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| Tiruthani Murugan temple,Tamil Nadu. www.sanghamtours.com |
Tiruthani Murugan temple, one of the Aarupadai veedu, the six holy abodes of Lord Muruga, is on the hill of Thiruthani, Tamil Nadu, India. The hill has 365 steps indicating 365 days of the year.
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| Tiruthani Murugan temple,Tamil Nadu. www.panoramio.com |
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| Tiruthani location map. Mapsofindia |
Legend also has it that Indra, the king of the Gods, presented a unique ''white elephant'' Airavatam as part of his dowry when he gave his daughter Deivayanai in marriage to Skanda (Karthikaya). With Airavatam' not around him any more, his affluence was on the decline and when Subramanyar is said to have offered to return the white elephant, Indra, bound by commitment, gracefully refused to take back the gift. However, he requested that the elephant be facing his direction. Hence the image of the elephant in this temple faces the east.
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| Tiruthani Murugan temple,Tamil Nadu, S.India.murugan.org |
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| Tiruthani Murugan templewww.gotirupati.com |
Arjuna got the blessings of Karthikaya here on his way to the South for Teertha Yatra (pilgrimage to take sacred immersion). Lord Vishnu, who lost His powerful Chakra (sacred wheel), Shanku (sacred conch) to Asura Tarakasura, brother of Soorapadma, prayed to the Lord and got them back.
Skanda is also believed to have taught nuances of Tamil to the famous sage Agasthyar and he is regarded as Veeramurthy, Gnanamurthy and Acharyamurthy in this shrine. Agasthiyar was a great scholar both in Tamil and Sanskrit. Saint Arunagirinathar,
once a very rich man, sang in praise of Muruga.
Sri Muttuswami Deekshitar, one of the trinity of Carnatic music, who lived 200 years ago, had his inspiration in Tiruttani, when the Lord himself (in the guise of an old man) met him on the steps and gave him the temple prasadam which gave him divine power to compose and render his first krithi.
The two significant annual festivals here are the Aadi Krittikai and the 31st of December New Year Step Festival. The famous float festival falls in the month of Aadi, Bhramotsavam in the month of Maasi, during which time Valli Kalyanam (wedding of Karthikaya with Valli) is performed with great joy on the 8th day, and the Skanda Sashti is held in the Tamil month of Aippasi. The participants in the festivals actively get involved in the temple rituals with great dedication and devotion. This gives them a sense of contentment.
Ref:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiruthani_Murugan_Temple
