powers.