Informative

Thiruchendur Murugan: Temple that stood tall in Tsunami

On the unfortunate evening of 26th December 2004, an earthquake occurred beneath the surface of the Indian Ocean, leading to the devastating Tsunami. This monstrous calamity killed more than two hundred thousand people living in 14 countries. The gigantic waves destroyed anything that came in their way, decimating the buildings of coastal areas of Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, and India.

The small city of Thiruchendur, located on the east coast of Tamil Nadu, suffered heavily. Waves came and destroyed almost every building in town except one. The only building which was unaffected by this calamity was the ancient temple of Lord Murugan. Today, in the blog series of mysterious temples of India, we will visit Lord Murugan temple of Thiruchendur, which is considered one of the most miraculous and powerful temples on the east coast of India.

Story of Lord Murugan

Once, a mighty demon named Lord Surapadma ruled over these lands. After receiving boons from Lord Shiva, he became mighty, creating havoc on earth, heaven and hell. All the gods pleaded to Shiva to end their misery. Listening to the wrongdoings of the demon king, Shiva’s third eye opened up, and six sparks came out, falling on the earth.

These six sparks fallen in very auspicious locations turned into six babies. Six babies suckled on the six Kartika nymphs and started growing. When these six babies came together, they merged to be the one baby with six heads and twelve hands. Gods called this baby – Lord Murugan. Growing up, he was also known as Arumuga or Kartikeya.

When he became a teenager, he revolted against the atrocities of the demon. Supported by the Gods and their armies, he arrived near Thiruchendur. A horrendous war started between the gods and the demons. On the sixth day, Lord Murugan pierced the chest of the demon Surapadma with his mighty lance, freeing all the worlds from the calamity of the monster. This temple is erected on the exact place where the battle took place.    

Miracle of the Lord Murugan

In 1646, the Dutch invaders occupied the temple and nearby area. The native Naik rulers asked them to vacate the temple immediately or face the consequences. Dutch agreed to leave the occupancy of the temple, but while leaving the temple, they plundered and looted everything possible.

Apart from the vast riches, they stole two celebratory Vigrahas from the temple, made up of pure gold. Even after the pleading of the locals, they stole these two precious idols. While carrying them to their country Holland, the ship encountered a devastating storm. Realising their mistake, they dropped these two Vigrahas in the middle of the sea. As they dropped those two idols, the storm passed away.

A devotee named Vadamaliyappa Pillai used to live near the temple, an astute devotee of Lord Murugan. After a few days, Lord Murugan appeared in his dreams and showed him where the idol was submerged. Vadamaliyappa Pillai went there, and after a few dips in the deep sea, he found the idol, which was brought back. And since the last 350 years, lord Murugan has been bestowing blessings upon the devotees.

About the temple

The temple has a vast courtyard, catering to thousands of devotees. It’s at least a thousand-year-old temple, with built-in Dravidian-style architecture, with giant Gopuras at each temple entrance. Main Gopuram, or the gate tower, is 157 feet tall. Pillars in the temple are highly decorated with mythical figures of Yali and Vyalas. The temple’s inner sanctum has the primary deity, Moolavar (lord Murugan in child form), carved out of granite stone.

You will find a sacred well with live springs all year round on the premises. Devotees call the well Naazhi Kinaru (sacred pond). First, devotees must take a dip in the sea and arrive inside the temple, taking a second bath in this holy well. Only then are they considered eligible to meet their Lord.   

Why should one visit the Thiruchendur Murugan temple?

Lord Murugan is the God of war, the captain of the divine armies. Devotees, who meditate on the temple premises, possess the courage and confidence to fight the negativities. Being the God of war, Lord Murugan grants us courage during the testing times, but he also helps us overcome the inner insecurities that split us internally, say the devotees.

Against the demon, Lord Kartikeya fought a war for six days and six nights in this exact location, where the temple is. In His devotion, worshipers follow fast, pray, and sing devotional hymns in the temple, praising their Lord for six consecutive days.

 People suffering from the wrath of Mars come here in large numbers. Lord Murugan is known as the ruler of Mars, and hence, they believe that grace of Lord Murugan will grant them relief from the malefic effects of that planet. Such devotees come here, ignite an oil lamp in front of the Lord, and sit in the temple premises; they meditate to receive the blessings from Lord Murugan.

Keeping a particular Sankalpa(resolution) in mind, devotees come to this temple on the auspicious day of Sashti, the waxing moon phase day, and the Krittika star day of every month. For the whole day, they chant different hymns like Skanda Shasti Kavacham and Kartikeya Gayatri Mantra, observing a strict fast to make their resolution and their goal a success.

Thiruchendur Murugan temple has some ancient positive vibe, which goes well beyond the thousand years. May it be the Tsunami or invaders, the positive energy of this sacred location has created miracles, protecting the devotion of the devotees here. If you find yourself in Tamil Nadu for some reason, do not miss a chance to visit this lively place. It has the power to bring out a transformation deep within you.  

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