Tiruchendur Murugan Temple, Thoothukudi

Tiruchendur is a small but beautiful coastal town in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is in the Thoothukudi district, near the city of Thoothukudi. Every year, millions of people go to the Thiruchendur Murugan Temple to pay their respects to Lord Murugan, who lives there.

The history of the Temple starts with the story of Lord Murugan’s final battle, which many people think was the reason he was born. It is one of the few temples in India where different versions of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva live together.

The shrine at Thiruchendur was built as a sign that Lord Murugan had won a long, violent battle against the demon king Surapadman. The story goes that when Lord Murugan finished Surapadman, he wanted to thank his father, Shiva. He called on the divine architect Mayan and built the shrine to do this.

About Tiruchendur Murugan Temple

One of the most important religious sites in south India is the Thiruchendur Murugan Temple. It is on the beach in the Tuticorin District, and every year, millions of people worship Lord Murugan, the Tamil name for Lord Kartikeya. The legend of Lord Murugan’s first battle, which was also the reason he was born, is at the heart of the Temple’s very interesting history.

Throughout the year, the Temple has several festivals where people can give gifts to god. The most important and well-known of these is the Skanda festival, which takes place from October to November and celebrates the victory at the battle of Thiruchendur. It is one of the few temples in India where you can see Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva in their many different forms. Even though the Temple is only 200 metres from the water, it has never been flooded, not even during the Tsunami.

The powerful Temple also helps people in need by running an orphanage, paying for the education of poor people, and marrying poor people at a low cost. People of other religions than Hinduism can also enter with a donation of Rs.20.

Legend of Tiruchendur Murugan Temple

Surapadman, the king of the demons, ruled over Veera Mahendrapuri, a fortress on an island. Lord Shiva gave him many gifts because Surapadman’s loyalty and devotion moved him. Over time, Surapadman became more powerful, and since he was immortal, it didn’t take long for his pride to take over. He broke away from the group and took over Heaven, Earth, and Hell. He made the Devas, who lived forever in heaven, do simple jobs.

The Devas were tired of his pain and couldn’t take it anymore, so they went to Lord Shiva to complain. When Lord Shiva’s third eye opened, six sparks of fire came out and turned into babies. As Goddess Uma held the babies, they grew together and became Lord Murugan, a god with six faces and twelve arms which was made to do one thing: get Surapadman’s head. After Surapadman refused to let the devas go, a fierce battle went on for a few days. This led to the death of Surapadman and the birth of the peacock, which is Murugan’s most famous vahana.

Lord Muruga wanted to honour Lord Shiva, who was his father. So, Mayan, the architect of the gods, built this Temple at Tiruchendur. Even now, Lord Subramaniyan can be seen in the sanctum sanctorum kneeling in front of Lord Shiva.

People say the Temple is 2,000 years old and has stood the test of time.

The Dutch East India Company took over the Temple during their war with the Portuguese from 1646 to 1648. The Naik ruler finally got the Dutch to leave the Temple, but only after they stole the idols and took them to Galle, part of Dutch Ceylon. After many talks with the ruler, the gods were finally given back. There are many stories about this event, none of which can be explained by science.

Temple History

Inscriptions dating back to 875 A.D. provide the earliest evidence of the Temple’s existence. There is no evidence of the original construction of the Thiruchendur Murugan Temple. Still, it is known that the Pallavas and following dynasties, such as the Pandyas and Cheras, restored it. During the Dutch attack on the Portuguese colony of Tuticorin in 1649, Governor Joan Maetsuycker ordered the fortification and usage of the Temple as a fortress. The Dutch soldiers pillaged the holy site’s valuables as the people made futile attempts to rescue it.

After a formal protest was lodged with Nayak, the mediator, he recommended the Dutch depart; nonetheless, they took the principal deity with them. According to local mythology, the Lord appeared in the dreams of Vadamalaiyappa Pillaiyyan, the local ruler of Tirunelveli. He instructed him to the location in the ocean where he would locate the floating statue. According to history, it was recovered only after lengthy talks and correspondence.

Temple Architecture

The Thiruchendur Murugan Temple is very beautiful. The 124-pillared main Temple has an entrance called Avast mandapam. The Temple’s main entrance faces south and leads to the first Temple, Prakasam. It’s SiviliMandapam. On the outside of this door is the first western Gopuram. A huge entrance tower that goes up as high as 140 feet!

The fact that the Temple is one of the biggest in South India is shown by the nine Kalasams (sacred copper pots) on top of the Gopuram. This shows that the Gopuram has nine stories. A huge statue of Lord Ganesha stands there to greet the worshippers. The twelve Alwars, Gajalakshmi, Pallikonda Ranganathar, Sridevi, Bhudevi, and Neeladevi, are shown on the shrine of Venkatesh.

Temple Timing & Special Rituals

The Temple’s puja hours are 5:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Each hour’s pujas have a unique name and function.

Temple Darshan Dresscode

Men are only permitted without a shirt or vest, while ladies are only permitted in traditional clothing (sarees or Salwar).

Temple Festivals

Masi and Avani festivals: Twice yearly, the Temple brahmotsavams last 12 days. Avani is conducted in August-September, while Masi is held in February-March. During both festivals’ seventh, eighth, and ninth days, the Lord’s divinity is brought out to the Shanmukha Vilasa Mandapam for all the devotees to view and pay homage to. On the tenth day, the deity is brought into the city in a procession of temple automobiles.

In Avani, there are only two automobiles; however, in Masi, all three are on display. On the eleventh day of the Masi festival, the Theppam float takes place. People gather by the tens of thousands to celebrate these Temple festivals and see the Lord.

Vasant Festival: In the month of Chittirai (April-May), the ten-day Vasant festival is held at the Temple. The deities of Murugan and his consorts, Valli and Deivanai, are brought out of their respective sanctums and put in the Vasanta Mantap for the assembled devotees to worship.

Vaikasi Visagam: On the Visakam day, Special Abishegam for Lord Shanmuga is performed, and in the evening, the procession of the Lord and his consorts is held. Typically, it occurs between May and June.

Skanda Sasti Festival: This seven-day celebration commemorates the demon king Surapadma’s defeat at Murugan’s hands during October and November. During this important religious festival, tens of thousands of devotees gather. On the sixth day, devotees are treated to a performance of Soorasamharam, a folk dance depicting the conflict between the two. Murugan and Deivanai’s wedding is commemorated on the seventh day.

Local Culture

Thiruchendur could be considered the centre of Tamil culture. Festivals are observed according to the Tamil calendar. Numerous sacred sites are located in and around Thiruchendur, and significant events revolve around their religious significance. Annual car festivals and community fairs attract a large audience. The region also has its unique culinary speciality. This region’s unique coffee preparation should be noticed. The sacred Sanctorum of the Temple is below ground level, yet it was unharmed by the Tsunami of 2004; such tragedies have only served to increase the local population’s faith in their deities.

Reaching Temple

The airport closest to the Temple is Tuticorin airport, which is 40 kilometres away, while the closest train station is Thiruchendur railway station. From both locations, buses, taxis, and automobiles reach the shrine. Long-distance buses can transport travellers from other major cities, such as Madurai or Chennai, to the location.

Tiruchendur Murugan Temple Location Map