Thiruthani
Thiruthani, a holy village where Lord Muruga rules, is one of the six abodes of Lord Muruga (Subramanya Swami) and is located in the District of Tiruvallur of Tamil Nadu.
The famous Subramanya Swami Kovil (temple) in Thiruthani attracts thousands of Hindu devotees to this abode. The temple is perched on a hilltop approachable through 365 steps, representing each day in a year. A small holy river known as Nandi river flows through the town in its northern part.
Kumara Teertha, also popular as Saravana Poikai, is a holy tank in Thiruthani. It is located at the foot of the hill housing the Subramanya Swami Kovil (temple). It is believed that the water in this tank has amazing curative powers. Thiruthani temple has a shrine dedicated to Lord Ganesha, also known as Abath Sahaya Vinayagar Thiruthani is the home of one of the one of the Arupadaiveedu temples, the six abodes of Lord Muruga or the six battle places where Lord Muruga won over the evils.
The other five holy abodes are Palani Dandayudhapani Swamy Temple, Tiruparamkundram Subramanya Swami Temple, Tiruchendur Senthil Andavar Temple, Palamudhircholai Subramanya Swamy Temple and Swamimalai Swaminatha Swami Temple. Religious tour to all these six temples is believed to be very important to gain the blessings of Lord Muruga and exit from the sins in the life. Santhana Venugopalapuram, earlier known as Nimbaka Kshethram, is a nearby attraction to Thiruthani.The temple enshrining Lord Santhana Venugopalan is the prime attraction in this place. Veetrirunda Perumal Temple is one other religious attraction near to Thiruthani. This 9th century temple located at Nemili is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
Tiruthani Murugan Temple
Tiruthani Murugan temple is a Hindu temple, on the hill of Thiruttani 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 Muruga. The other five are: Palani (56 km west of Dindigul), Swamimalai (5 km east of Kumbakonam), Tirupparangunram (5 km from Madurai), Pazhamudircholai (25 km north of Madurai) and Thiruchendur (165 km south of Madurai).
The origins of this temple, like most Hindu temples, are buried in antiquity. This temple has been mentioned in the Sangam period work Tirumurugaatruppadai composed by Nakkeerar. It has been patronized by the Vijayanagar rulers and local chieftains and zamindars.
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 waning. 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 face 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 daughters 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 (Please also see Tiruveezhimizhalai and Tirumalper). Skanda is also believed to have imparted knowledge of Tamil to the sage Agasthyar and he is regarded as Veeramurthy, 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 (sacred conch), 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 (nectar of immortality) 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 (of Potikai Hill) worshipped Lord Muruga at Tanikai when he was blessed with the divine gift of the Tamil language.
Apart from its puranic greatness, Saint Arunagirinathar has praised this hill as the chosen place for worship by devas and the favorite abode of saints performing prolonged tapas. He also compared this hill to Sivaloka (Bhuloka) and as the very soul of the world. Sri Muttuswami Deekshitar, who lived 200 years ago (one of the trinity of Carnatic music) had his inspiration in Tiruttani when the Lord (in the guise of an old man) met him on the steps and sweetened his tongue with the prasadam of this temple, which impelled him to compose and render his first krithi "Shri Nathadhi Guruguho Jayathi Jayathi"(song) on Lord Murugan of Tanikai. The temple vimanam was covered by gold.
