Vaikasi Visakam is the birthday powertime of Murugan and hence an ideal time to visit His temples. There are many temples in India that are dedicated to this Warrior-God, the main ones being the Aarupadai Veedu – the six abodes of Murugan. Here, we introduce you to some of the lesser-known Murugan temples that you can visit to invoke His divine blessings.
Arulmigu Subramaniar Temple, Anuvavi, Coimbatore District
The name ‘Anuvavi’ is derived from the terms – ‘Hanu’ referring to Hanuman and ‘Vavi’ referring to a water source. As per legend, when Hanuman was carrying the Sanjeevi mountain, he felt extremely thirsty, so he stopped at this location and prayed to Murugan for water. When Murugan hit the ground with his Vel (spear), a divine water source appeared at this location and started to flow like a river. This water source flows to date and is referred to as Hanuman Theertham. To visit Murugan in this temple, you need to climb more than 500 steps. In addition to shrines for Deivanai and Valli, there are separate shrines for Arunachaleswarar and Navagraha. During Vaikasi Visakam, there are huge crowds who come in to perform special poojas and abhishekams.
Arulmigu Subramaniaswamy Temple, Vallimalai, Ranipet District
Located between Vellore and Ranipet, the Vallimalai Murugan temple has a rich cultural heritage. As per legend, Murugan came to this location to marry Valli. Hence the name Vallimalai, which translates to Valli’s Hill. Murugan sits atop the 450-step hill and you can have a look at the drawings about the Murugan-Valli love at the foothills. Devotees seek the blessings of Valli before they visit Murugan. Although this place speaks out loud about Valli, there is a separate shrine for Deivanai as well.
It is believed that Saint Arunagirinathar, during his visit to this temple, has composed several verses praising Murugan. The most important festival is the Ther (Chariot) festival, which occurs every year, mostly in the month of March. Seeking Murugan and Valli’s blessings from this temple helps individuals who are facing troubles in their love life or those looking to get married. Vaigasi Visakam is celebrated in a grand way at the Vallimalai Murugan Temple. Thousands of devotees flock to this temple during this time.
Sri Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Thamtakodi, Thiruvannamalai District
Murugan sits on a small hill in this Thamtakodi temple, which can be reached through a flight of stairs or through a narrow, not-so-well-maintained road. The unique star shape of the temple is another highlight. The entire temple is painted in a colourful way, much in contrast to the other age-old temples in Tamil Nadu. Murugan can be seen as a 45-foot statue standing alone, facing east. The Valli and Deivanai shrines are also located inside the temple, along with those of Durgai, Dakshinamoorthy, and Sri Sumeethreshwarar. The six Karthigai pengal are also present and they look at Murugan at all times. Vaikasi Visagam is one of the main festivals celebrated in this temple.
Nadu Palani Dhandayuthapani Temple, Perunkarunai, Kanchipuram District
A small hill, climb about 120 steps to reach this shrine. The Dhandayuthapani Murugan Temple was revered with the title ‘Nadu Palani’, meaning ‘Middle Palani’ by Kanchi Periyavar when he came to this temple during his padayatra (a walking trip). The Murugan idol here has a close resemblance to the one at the Dhandayuthapani Temple at Palani, one of the six abodes of Murugan. This temple was built by Sri Muthuswamy Pillai, who started with a Vel after Murugan appeared in a dream and instructed him to do so. His Jeeva Samadhi is also present near the temple. Vaikasi Visakam is an auspicious day to visit the Nadu Palani Dhandayuthapani Temple at Perunkarunai.
Subramanya Swamy Temple, Viralimalai, Pudukkottai District
The main deity in this temple is Shanmuganathar, along with his wives Valli and Deivanai. Just like most Murugan temples, this one is also atop a hill and you need to climb 200 odd steps to take the darshan. Legend says that Murugan, through a divine vision, instructed Saint Arunagirinathar, one of the Ashta Siddhis, to visit this temple. When the saint lost his way, the Lord himself came down to the Earth plane as a hunter to help find the temple. You can also visit the Santhan Kottai Cave near the temple, which is the place where Arunagirinathar meditated. Vaikasi Visakam at the Subramanya Swamy Temple in Viralimalai is a grand festival celebrated over 10 days.
Vaikasi Visakam 2025 is the ideal time to visit these unique temples. Plan a trip with friends or family on the special occasion of Muruga’s birthday to get His blessings.
