Famous Temples in India

Architecture

Origin of the Name - According to Perur Puranam, Surapadma, the scourge of the gods aided by his mighty brothers, Singamukha and Taraka arrayed against them and struck terror in their already agitated minds by his sudden and surprising charges and depredations. Unable to bear the agony and anguish, the gods approached Lord Shiva and sought his succor. Lord Shiva comforted the gods that Lord Muruga would come to their rescue, root out and destroy Surapadma. The gods should hasten to the Marudamalai Hills and await the advent of Lord Muruga, their Saviour! Perur Puranam also alludes to a king called Kusathvajan, who, it is said, was blessed with a male issue, only after worshipping Marudamalai Muruga. The Divine Cow Kamadhenu is reported to have grazed in the pastures of the hills of Marudamalai. Perurpuranam lists the three neighbouring hills, Vellingiri, Nili and Marudamalai as the very manifestations of Lord Shiva, Parvathi and Subramanya respectively and the three hills taken together as the very symbol of Somaskanda. A Siddha, overcome by excessive tiredness and thirst, sought shelter under the shade of a marudham tree and prayed for the mercy of Lord Muruga for a shower of water, which sprang at once, as though by a miracle from the tree. As water gushed out from the roots of the marudham tree, the Siddha jumped in joy, glorifying Muruga as the lord of Marudham and jalam (water). With the passage of time, Marudhajalapati became Marudhachalapati.

The temple is facing East direction and built in Dravidian style of architecture. There are springs of holy water with the names Marudha theertham and Skanda theertham. The inscriptions found in Thirumuruganathaswami Temple, Thirumurganpoondi places the origin of the temple in the 12th century A.D.