A child who left home over a fruit, and was told: you are the fruit.
- Deity
- Murugan as Dhandayuthapani, the renouncer with a staff
- Where
- Palani பழனி
- Known as
- The third of the Arupadai Veedu
- Oldest record
- Tradition
௧ The legend
The fruit of wisdom
The sage Narada brought Shiva a single fruit of wisdom. Shiva said it would go to whichever of his sons went around the world first.
Murugan flew off on his peacock. Ganesha walked around his parents and said: you are my world. He was given the fruit.
Murugan returned, gave up his finery, and went to stand alone on this hill as an ascetic with a staff. His parents followed and said to him, Pazham nee: you are yourself the fruit. The hill is Palani.
As the story is told at the temple. Legends vary in the telling.
௨ Across the centuries
Built by many hands, tier upon tier
Tradition
The Siddhar Bogar
The image is said to have been made by the siddha from a compound of nine minerals.
1966
The winch
A funicular railway begins carrying pilgrims up the hill.
2004
The rope car
A cable car opens to the summit.
௩ What to look for
When you stand inside
The golden vimana
The roof over the sanctum, gleaming above the plain.
Panchamirtham
The temple’s sweet offering of fruit, jaggery and honey.
௪ The temple’s year
The festivals that fill it
- சித்திரைChithiraiApr–May
- வைகாசிVaikasiMay–Jun
- ஆனிAaniJun–Jul
- ஆடிAadiJul–Aug
- ஆவணிAavaniAug–Sep
- புரட்டாசிPurattasiSep–Oct
- ஐப்பசிAippasiOct–Nov
- கார்த்திகைKarthigaiNov–Dec
- மார்கழிMargazhiDec–Jan
- தைThaiJan–Feb
- மாசிMaasiFeb–Mar
- பங்குனிPanguniMar–Apr
Thai Jan–Feb
Thai Poosam
Pilgrims walk for days from across the south, carrying kavadi.
Panguni Mar–Apr
Panguni Uthiram
The second great gathering of the year.
Festival dates follow the temple’s own calendar and change each year. We confirm them before you travel.
௫ Going there
Journeys that bring you here
- Most Tamil Nadu temples close around midday and reopen in the late afternoon. Each day keeps temples for the morning and evening and puts the road in between.
- Dress traditionally and modestly. Footwear is left outside every temple.
- Darshan arrangements differ from temple to temple and can change on festival days. We confirm what is possible at each one before you travel.
To stand here yourself, with the car, the stay, the guide and the darshan arranged, ask us to plan your journey. We call you back and listen first.
Draft Legends and history are retold from widely published sources and await review. Timings, dress code and special-entry arrangements are published once each fact has a source and a review date.