Sri Viralimalai Subramanya Swamy Temple is located
at Viralimalai town in the Pudukkottai district of Tamilnadu State.
The main deity of this temple
is Lord Subramanyam facing East direction divine form of Arumugam, a six-faced
and twelve hands seated elegantly on the peacock.
Goddesses Valli and Deivannai
are consorts of Lord Subramanyam.
The
name Viralimalai comes from the Tamil word Viravi and refers to a
place where great saints and yogis are claimed to have worshipped Lord Muruga
while taking the form of Kura trees.
The temple was built in the Dravidian style of architecture. The vision of the lord inside the Garbhagraha
is soul-stirring. Adjacent to this there is a Navarathri and Shanmugha Moorthy
mandapam. In Shanmugha Moorthy mandapam the Uthsavamoorthi dwells with other
gods. On the Western side, there are shrines for Lord Vinayagar, Dhakshina
Moorthy, Agasthiyar, and Arunagirinathar, and on the Northern side, there are
shrines for Chandigeswarar and Bhairavar. On the southern part of the foothill of Saravana Poigai, the Sthala theertham is located. It is also called Naga
theertham.
A devotee, Karuppamuthu by
name was engaged in the renovation of the temple. One day it rained heavily
accompanied by wild winds. The river was in full flow. He was trembling with
cold. Praying to Lord Muruga, he lighted a cigar to fight the cold. Another man
came near him also trembling. Karuppamuthu offered him a cigar. The second man
disappeared. When Karuppamuthu went to the temple, he was shocked to see cigar
bits before the lord. He told the gathering in the temple what happened. Since
then, cigar nivedhana became a practice in this temple. The Saint was in search
of the way to Viralimalai. Lord Muruga came and led the Saint to the place.
Muruga wrote the OHM letter in the Saint’s tongue in Vayalur and taught him the
arts of Ashtama siddhis – eight great miracle arts including the one of entering
into others' body encouraging known as Koodu Vittu Koodu Paithal. The Saint lived in this
place for a while. His hymns are a holy record of the history of Viralima.
Later, Maharaja of Pudukkottai banned this system in the temple. Lord Muruga is
believed to have appeared in his dream saying that the cigar nivedhana system
had behind it the noble quality of helping one when in need and not to
encourage smoking, hence this need not be prohibited. People take the cigar and
keep them in their houses. This is to show that love and devotion are important
in the offering and not the object offered, it is said.
According to one story, there
was a Kura tree in the place where now the temple exists. A hunter was chasing
a Tiger. It disappeared at this spot. It was believed that lord was there where
the Tiger disappeared and people began their worship. Lord Muruga showed the
way to Viralimalai to Saint Arunagiriar who was coming from Vayalur and also
taught him the rare eight miracle arts – Ashtama Siddhis. This is a Muruga temple
that has 18 Thirupugazh hymns sung by Arunagiriar.
The temple was built 1000
years ago. Saint Arunagiriar came to this place as instructed by Lord Muruga
after the darshan granted in Vayalur. Saints like Kashyapa Munivar and Naradar
are believed to have offered their prayers here in Viralimalai to please the
lord and get 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.
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The temple holds great
annual celebrations for the 10-day Vaikasi Visakam in May–June, the 10-day Thai Poosam, the 6-day Aipasi Skanda Sashti – Soora Samharam in
October–November, and the Arunagirinathar Music Festival. On Deepavali, Tamil
New Year's Day, and all other days associated with Muruga, there will also be a
large devotee gathering.
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Temple Timings
6.00 am to 11.00 am
5.00 pm to 8.00 pm
How to reach the Temple
28 km from Trichy
40 km from Pudukottai
Nearby Temples
Ambalpuram, Sri Aathmanadar Temple - 44 km
Thiruvarangulam, Sri
Arangulanathar Temple – 50 km
Thirumayam, Sri
Sathyamoorthi Perumal Temple – 56 km.
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