5/5 Iswarya A. 1 year ago on Google
Viralimalai
is
on
the
bus
route
between
Madurai
and
Tiruchy.Viralimalai
temple
is
situated
in
the
heart
of
the
town
of
Viralimalai.
Hence
the
town
takes
the
name
of
the
hill.The
hill
is
small
and
rocky.
From
the
foot
of
the
hill
a
beautiful
flight
of
steps
take
us
to
the
top.
These
footsteps
are
engraved
on
the
rock
and
are
207
in
number.
In
between
there
are
beautiful
mandapams
for
devotees
to
rest.
There
are
thick
woody
orchards
on
the
hill
and
peacocks
abound
in
these
orchards.
Great
saints
and
yogis
are
said
to
have
lived
in
the
form
of
Kura
trees
and
worshipped
Lord
Muruga
and
hence
the
name
Viralimalai
derived
from
the
Tamil
word
Viravi.This
temple
is
specially
known
for
the
peacocks
that
are
found
in
plenty.
Cigar
is
a
unique
offering
similar
to
the
sandal
paste
offered
to
Lord
Dandayudhapani
during
Arthajama
puja
in
Palani.
During
the
reign
of
Ramachandra
Thondaiman
of
Pudukottai
the
Lord
is
believed
to
have
appeared
in
his
dream
and
requested
the
offering
of
cigars
for
the
Kalasandhi
and
Sayaratchai
puja.
The
king
is
said
to
have
been
cured
of
his
diseases
after
the
offer
of
cigars
to
the
Lord
according
to
history.
We
also
find
a
number
of
caves
in
which
saints
and
yogis
have
performed
penance.
This
is
a
place
where
the
Lord
blesses
devotees
with
the
power
to
control
the
indriyas
or
senses.
Rishis
Narada
and
Kashyapa
offered
prayer
to
Lord
Subrahmanya
for
getting
their
sins
propitiated.
The
mute
Sivachariyar
obtained
the
power
of
speech
after
worshipping
Lord
Murugan
here.
These
and
many
more
are
the
marvels
of
this
temple.We
find
the
statue
of
Kashyapa
Muni
and
Narada
Muni
in
the
hill
temple
along
with
sculptures
of
Arundhati
and
Vashishta.
We
also
find
the
sculpture
of
Arumugan
and
Arunagirinathar
on
the
pillars
found
on
the
way
to
the
temple.
The
temple
is
located
on
top
of
the
hill
and
can
be
seen
from
a
great
distance.
A
beautiful
flight
of
steps
along
with
mandapams
for
devotees
to
rest,
take
us
to
the
top
of
the
hill.
At
the
foot
of
the
hills
the
water
tank
called
Saravana
Poigai
is
located
on
southern
side.
On
the
eastern
side
there
is
a
Srine
for
the
goddess
Maikannudaiyal.
It
is
customary
to
worship
this
goddess
before
climbing
up
the
hill.
On
the
way
to
the
hill
top
we
find
the
Idumban
Sannidhi
a
small
cave
Srine
for
Meenakshi
Sundareshwar
and
a
mandapam
called
Sandana
Kottam
at
the
end
of
the
flight
of
steps.
Adjacent
to
the
Sandana
Kottam
Mandapam
we
find
the
Navaratri
and
Shanmuga
Moorty
Mandapam.
Next
to
the
Navaratri
Mandapam
we
find
the
south-facing
Raja
Gopuram.
In
the
Shanmuga
Moorthy
Mandapam
of
this
temple
with
a
single
prahara
the
utsavamoorthy
gives
darshan
together
with
devas.
In
the
western
part
of
the
prahara
we
find
the
Srines
of
Vinayagar,
Dakshina
Moorthy,
Agasthiyar
and
Arunagirinathar
and
in
the
northern
side
we
find
the
Srine
of
Chandikeshwarar
and
Bhairavar.
Sages
and
saints
were
in
the
form
of
Kura
trees
and
worshipped
the
Lord
of
Viralimalai.
Hence
this
place
was
called
Viravi
Malai
which
later
became
Viralimalai.
The
poet
Saint
Arunagirinathar
has
mentioned
in
his
songs
about
saints
staying
and
worshipping
Lord
Muruga
in
this
hill
temple.
When
the
temple
and
its
allied
properties
were
acquired
by
Vadi
Lakkaiya
Naicker,
the
temple
was
renovated
and
built
by
their
successors
and
the
descendants
of
Marungapuriyar.
In
the
18th
century
the
temple
was
under
the
control
of
Pudukottai
Thondaiman.
In
the
18th
and
19th
century
during
the
Karnataka
war
Viralimalai
Tiruchirapalli
was
a
military
area.
The
tourist
Bungalow
here
was
built
in
1822
for
the
army
chiefs
to
halt
and
rest.
The
Palayamkarar's
used
to
offer
cigar
to
the
Lord
