ORIGIN OF PALANI MALAI:

GNANAPALAM AND MURUGAN WENT TO PALANI STORY:

One day the celestial sage Naradar, went to see Lord Shiva at Mount Kailash, with a fruit called Gnana Palam. Naradar gave the Gnana Palam to Lord Shiva, he decided to give that fruit to any of his two sons.
Then he told his sons to encircle the whole world and he said that the winner will get the Gnana Palam. His elder son Lord Murugan (Karthikeyan) took his vahanam peacock and started his journey.
And his younger son Lord Ganesha explained and summarized that his parents are only the world to him. Then Lord Ganesha encircled his parents (Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakthi) and pleased them with his knowledge.
Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were very much happy with their younger son Lord Ganesha`s act and gave the Gnana Palam to him as a reward.
Lord Murugan came back to Kailash after encircling the world and got angry with this event. So he left his parents and went to stay in Palani Hills.

HISTORY OF THE TEMPLE:

The idol of Lord Murugan in Palani was made by the great Saint Boga with a mixture of Navapashanam or the nine herbs.
The great Saint Boga consecrated the Murugan idol and worshipped the god. After many centuries, the idol was damaged and hidden in the forest.
Once Perumal, who is a king of the Chera Dynasty went to this forest for hunting. He became tired and took a rest at the foot of the mountain. He then slept there and Lord Murugan appeared in his dream.
In his, Murugan gave the order to renovate the Idol. Then the king suddenly woke up and searched for the idol. After he found the idol, he renovated the temple and started worshipping again.

FESTIVALS IN PALANI:

THAIPOOSAM:

Thaipoosam is the most important festival. Devotees may reach Palani by pada yatra and worship.
Begin with the flag – hosting at Perianayagi Amman Temple, this is a 10 days festival. Kavadi of various types with holy water, sugar, flowers, tender coconuts, etc, will be offered to Murugan at Palani.
On the 6th day, there will be a procession of Lord Murugan with his consorts Valli and Deivanai in the Silver car.
Kavadi dance and rural musical dance will be performed during this day. On the 7th day there will be ”Thai Ther”(wooden car) and thousands of devotees will participate in that also on that ‘‘Chinna Kumarar” goes around in his Golden Car.

PANGUNI UTHIRAM:

Another important festival is Panguni Uttiram and which is celebrated for 10 days.
Kavadies will be carried by the devotees with holy water from sacred rivers. We can see various rural dances like ”Oyilattam, Thappatam, Dhidumattam, Velanattam, Samiyattam” etc along with rural songs during these ten days.
Rural music is an important part of the Panguni Uthiram festival. The main feature of Panguni Uthiram is the offering of ”Theertham’‘ from Kodumudi.
Lord Murugan is given abhisheka with this holy water. On the first day, there will be flag hoisting at Tiruvavinankugi Temple takes place during all 10 days.
Lord Muthukumara Swamy with Sri Valli and Sri Deivanai goes in procession around Palani Hill.
On the 7th day, there is a Car Festival and this will be attended by lakhs of devotees. During this day the lord is given special puja at many ”Mandapas” in the Palani Adivaram area.

CHITRA POURNAMI:

This is a ten-day festival that is conducted at Arulmigu Lakshminarayana Perumal, at periyanayaki Amman temple, Lord Mutuhukumara Swamy, along with Valli and Deivainai will ride in the silver car around the temple.

AGNI NAKSHATRAM:

It is one of the important festivals of the temple. During the last seven days of Chitirai and the first seven days of the vaikasi the devotees of Lord Murugan will go around the hill on foot, in the early morning.

VAIKASI VISAKAM:

At the periyanayaki amman temple, vaikasi visakam is celebrated for ten days. Visagam is Lord Muruga`s birthday star. This festival will be celebrated at all Murugan temples.

KANDA SASHTI:

It is a very important festival of Palani. The six days in the month of Aippasi, this is dependent on the story of Lord Murugan killing the demons.
It is associated with Kandhar Shasti, in which the four demons (Gajamugan, Tharagan, Singamugan, and Surapadman)are killed by the Lord. It is believed that observing fast on this day will offset all their sins.

THIRUKKARTHIKAI:

The Karthigai is a ten days festival, it comes in the Tamil month of Karthigai. On the 10th day of karthigai women, devotees will light lamps and worship Murugan.
This will be done in Tiruvavinankudi, periyanayaki Amman Temple, and Hill Temple.

MARGAZHI PUJAI:

During the Tamil month of margazhi, the hill temple will open at 4. A.M. and the recital of Thiruvempavai are done. The recital of Thiruppavai is done at Perumal temple.

BHOGAR SHRINE AT PALANI:

It is believed that the burglar lived at the beginning of kali yuga. He created the amalgam of nine chemicals and did daily services.
Bhogar realized the importance of Murugan and conferred with siddhars on the form in which the Murugan image should be installed at the top of the hill.
He is said to have been a rare mathematical prodigy, a diplomat of great caliber, and an expert in the field of medicine. Bhogar shrine rests here and the image of Nava Durga and the Maranatha Siva Lingam worshipped by him and found here.

ARCHITECTURE OF THE TEMPLE:

The temple was reconsecrated by the Cheras, the temple is situated upon the Hiller of the two hills of Palani, known as Sivagiri.
Traditional, access to it was by the main staircase cut into the hillside or by the Yanai padhai.
The idol of the deity is said to be made of an amalgam of nine poisonous herbs, which form eternal medicines when mixed into a certain ratio.
It is placed upon a pedestal of stone, which the god Subramanya represents in the form he assumed at Palani. The Lord is housed in the garbhagriham, the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, which the deity should only handle by the temple priest, who is a member of the gurukul community of Palani.
The walls of the sanctum bear extensive inscriptions of the old Tamil script. The sanctum is a gopuram of gold, with the sculptures of the deity Lord Murugan and gods and goddesses attendant upon him.
In the first inner pra haram around the heart of the temple are two minor shrines one each to Shiva and Parvati. In the second pra haram is a celebrated Shri of Ganapati.