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Swamimalai Murugan
Temple |
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About
Swamimalai Murugan Temple |
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Swamimalai Murugan Temple is a Hindu temple which is located
in Swamimalai which is about 5 kms from Kumbakonam on the
banks of a tributary of river Cauvery, 250 km from Chennai,
the capital of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is one of the six
holy shrines of Murugan called Arupadai Veedu. Swaminathaswamy
is located atop a 60 ft (18 m) hillock which is the temple of
the presiding deity and the shrine of his mother Meenakshi (Parvathi)
and father Shiva (Sundareswarar) is located downhill.
The temple is built on an artificial hillock which is about
sixty feet height with sixty beautifully laid stone steps
representing the Hindu cycle of sixty years - leading to the
Lord . In the ground floor there are temples dedicated to Lord
Sundareswarer and Goddesss Meenakshi.
The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30
a.m. to 9 p.m., and three yearly festivals on its calendar.
The annual Vaikasi Visagam festival is attended by thousands
of devotees from far and near. The temple is preserved and
managed by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the
Government of Tamil Nadu.Hymns in praise of the presiding
deity have been sung by saint Nakkeerar in Tirumurukatrupadai
and by Saint Arunagirnathar in Tiruppukazh.
Swamimalai, Muruga is known as "Balamurugan" and "Swaminatha
Swami". The temple is built on an artificial hill. In Tamil
language, such an artificial hill is called "Kattu Malai".
Another name for this place is "Thiruveragam". There are sixty
steps and each one is named after the sixty Tamil years. The
first thirty steps lead to the second precint of the temple.
The image of Swaminathaswamy is 6 ft (1.8 m) tall. There are
golden armours, golden crowns and a diamond lance for
Swaminathaswamy. There is a temple of Vinayagar outside the
first area. The central shrine houses the granite image of
Swaminathaswamy. The first sector has the images of
Dakshinamurthy, Durga, Chandikeswarar and the festival image
of Swaminathaswamy. The images of Sundaresawar as lingam
(Shiva) and Meenakshi (Parvathi) are located down hill and the
first zone around their shrines have the images of
Dakshinamurthy, Durga, Navagrahas and Chandikeswarar. The
second area and the largest one of the temple houses a
marriage hall and the chariot of the temple. The temple is one
of the most visited temples in the district. |
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Worship and religious practices in the Temple |
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The
temple priests perform the puja (rituals) during festivals and
on a daily basis. Like other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the
priests belong to the Shaiva community, a Brahmin sub-caste.The
main festival of the temple is Vaikasi Visagam which is
celebrated during the Tamil month of Vaikasi (May -June). As per
Hindu legend, the celestial deity Indra worshipped
Subramanyaswamy on the day of visagam star and gained strength
to defeat the demon Arikesa. Like other Murugan temples, the
worship practises include tonsuring in the temple, ablution of
the deity with sandal, panchamirtham (a mixture of five
ingredients) and milk are performed by devotees. Carrying milk
pots (called palkudam) and Kavadi are other common forms of
worship.
The temple customs are performed six times a day; Ushathkalam at
5:30 a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 10:00 a.m.,
Sayarakshai at 5:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at 7:00 p.m. and Ardha
Jamam at 8:00 p.m. Each custom comprises four steps: abhisheka
(sacred bath), alangaram (decoration), naivethanam (food
offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for
Swaminathaswamy. The worship is held amidst music with
nagaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion instrument),
religious instructions in the Vedas (sacred texts) read by
priests and prostration by worshippers in front of the temple
mast. There are monthly customs like amavasai (new moon day),
kiruthigai, pournami (full moon day) and sathurthi. |
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Religious importance of the Temple |
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Swamimalai is one of the Arupadaiveedu, believed to be the
six main abodes of Muruga, that mark the different stages
of his life. According to Hindu belief, Swamimalai is
where Muruga urged what as called as "Pranava mantra" to
his own father, Shiva, at a tender age, after arresting
Brahma for not answering his question about Pranava
Mantra. The teaching capabilities of Murugan is found as
one of his identifying features. The religious group of
Murugan is of pride to the Tamil people who identify six
with Murugan connating six directions and six chakras in
human structure. |
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Legend Associated with Swamimalai Temple |
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As
per Hindu legend, Brahma, the Hindu god of creation, insulted
Muruga (the son of Shiva) at the time of visiting Mount Kailash
which is the dwelling of Shiva. The child Muruga got angry with
Brahma and asked him how he was creating living beings. Brahma
said that he was creating living beings with the help of the
Vedas (Hindu scriptures). On hearing the reply, Muruga asked
Brahma to recite the texts from Vedas. Brahma started to narrate
the text with the holy word called Pranav Mantra, "Om". At that
time Muruga stopped Brahma and asked him to explain the meaning
of the Pranava Mantra. Brahma could not reply and hence Muruga
knocked Brahma on his forehead with his compressed fists and
punished him with imprisonment. Muruga took up the role of the
creator. The Devas (celestial deities) were surprised by the
absence of Brahma and they requested Vishnu to discuss with
Muruga to release Brahma. Vishnu could not help and as the last
resort, Shiva went to the release of Brahma.
Shiva came to Muruga and asked him to release Brahma from
imprisonment. Muruga declined to release him stating Brahma was
unaware of the meaning of the Pranav Mantra. Shiva asked Muruga
to explain the meaning and Muruga extolled to Shiva the meaning
of the Pranava Mantra. Shiva acts like a student to a teacher,
listening with enthralled attention from his son, giving Muruga
the name "Swaminatha Swami".The meaning of this name is "The
Teacher of Shiva". |
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