Friday, August 19, 2011

Arulmigu Subramania Swamy Temple

Thiruchendur Murugan temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Muruga and one of the Arupadaiveedu (six major abodes) of Lord Muruga. It is placed in the small town of Thiruchendur in the district of Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, India and is 55 km south-east of Tirunelveli,40 km from Tuticorin and 75 km north-east of Kanyakumari. It is easily accessible either by bus or car.

Lord Murugan is more popular in South India compared to other parts of India. He is the God of war and the patron deity of the Tamil land (Tamil Nadu). Like most Hindu deities, He is known by many other names, including Senthil, Saravana, Kārttikeya (meaning ‘son of Krittika’ ), Arumugam or Shanmukha (meaning ‘one with six faces’), Kumāra (meaning ‘child or son’), Guha, Skanda (meaning ‘that which is spilled or oozed, namely seed’ in Sanskrit), Subrahmanya, Vēlan and Swaminatha.

Each Arupadaiveedu has an event mentioned in the ‘puranas’. Thiruchendur is said to be Lord Murugan’s second abode. This place is also referred to by other names in religious poems and literature as Thirucheeralaivai, Thiruchenthil, Thiruchenthiyoor, etc. The deity is worshipped by various names such as Senthilandavan, Senthilkumaran and so on. The Arupadiveedus are Palani (120 km west of Madurai), Swamimalai (150 km east of Madurai), Thiruthani (50 km from Chennai), Pazhamudircholai (10 km north of Madurai) and Thiruparamkunram (10 km south of Madurai).

The temple is situated so close to the sea that waves from the Gulf of Mannar lap at the eastern perimeter wall of the temple.