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It is every Murugan devotee's dream. At least once in a lifetime, one should visit Lord Murugan's Aru Padai Veedugal, His Six Great Camps scattered across the length and breadth of Tamil Nadu. In

Tamil Nadu, even beggar-devotees routinely make the circuit to these six (Tirupparankundram, Tiruchendur, Palani, Swami Malai, Tiruttani and Palamuthirsolai) temples and to many other famous temples sacred to Murugan and other great deities.

Aru padai veedu or Aarupadai veedu or Arupadaiveedu - all these terms refer to the six sacred temples of Hindu God Lord Karthikeya - also known as Lord Muruga, Shanmuga, Guhan, Skanda, Subramanya and Kumara.

All these temples are located in South India - in the state of Tamil Nadu.Though there are thousands of temples for the Hindu god Lord Muruga - around the globe, these six specific temples enjoy unparalled sanctity and populaity among the devotees of Muruga or Balasubramanya - and deserve a very special mention.

These six temples that constitute the Arupadai veedu group of shrines are :
1.Thiruparamkunram Subramanya Swami Temple
2.Tiruchendur Sendhil Andavar Temple
3.Swamimalai Swaminatha Swami Temple
4.Palani Dandayudhapani Swamy Temple
5.Tiruthani Subramanya Swamy Temple and
6.Palamudhircholai Subramanya Swamy Temple

The origins of these temples go back by more than 2000 years. We find references to these temples in many of the ancient tamil language literatures like Silapathikaram.
These six places are considered to be the battle camps of Lord Muruga (Skandha). The term padai veedu - in Tamil- means Battle camp. Aru padai veedu means six battle camps. The six places are believed to be six different battle camps of Lord Muruga. We find that interesting legends and puranas are associated with each of these temples of Kumara (Lord Muruga). Ancient tamil work Thirumurugatupadai - sung by tamil saint poet Nakkerar in 1st century AD, hails each of these six places with prominance and importance. The poems also reveal that all of these temples were well established even during the sangam age (1st to 3rd century AD) - which only pushes the origins of these temples to periods before christ (BC).

Thiruparamkundram or Paramkundru, a hill near Madurai, in Tamilnadu - South India, is the first and foremost temple of Lord Muruga in India and is the first Aarupadai Veedu as well. Saint poet Nakkerar,

in his songs in praise of Lord Senthil Andavar, places Thiruparamkundram in the first place amongst the six battle places ( Arupadaiveedu ) that Lord Muruga has fought to win over evil.

A few Murugan devotees do consider that Marudamalai Murugan temple also deserves to be mentioned as one additional Padai Veedu.

The various names of the presiding deity include Subramanya and Subramanya Swamy.
Legends/Puranas and Mythology :

Nakeerar, in his Tamil writings compilation called Thirumurugatruppadai, more than 2000 years ago, and saint Poet Arunagirinaathar, who has composed Thirupugazh verses on Murugan, have both sung in great praise of Lord Subramanya of Thiruparamkundram. This place is considered to be the holy spot where Lord Muruga's celestial marriage took place.Saint Poet Nakkeerar composed his great literary work Thirumurugatrupadai in this divine place. The story goes that he was imprisoned in a cellar by a demon and Lord Muruga came to the rescue of the poet Nakkerar, on hearing the songs composed.

Lord Muruga is said to have married Indiran's daughter Deivayanai , in this holy place. Deivaynai, the daughter of Indira, as mythology goes, was brought by Iravatham in the Devalokam. Also, it was predestined that Murugan would marry Deivayanai ( Devanai or Deivayani) at this sacred place. The marriage was witnessed by Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvathi, Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma and many other Hindu Gods and Hindu Goddesses

The marriage took place after Lord Subrahmanya vanquished the arrogant demon Soorapadman in the battle at Tiruchendur.

Thiruchendur or Thirucheer alaivai, a holy place near Thirunelveli, in Tamilnadu - South India, houses one of the most sacred temples of Lord Muruga and is the second Aarupadai Veedu . Saint

poet Nakkerar, in his songs in praise of Lord Senthil Andavar, places Thiruchendur in the second place amongst the six battle places ( Arupadaiveedu ) that Lord Muruga has fought to win over evil.
A few Murugan devotees do consider that Marudamalai Murugan temple also deserves to be mentioned as one additional Padai Veedu.
The various names of the presiding deity include Senthil Andavar, Shanmugar and Arumuga Nayinar.

Legends/Puranas and Mythology

This holy shrine of Lord Muruga has been sung by various poets like Arunagiri Nathar and Kumara Guruparar. References to this place, are available as Senthil in Purananooru and Alaivai in Againanooru. The ancient sangam age literary work Silappathigaram hails Tiruchendur as "Kandavel Koil kondulla thalam" (Murgan's abode).
Tiruchendur has also been known by other names such as Tirucheer Alaivai, Senthil Jayanthi, Kanda Madana Parvatham, Veeravaghupattinam and Vyazha kshethram. The name Vyazha Kshethram comes after the worship by Vyazha bhagavan or Jupiter God at this shrine.
Legend has it that Lord Senthil Andavar fought a battle to win over the demon Soorapadhman (commonly referred to as the Soorasamharam) and his army, on the seashore at Tiruchendur. While all other temples of Arupadaiveedu are located on hilltops, Tiruchendur Murugan temple is the only shrine located on seashore.
It was ordained by lord Shiva, to whom Lord Arumugan is born, that Skanda would triumph over the evil prevailing in the form of demon Soorapadhman. Murugan camped on the seashores of Tiruchendur and won the battle against Soorapadman (Surapaduman). The battle of Soora samharam is depicted very well through paintings that adorn the walls of Skanda at Tiruchendur.
The battle was fought to kill the arrogance and ego of the demon who thought that he was invincible. Soorapaduman is known to have taken many forms during the battle to deceit the Murugan. At the end of the battle, Soorapadhman is torn into two pieces from which emerges the Seval or Cock, which became the flag of the Kandan, the other piece becoming the peacock or Mayil, which become his vehicle or vahanam. Lord Senthil Andavar is believed to have worshipped lord Shiva at the temple built by Mayan, the sculptor of the Devas, before and after the battle. Thus was born the mayilvahanam and the name of Mayil Vahanan for Muruga himself.

Swamimalai or Thiruveragam , a holy place near Kumbakonam, in Tamilnadu - South India, houses one of the most sacred temples of Lord Muruga and is the fourth Aarupadai Veedu . Saint poet

Nakkerar, in his songs in praise of Lord Senthil Andavar, places Palani in the third place amongst the six battle places ( Arupadaiveedu ) that Lord Muruga has fought to win over evil.

A few Murugan devotees do consider that Marudamalai Murugan temple also deserves to be mentioned as one additional Padai Veedu.

The various names of the presiding deity include Skanda, Swaminatha Swamy, Subrahmanya though the most used name is Thagappan Swami as Lord Muruga is seen as one who preached the Omkara Pranava Mantra to his father Lord Shiva.

Legends/Puranas and Mythology :

Nakeerar, in his Tamil writings compilation called Thirumurugatruppadai, more than 2000 years ago, and saint Poet Arunagirinaathar, who has composed 95 verses on Murugan, have both sung in great praise of Lord of Swamimalai.Literary references to the place are also available in many other ancient tamil scriptures and inscriptions.

It is believed that Lord Muruga teached the significfance of Pranava Mantra (the sacred OM) to Lord Shiva - his father - here and hence the name Swami malai for the place and Thagappan swami for the Lord.

This temple is of great spiritual importance to the devotees of Lord Skanda - also known as Kanda and Arumuga - as he became a guru to his own father who is considered as the Lord of the universe. It is worshipped by thousands of devotees throughout the year.

Palani or Pazhani , a holy place near Madurai, in Tamilnadu - South India, houses one of the most sacred temples of Lord Muruga and is the third Aarupadai Veedu . Saint poet Nakkerar, in his

songs in praise of Lord Senthil Andavar, places Palani in the third place amongst the six battle places ( Arupadaiveedu ) that Lord Muruga has fought to win over evil.

A few Murugan devotees do consider that Marudamalai Murugan temple also deserves to be mentioned as one additional Padai Veedu.

Palani Andavar is also worshipped by other names such as Dandayudhapani Swami, Kulandaivelan, Balasubrahmanyan, Shanmukhan, Devasenapati, Swaminathan, Vallimanalan, Devayanaimanalan, Kurijiandavar, Arumugan, Gnana Pandita, Saravanan, Sevar Kodiyon,etc.The temple is itself commonly known by several other names such as Tiru Avinangudi, Vayyapuri, Sithan Vazhvu, Pothini and Sivagiri.

Legends/Puranas and Mythology

Nakeerar, in his Tamil writings compilation called Thirumurugatruppadai, more than 2000 years ago, and saint Poet Arunagirinaathar, who has composed 95 verses on Murugan, have both sung in great praise of Palani. Many of those, who have lesser knowledge on the Palani Murugan temples, mistakenly think that the temple referred in the Tamil works is located in the Palani mountain, while the fact is that the Thiruvavinankudi temple is actually located at the foot of the hills. The Thiruvavinankudi temple is commonly known as Kuzhandhai Velayudaswami temple after the child form of Lord Murugan.

Mythology locates the origin of Palani to the fight of Lord Shiva's siblings. The story goes that Naradha, a great saint in the land of the Devas, offered a divine fruit to Shiva and informed the three eyed Neelakanteshwar, that it was the fruit of Wisdom. Lord Ganesha and Lord Murugan, the two sons of Lord Shiva and Parvaathi, wanted the fruit fully for himself, as the fruit was to be eaten wholly and not partly.

In order to decide the rightful recipient for the fruit, it was decided that the one who first completes circumventing the Earth will win the fruit. Lord Murugan accepted the challenge and in a flash mounted on his Mayil vahanam or the peacock as his vehicle and buzzed off to go round the Earth. Elder brother of Murugan, not taking the literal meaning of world, offered to come round his divine parents Shiva and Parvathi, as the whole universe was considered to be embodied in them.

He went round them thrice and won the challenge and got the divine fruit or fruit of Wisdom. On knowing the reason how his brother Lord Ganesh got the fruit, Lord Murugan was in temper and disowning everything around, he went to Palani. Moved by this, Lord Shiva and Sakthi went to Palani to convince their younger son that he needs no fruits as he himself was a fruit of wisdom ( Palam Ni ); since then the place were Lord Murugan stood is known as Palam Ni or Palani.

Arupadai veedu - a multimedia ecstasy

Thiruthani or Tiruttani, a holy place near Chennai ( Madras) on the Chennai- Tirupati route, in South India, houses one of the sacred temples of Lord Muruga and is the fifth Aarupadai Veedu . Saint

poet Nakkerar, in his songs in praise of Lord Subrahmanya, or Thanigesa Peruman, places Tiruthani in the fifth place amongst the six battle places ( Aarupadai Veedu ) that Lord Muruga has fought to win over evil.

A few Murugan devotees do consider that Marudamalai Murugan temple also deserves to be mentioned as one additional Padai Veedu.

The various names of the presiding deity include Subrahmanya, Subramanya Swamy, Sengalvarayanm, Murugavel and Thanigesa Peruman. This holy shrine of Lord Muruga has been sung by various poets like Arunagiri Nathar and Kumara Guruparar.

Legends/Puranas and Mythology

The temple is a very old one and scriptures can be used to trace the temple's existence to as early as two thousand years ago. The temple is known be several names some of which are Kunruthor Adal, Thanigachalam, Santhipuri and Skandagiri. This temple is considered as one of the most important abodes of Muruga.

Lord Subramanya, it is believed, took to Tiruthani as his abode, after vanquishing the demon called Soorapadman at Tiruchendur. The battle called Soora samharam saw the death of the arrogance of the demon who was transformed into a Seval or Cock that became Muruga's Kodi ( or flag) and the also into a Peacock which became the vehicle of the Lord. At Tiruthani, the swamy is known to be in a very tranquil state, especially after marrying Valli. This Tranquility is pictured beautifully and devotees can view this from their desktops. For more details on the Arupadai Veedu CDROM - please Click Here .

Mythology has it that Lord Subrahmanya swamy came in various forms such as a hunter and a old man to test the perseverance of Valli, a girl from the hunter community who undertook a penance to attain oneness with Lord Thanigesan. Vinayaka, his big brother helped Skanda in his efforts to marry Valli, by donning the form of a mad elephant, which scared Valli who scurried for refuge to the old man, none other than Subramanyar himself.

Pazhamudir cholai or Pazhamudir Solai - which was earlier known as Solai malai, is a holy place near Madurai, in Tamilnadu - South India. It houses one of the most sacred temples of Lord Muruga - also

known as Arumugan, Karthikeya, Skanda and Kumara - and is the sixth Aarupadai Veedu . Saint poet Nakkerar, in his songs in praise of Lord Senthil Andavar, places Pazhamudircholai in the sixth place amongst the six battle places ( Arupadaiveedu ) that Lord Muruga has fought to win over evil. A few Murugan devotees do consider that Marudamalai Murugan temple also deserves to be mentioned as one additional Padai Veedu.