Welcome you all to my first post of 2007. One of the things i have planned for this year to do some good blogging in this site. This is one of the topics i was planning to write for a long time, bit delayed as i was searching for enough material. Always anything related to Hindu God Lord Muruga is closely associated with "Siddhar". So from this article i am planing to write something about those great souls who lived in this bhoomi.
Ok .. let start with famous Maruthamalai temple in Coimbatore. Marudhamalai Hills Arulmigu Subramanyaswamy Temple is situated at a height of about 500 feet in a plateau on the Western Ghats, fifteen kilometers north west of Coimbatore, amidst lush vegetation and salubrious climate.
The Sanskrit word "achalam" denotes mountain. As the mountain here abounded in marudham trees, it came to be known as Marudhachalam. Marudhamalai is also called Marundhumalai, for it is overgrown with shrubs and bushes of medicinal properties. Hence, Marudhamalai is befittingly given the name Marudhamalai (Mountain of Medicines). This is referred to as Marudhamalvarai, Marudhavarai, Marudha Verpu, Marudha Kundru, Marudhavôngal, Kamarpirangu, Marudhachalam, Velvarai in Perur Puranam.
Standing at the foot hill, as we gaze towards the north, in the distant hills, we discern three stones in diverse colours, which are the petrified form of three thieves cursed by Lord Muruga for their sinful act of plundering the treasures belonging to the temple. Just below the stone forms, there is a flat stone which, it is said, is but the jewel box stolen by the thieves. It is said Lord Muruga came in the guise of cavalier, chased and punished them.
The deities are all of spontaneous origin (swayambhu) of Lord Subramanya with His two consorts, Valli and Teyvannai. Currently this temple is managed by Govt. of Tamil Nadu.
(To be continued .... )
