Muthukumaraswami Temple
Star : Visakam
Temple timings : 6.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. 5.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m
Phone : 04633-237131-237343-237122, 9443508082, 9443087005
Location : Panmozhi
Nearest town : Madurai 159 kms
Important days : Aadi Friday, Brahmotsavam, Annual star day
Other temple/s : -
Sri Muthukumaraswami Temple was built by a lady named Thiruvarutchelvar Sivakami Ammaiyar, is closely associated with Lord Muruga and dedicated to Vishaka Nakshathira. The ruling deities of the Vishaka star are Agni and Indira.
As per the Sthala Purana, once there was only Vel in this temple and the priest used to perform pooja only to it. One day Lord Muruga came in his dream and told him that this hill belonged to Him and that he could find an idol in a place called Kottaithiradu and directed him to the place. The king was informed and when they dug the place, the crowbar touched the nose of the idol and slightly damaged it. Since it added to the beauty of Lord Muruga, He is called the Mookan. The temple was then built by the King.
Sivakami Ammaiyar and her husband Gangaimuthu Devar. They did not have a child and hence worshiped in all the temples for the Child Boon. They started treating all the children of the village as their own. When a Muslim Holy man named Walar Mastan visited their place and Sivakami and Gangaimuthu told Him about their childlessness,he advised them to Adopt Lord Muruga Himself as her son. The couple was unsure and confused. That night, Lord Muruga appeared as a Child in her dream and asked her to build a temple on the Hill Top..
The couple started to build the temple using the elephants to carry big stone pillars and beams to the hill top. When the elephants carried those pillars and the beams with the help of strong ropes, sometimes the ropes got cut off resulting in the rolling down of the pillars and Sivakami daringly stopped those stones with her head and until they were pulled up again, she used to hold them by her head. It was believed that also used to carry the bricks on her head by placing them on the strip of a plantain stem. We could still see an idol of Sivakami Ammaiyar in the temple.
There are 625 steps to reach the temple and the hill is called Thirikoodamalai. At the entrance of the hill, we have 16 steps to reach shrine of Lord Shadosa Vinayaka. So the belief is worhsipping the Lord, one can get 16 wealth such as education, courage, material wealth etc represented by 16 steps.
The sacred spring at the top of the hill is called Ashta Padmakulam or Poonjinai. A special flower named Kuvalai (a type of Blue Lotus) blossoms here. IT is unqiue that only one flower would blossom a day.
The next important feature is separate shrine for Sapta Kannikas (Seven Virgins),believed to be seven powers of Parvathi, who worshiped Lord Muruga all through their life. Normally found only in the Lord Shiva temple, here these idols are seen installed on the banks of the Poonjinai spring.
It is also believed that the departed ancestors (Pithrus) live on the steps of the hill that lead to the temple and so tarpanamto them in this place is considered to benefit future generations.
Vishaka Nakshathira people should visit this temple at least once in a year or on their birth star days. The letter ‘V’ in Vishakam represents Supremecy and shakam means Light and the Vishakam star has 3 lights in it namely Vimala Shakam, Vibhava Shakam and Vipula Shakam and they are believed to exist in this Hill Temple. So those visit have a positive impact and change in life for the good.
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