Palani

Coordinates: 10°27′00″N 77°30′58″E / 10.450000°N 77.516100°E / 10.450000; 77.516100
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"Pazhani" redirects here. For the films, see Pazhani (1965 film) and Pazhani (2008 film).
This article is about the pilgrim city in Tamil Nadu, India. For the temple, see
Palani Murugan Temple. For the village in Iran, see Palani, Iran
.

Palani
UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
624 601
Telephone code04545
Vehicle registrationTN 94
Websitepalanimurugantemple.org
View of Palani Town

Palani (Tamil:

Palani Murugan Temple or Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple (Thiru Avinankudi), dedicated to Murugan is situated on a hill overlooking the town. The temple is visited by more than 7 million pilgrims each year. As of 2011, the town had a population of 70,467 and the Taluk had a population of 292,301[3] which makes it the second largest town in the district after Dindigul.[4]

Etymology

The town derives its name from the compounding of two

legend
of the Palani Murugan temple. But the actual correct word is பழனி which means place surrounded by fruitful trees. The word கழனி which is similar in name, both gives agricultural meanings, here கழனி means வயல் (field).

History

Tamil Inscriptions at Pazhani Temple

References to the place exist in ancient Tamil devotional texts. According to Hindu mythology, "Sage

Murugan, the sage counselled against cutting it. He decided to award it to whoever of his two sons first circled the world thrice. Accepting the challenge, Murugan started his journey around the globe on his mount peacock. However, Ganesha, who surmised that the world was no more than his parents Shiva and Shakti combined, circumambulated them".[5] Pleased with their son's discernment, Shiva awarded the fruit to Ganesha. When Murugan returned, he was furious to learn that his efforts had been in vain. He left Kailash and took up his abode in Palani hills in South India. It is believed that Murugan felt the need to get matured from boyhood and hence chose to remain as a hermit and discarded all his robes and ornaments. He went into meditation to know about himself.[citation needed
]

Palani and most of

Tipu Sultan ruled over the place before being annexed the British after the Third Anglo-Mysore War
.

Temples

Main article:
Palani Murugan temple
Thiru Avinan Kudi Temple

Palani is home to one of the most sacred shrines of the Murugan, as worshiped in the Hindu sect of

Arupadaiveedu). It is also called as Kulandai Velayudhaswami Thirukkovil.[8]

Besides this, right at the foot of the Sivagiri is a small shrine dedicated to the god

Ganapathi
, where he goes by the name Pada Vinayakar. It is customary amongst the pilgrims to pay their obeisances at this shrine before commencing their ascent of the hill.

Halfway up the hill, there is the Idumban shrine where every pilgrim is expected to offer obeisance to Idumban before entering the temple of Dandayudhapani. The practice of Pilgrims to Palani bringing their offerings on their shoulders in a kavadi is associated with the legend of Idumban.

Within the town is another temple dedicated to the Goddess

Parvathi
as Periyanayaki Amman. Near the Periya Nayaki Amman temple are two others – the Mariyamman Temple and the Perumal Temple. The former is particularly resorted to in times of epidemics, the goddess there being regarded as the protector against illnesses.

A short distance from the town is a temple dedicated to Shiva as Periya Avudaiyar.

The Kannadi Perumal Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, is a small temple situated on a hillock 9 km south of Palani, a short distance from the highway to Kodaikanal.

Gold plated Gopuram

Geography

Main article:
Palani Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park

The backdrop to the town is formed by an offshoot of the

Kaveri River), which takes its source on the slopes of the Palani Hills.
The nearest towns are Oddanchatram, Dharapuram, Udumalaipettai, Kodaikanal
.

Varadhamanadhi Dam

Demographics

According to

Buddhists, 0.42% following other religions and 0.02% following no religion or did not indicate any religious preference.[10]

Religious census
Religion Percent(%)
Hindu
 
 90.58%
Muslim
 
 7.63%
Christian
 
 1.44%
Other
 
 0.46%

Transportation

Roadway

Image of V.O.C Central Bus Stand, Palani

National Highway

NH 83 connects Coimbatore to Nagapattinam
via Palani
kottarakara are available at particular interval of time from Palani bus stand. 24 hours buses are available on all three main roads (via Dharapuram, Oddanchatram and Udumalaipettai
)

Railway

Main article: Palani railway station

Station Code :PLNI, Palani is a part of the

Chennai. Recently Amritha express running from Madurai – Thiruvananthapuram via Dindigul, Palani, Pollachi, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Kollam
.

Airway

The nearest major airports are

Madurai International Airport
located at 130 kilometres (81 mi) from Palani. Tiruchirappalli International Airport is the next nearest, 164 km from Palani.

References

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Palani.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Palani.
  1. ^ "Kongu Nadu". coimbatore.com. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Census Info 2011 Final population totals – Palani". Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  3. ^ "Palani Population (2021/2022), Taluk Village List in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu".
  4. ^ "Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple, Palani | Dindigul District | India". Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  5. ^ "Dhandapani Murugan Kovil". tamilnadu.com. General Interactive, LLC. Archived from the original on 7 March 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  6. ^ "Kongu Nadu Areas". Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Dhandapani Murugan Kovil". Tamilnadu.com. 5 March 2013. Archived from the original on 7 March 2013.
  8. ^ Cōmale. Palani: The Hill Temple of Muruga. Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple, 1975. p. 23.
  9. ^ a b "Census Info 2011 Final population totals". Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  10. ^ "Population By Religious Community – Tamil Nadu" (XLS). Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2015.

See also

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