About Tiruchendur Temple Or Thiruchendur Murugan Temple
Sri Subramanya Swamy Temple
Tiruchendur is the seashore abode of Sri Subramanya Swamy. Sri Subramanya Swamy temple, in this extreme southeast part of India, has been an object of pilgrimage for more than 2,000 years. It is one of Karthikeya's Aaru padaiveedus. While the other padaiveedus ae located on hills, hillocks or on foothills, this is the only one on the shore. Tiruchendur is ranked second by Nakkeerar among the padaiveedus in his Tirumurugatrupadai, the first being the Palani temple. Variously referred to as Tiru Senthil and Tiru Senthilur, in Tamil epigraphs, later Pandyan inscriptions call this place, Tiribhuvana-Madhevi Chandurvedhi-mangalam.
Tiru Senthi means" The House of Victory." Originally, a shore temple for Shiva, the present shrine commemorates the victory of Lord Subramanya over the asura, Soorapadma, his brother, and their demon army. The devas, who were harassed by Soorapadma and his hordes, appealed to Shiva for protection. Shiva then sent His emanation, Karthikeya/Muruga/Skanda/Subramanya, to fight the demons. The asuric forces were vanquished in five days, in battles at sea and in air, and only Soorapadma survived. Despite the Lord revealing His Viswaroopa (true nature), Soorapadma continued to battle. Skanda chased him from place to place, but the wily Soorapadma was a master of disguises. He first transformed himself as a mango tree, and when Muruga uprooted it with His Vel, turned into a peafowl and cock. Nevertheless, Subramanya vanquished him, and, in an act of forgiveness, He made the peacock His permanent vehicle, while placing the cock on His standard. This symbolic victory (Soorasamhaaram) over the asuras is celebrated in the lead up to Skanda Sashti festival in Aypassi (October-November).
Originally, a part of a small hillock was hewn out to form a sanctum for Subramanya. The second and third prakaras were added in time, as the temple grew during the last one thousand years, mainly due to additions and renovation by the Cholas, Pandyas, Nayaks and many others. Built at first with sandstone reefs from the shore, which began to disintegrate, the structure was rebuilt with black granite. The then head of the Tiruvaduthurai Mutt (in present Thanjavur district) built the massive 41.5m (137feet) tall, nine storied Rajagopuram about 300 years back. The Rajagopuram faces west, not the usual east. There are several inscriptions in the temple, the first of them dating to 875 CE, to the Pandya monarch, Varaguna Maran.
The principal entrance to the temple is in the south, which opens into the first prakara. Then there is a series of four long corridors, after which comes a sandy, but covered path up to the Shamukha Vilasam, a mandapam, supported by 124 columns, facing the sea. Overlooking the Gulf of Mannar is the Ananda Vilas Mandapam, on a raised sandy promontory. A passage from here leads o the temple proper, and the sanctum. The Lord here is in a standing posture, facing east. Near Him is the Shiva Lingam, worshipped by Sri Subramanya, Portions of the original cliff can still be seen here. Then there is a pillared corridor with a large figure of Karthikeya seated on a peacock, engaged in the war with the asuras.
In the northern prakara is a shrine for Vishnu. Hewn out of rock, the shrine is dedicated to Sri Venkatesa Perumal, the Lord of Seven Hills in Tirupati. Adjacent, in a carved grotte, is Gaja Lakshmi, and next to Her, the reclining figure of Lord Ranganatha, flanked by Sri Devi, Bhoma Devi and Nizha Devi. Also here are the 12 Alwars.
Inside the temple are a series of murals depicting the Dutch incursions into Tiruchendur, in the 1640s, during the time of the great Madurai ruler, Tirumala Nayak. The Dutch, it is said, enteredinto a conflict with the Portuguese the European power friendly with the Nayaks seized the Tiruchendur temple and built fortifications around it. Attempts to take over the temple by the Nayak's forces did not succeed. The Dutch ultimately left the country in 1648, taking with them the idols in the Tiruchendur temple, and demanding a ransom for their return. According to the murals, once out on the high seas, they were faced with a violent storm that they had to perforce throw the idols into the water, before calm returned. In the meanwhile, Vadamalaiyappa Pillayan, the local agent of the Nayaks, had a dream in which he was told by the Lord to search in the sea at a particular place for the stolen idols. Pillayan identified the place, marked by a floating lemon and a kite (Garuda) flying overhead. The idols were retrieved and reinstalled in 1653. The Subramanya idol, adjoining the sanctum, is said to be one of them.
The Nazhikkinaru is a spring within a spring that is said to have sprung out when Muruga planted His Vel there. A bath in the sea and these two springs is considered to confer merit. Valli's cave overlooks the sea. This is the place where Valli reportedly meditated.
Tiruchendur Temple Timings Or Thiruchendur Murugan Temple Timing
Thiruchendur Temple Opening Time : 5.00 am and Tiruchendur Temple Closing Time : 9.00 pm.
Tiruchendur Temple Pooja Timings
| Pooja | Timings |
|---|---|
| Subrapadam - Thirupalli Eluchi | 5.10 am |
| Viswaroopam Darshan | 5.30 am |
| Dwajasthamba Namaskaram | 5.45 am |
| Udaya Marthanda Abishegam | 6.15 am |
| Udaya Marthanda Deeparadhanai | 7.00 am |
| Kalasandhi Pooja | 8.00 to 8.30 am |
| Kalasha Pooja | 10.00 am |
| Uchikala Abishegam | 10.30 am |
| Uchikala Deeparadhanai | 12.00 pm |
| Sayaratchai Pooja | 5.00 pm |
| Arthasama Abishegam | 7.15 pm |
| Arthasama Pooja | 8.15 pm |
| Ekanda Seva | 8.30 pm |
| Ragasia Deeparadhanai, Palliarai Pooja | 8.45 pm |
| Nadai Thirukappiduthal | 9.00 pm |
Thiruchendur Murugan Temple Contact Details
Thiruchendur Murugan Temple Address : Arulmigu SubramaniaSwamy Temple, Tiruchendur - 628 215.
Tiruchendur Temple Contact Number : 04639-242221, 242270, 242271
How to Reach Tiruchendur
There is now a direct train from Chennai to Tiruchendur. Passenger trains run between Triuchendur and Tirunelveli, 62km away. The station is more than a km and a half from the temple. Buses, on the other hand, halt near the shrine.
Accommodation: The Devasthanam runs choultries and cottages (with AC). Private lodges are aplenty. Tiruchendur Hotels
Tiruchendur To Other important Distance Guide |
|
| Vanathirupathi | 19 Km |
| Chidambaram | 524 Km |
| Coimbatore | 441 Km |
| Cuddalore | 515 Km |
| Dharmapuri | 436 Km |
| Dindigul | 277 Km |
| Ernakulam | 363Km |
| Erode | 420 Km |
| Hogenakkal | 481 Km |
| Hosur | 532 Km |
| Kanchipuram | 589 Km |
| Kanyakumari | 144 Km |
| Karaikudi | 334 Km |
| Karur | 354 Km |
| Kodaikanal | 296 Km |
| Kodikkarai | 506 Km |
| Krishnagiri | 484 Km |
| Kumbakonam | 411 Km |
| Madurai | 214 Km |
| Mamallapuram | 673 Km |
| Mysore | 617 Km |
| Nagappattinam | 451 Km |
| Nagercoil | 163 Km |
| Palani | 336 Km |
| Pollachchi | 394 Km |
| Puducherry | 536 Km |
| Poompuhar | 480 Km |
| Pudukkottai | 325 Km |
| Rajapalayam | 144 Km |
| Rameswaram | 300 Km |
| Ranipettai | 614 Km |
| Salem | 436 Km |
| Tenkasi | 118 Km |
| Thanjavur | 372 Km |
| Thekkadi | 350 Km |
| Chennai | 661 Km |
| Tiruchirappalli | 342 Km |
| Tirunelveli | 63 Km |
| Tirupathi | 721 Km |
| Tiruppur | 404 Km |
| Tiruttani | 654 Km |
| Tiruvannamalai | 607 Km |
| Thrissur | 522 Km |
| Tiruvananthapuram | 231 Km |
| Tuticorin | 39 Km |
| Udagamandalam | 539 Km |
| Ulundurpet | 478 Km |
| Valparai | 434 Km |
| Vellore | 650 Km |
| Yercaud | 465 Km |