Next stop on my journey of "Trail of Arunagirinathar", it is Vallimalai Murugan, believed to be more 1200 years old.
Vallimalai Murugan Temple(click on picture to enlarge)
Great Saint Arunagirinathar had visited this temple in 15th century and have sung songs praising the Lord.
To reach the temple: If you are going by car, you have to get into Bangalore-Chennai highway. Drive towards Vellore, from there turn towards Katpadi and proceed to Ponnai river just before the ponnai river bridge, take a turn towards Melpadi town. It is about 25 KM from Vellore. By train or bus, get down at Katpadi railway station and get local bus or a share-auto to the temple. As a caution not many buses ply along this route, but there are limited bus services
Pictures of Vallimalai murugan temple https://plus.google.com/photos/116513619246935986030/albums/6118986407123756737
Video of Vallimalai murugan temple:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yat3UqWxNhM
Vallimalai on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vallimalai-Murugan-temple-Melpadi/435503733293291
Google map of temple: https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/Vallimalai+Murugan+Temple/@13.073417,79.263214,17z
Out Travel:For our visit to Vallimalai murugan temple, we had to start our journey from a place called Sunguvarchatram(near Sriperumbadhur), where we had stayed overnight in a friend's place. Previous day, we had left Bangalore to visit a friend at Sunguvarchatram,we both used to work together back in United States.
We had good breakfast at friend's place and left at around 11:00 AM. From Sunguvarchatram, I joined Chennai-Bangalore highway, then I needed to drive towards vellore. When I hit the first toll booth, I asked direction for Vallimalai,I was told to take Chittor highway at the next major junction. I followed what I was told, passed couple of towns(Wallajapet & Ranipet) and after crossing the Ponnai river bridge, Chittor highway splits into two, again I asked for directions(very friendly people) and we were told to take Melpadi town route. After I drove for about 15Km, I noticed a sign board for Vallimalai temple and followed the sign towards the temple.
Finally, we reached the temple, got good parking spot. This day was special to me, because it was my son's Birthday and frankly, I did not plan like that but it so happened, I was very happy for that. Also, this place is bit personal to me because my mom used to tell that my grandfather stayed in this temple for about 5 years back in 1940s to serve the lord.
At Vallimalai Hill, there are two murugan temples, one on the top of the hill and one at the bottom of the hill. It is believed the temple might be more than 1200 years old. Also you can find Jain monks(Thirthankaras) carvings in some places on the hill adding more heritage to the place.
Experience at the temple
We reached vallimalai at around 12:30 pm. To avoid getting dehydrated, got some soft drinks near the temple as it was peak summer, as we had to climb the hill. First we went inside bottom temple as it was getting closed by 1:00 pm. The temple priest was very good, he gave us a bit history, he told the bottom temple is more than 1000 years old and hill temple is even more older. We had good darshan at the temple and went around and it was very pleasant. Next stop was to the hill temple. We passed the temple tank and got closer to the steps leading to the hill temple. There are few monkeys on the way to the hill, so watch out for your belongings. Try to have a small stick to keep the monkeys away. About 450 steps lead to the top of the Hill, as it was around 1:00 pm and middle of summer, we were feeling the heat as we climbed those steps. There are few rest areas as you climb the hill, we used to have some soft drinks as we were climbing. We reached the top in less than an hour, by around 1:30 pm, we were on the top of the hill, it was very calm and beautiful. By observing it, looks like the temple might have built on a single huge rock along with it's gopuram. We had good darshan of the Lord and went around the temple. For sure, looking at the structure and interior of the temple, I felt it should be very old and ancient. Had a good time on the top of the hill, it is surrounded by beautiful nature, you can see other mountains surrounding it. Finally, we descended and got into our car. It was definetly one of the best experience I had.
History: As per the Skanda Puranas, this is the place where the tribal princess, Valli was born(also called as Pongi). Valli was so impressed with Mountain god(Muruga - as he was called in that region), she had dedicated her heart and soul to Muruga. She always used to pray Muruga with fervent devotion and love, and wanted to be with him at any cost. By seeing at this, the Lord was moved by the greatest form of love expressed by the tribal princess.
Lord Murugan himself created a situation to meet Valli. He disguised as tribal hunter and appeared before her, asking for direction to the nearest town, as he got lost in the middle of forest hunting a deer. Valli was not interested and asked him to leave that place immediately. Instead of leaving, the hunter proposed and expressed his love to Valli. But Valli got infuriated, lashed out at the hunter and left the place with anger. As she was walking away she was confronted by a wild elephant. On seeing the elephant, Valli got scared and ran back to the hunter asking for help, but Hunter told that she will be saved only if she agrees to marry him. Now there was only two choice for her (either death or marry Hunter). With a broken heart and a belief, that, if she is still alive, anytime in her life she might get a chance to meet Muruga, without any interest she agreed to marry the hunter. As soon as she agreed, to her disbelief the hunter reveals his true form and on seeing Lord Muruga infront of her own eyes and with whom she got proposal, there was no end for Valli's joy. Finally, Muruga marries Valli at this very place, Vallimalai.
Vallimalai Murugan Temple(click on picture to enlarge)
Great Saint Arunagirinathar had visited this temple in 15th century and have sung songs praising the Lord.
To reach the temple: If you are going by car, you have to get into Bangalore-Chennai highway. Drive towards Vellore, from there turn towards Katpadi and proceed to Ponnai river just before the ponnai river bridge, take a turn towards Melpadi town. It is about 25 KM from Vellore. By train or bus, get down at Katpadi railway station and get local bus or a share-auto to the temple. As a caution not many buses ply along this route, but there are limited bus services
Pictures of Vallimalai murugan temple https://plus.google.com/photos/116513619246935986030/albums/6118986407123756737
Video of Vallimalai murugan temple:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yat3UqWxNhM
Vallimalai on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vallimalai-Murugan-temple-Melpadi/435503733293291
Google map of temple: https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/Vallimalai+Murugan+Temple/@13.073417,79.263214,17z
Out Travel:For our visit to Vallimalai murugan temple, we had to start our journey from a place called Sunguvarchatram(near Sriperumbadhur), where we had stayed overnight in a friend's place. Previous day, we had left Bangalore to visit a friend at Sunguvarchatram,we both used to work together back in United States.
We had good breakfast at friend's place and left at around 11:00 AM. From Sunguvarchatram, I joined Chennai-Bangalore highway, then I needed to drive towards vellore. When I hit the first toll booth, I asked direction for Vallimalai,I was told to take Chittor highway at the next major junction. I followed what I was told, passed couple of towns(Wallajapet & Ranipet) and after crossing the Ponnai river bridge, Chittor highway splits into two, again I asked for directions(very friendly people) and we were told to take Melpadi town route. After I drove for about 15Km, I noticed a sign board for Vallimalai temple and followed the sign towards the temple.
Finally, we reached the temple, got good parking spot. This day was special to me, because it was my son's Birthday and frankly, I did not plan like that but it so happened, I was very happy for that. Also, this place is bit personal to me because my mom used to tell that my grandfather stayed in this temple for about 5 years back in 1940s to serve the lord.
At Vallimalai Hill, there are two murugan temples, one on the top of the hill and one at the bottom of the hill. It is believed the temple might be more than 1200 years old. Also you can find Jain monks(Thirthankaras) carvings in some places on the hill adding more heritage to the place.
We reached vallimalai at around 12:30 pm. To avoid getting dehydrated, got some soft drinks near the temple as it was peak summer, as we had to climb the hill. First we went inside bottom temple as it was getting closed by 1:00 pm. The temple priest was very good, he gave us a bit history, he told the bottom temple is more than 1000 years old and hill temple is even more older. We had good darshan at the temple and went around and it was very pleasant. Next stop was to the hill temple. We passed the temple tank and got closer to the steps leading to the hill temple. There are few monkeys on the way to the hill, so watch out for your belongings. Try to have a small stick to keep the monkeys away. About 450 steps lead to the top of the Hill, as it was around 1:00 pm and middle of summer, we were feeling the heat as we climbed those steps. There are few rest areas as you climb the hill, we used to have some soft drinks as we were climbing. We reached the top in less than an hour, by around 1:30 pm, we were on the top of the hill, it was very calm and beautiful. By observing it, looks like the temple might have built on a single huge rock along with it's gopuram. We had good darshan of the Lord and went around the temple. For sure, looking at the structure and interior of the temple, I felt it should be very old and ancient. Had a good time on the top of the hill, it is surrounded by beautiful nature, you can see other mountains surrounding it. Finally, we descended and got into our car. It was definetly one of the best experience I had.
History: As per the Skanda Puranas, this is the place where the tribal princess, Valli was born(also called as Pongi). Valli was so impressed with Mountain god(Muruga - as he was called in that region), she had dedicated her heart and soul to Muruga. She always used to pray Muruga with fervent devotion and love, and wanted to be with him at any cost. By seeing at this, the Lord was moved by the greatest form of love expressed by the tribal princess.
Lord Murugan himself created a situation to meet Valli. He disguised as tribal hunter and appeared before her, asking for direction to the nearest town, as he got lost in the middle of forest hunting a deer. Valli was not interested and asked him to leave that place immediately. Instead of leaving, the hunter proposed and expressed his love to Valli. But Valli got infuriated, lashed out at the hunter and left the place with anger. As she was walking away she was confronted by a wild elephant. On seeing the elephant, Valli got scared and ran back to the hunter asking for help, but Hunter told that she will be saved only if she agrees to marry him. Now there was only two choice for her (either death or marry Hunter). With a broken heart and a belief, that, if she is still alive, anytime in her life she might get a chance to meet Muruga, without any interest she agreed to marry the hunter. As soon as she agreed, to her disbelief the hunter reveals his true form and on seeing Lord Muruga infront of her own eyes and with whom she got proposal, there was no end for Valli's joy. Finally, Muruga marries Valli at this very place, Vallimalai.
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