Palani Murugan temple or Palani Arulmigu Shri Dhandayuthapani temple, as it is called officially is a world-famous Lord Murugan temple on top of Palani Hills. It is near Coimbatore City, in Tamilnadu state, India.

View of Palani Temple from downhill.

Palani Temple’s deity is Lord Murugan. Murugan temple at Palani is considered one of the Six Abodes of God Murugan. The Murugan idol at Palani temple was created and consecrated by Sage Bogar. Sage Bogar was one of the 18 great Hindu Siddhas. He made the idol out of an amalgam of nine poisons or navapashanam. A shrine to sage Bogar is there in the south-western corridor of the temple.

The Murugan Temple at Palani was neglected for centuries after the forest covered the deity, and the temple was not visible. Chera Dynasty King Perumal, on a hunting trip, was forced to stay at the foot of the hill for a night. Lord Subrahmanyan appeared to the King in his dream. The King was ordered to restore the idol to its former state and construct the current temple. This history is recorded at the stela, at the foot of Palani hills.

Palani temple or Pazhani temple is famous for tonsuring, imitating the Lord of Palani, and getting his blessings. Devotees tonsure heads before they worship the temple’s deity, Lord Murugan. Sandalwood paste offered to the god Murugan is offered to devotees in the morning after it is applied to the god the previous night. It’s called “rakkāla chandaṇam” (Raksha means salvation and Chandnam means Sandalwood) and is sought after by devotees.

Thai-Poosam is the main Palani temple festival, celebrated on the full moon day of the Month of Thai. Thai month is from the middle of January to the middle of February and is a local Tamil calendar month, specific to the state of Tamilnadu.

How Do I Go to Palani Temple?

Lord Murugan Temple at Palani City is around 100 kilometers from Coimbatore City. Madurai city, where the famous Meenakshi Amman Temple is situated, is approximately 110 kilometers from Palani.

Palani railway station with station code ‘PLNI’ on the Pollachi – Dindigul section of Souther railways, is the nearest railway station to Palani Koil (Koil means temple in the local language, Tamil).

Timings of Lord Murugan Temple at Palani

Palani temple timings are from 5 A.M. to 10 P.M.