The famous Vilavarani Murugan Temple is located at Vilavarni near Thiruvannamalai on a hill with 300 steps. The temple is dedicated to Lord Murugan, Nakshatra Giri Temple. Surrounded by beautiful green trees, the temple welcomes devotees to take blessings from the Lord and has an amazing experience. The following article details the temple, including its timings, legends, pooja details, how to reach it, etc.
About Vilvarani Murugan Temple:
Contents
- 1 About Vilvarani Murugan Temple:
- 1.1 Legend of Vilvarani Murugan Temple:
- 1.2 Vilvarani Murugan Temple Timings:
- 1.3 Pooja Details:
- 1.4 What is the significance of Murugan Temple in Vilvarani?
- 1.5 Which festival is celebrated grandly in Vilvarani Temple?
- 1.6 What are the timings of Vilvarani Temple?
- 1.7 What is the dress code for visiting the Vilvarani Temple?
Vilvarani Murugan Temple is also famously called the Nakshatra Temple because of the belief that the 27 stars meet Hrithik maidens to offer worship. The temple, nestled on a hilltop, gives it an amazing picturesque view at Vilvarani near Thiruvannamalali highway, Tamil Nadu. Subramaniam Temple is dedicated to Lord Murugan and has 300 steps to reach it.
The temple has a self-manifested deity called ‘Swayambhu Lingam’, which has Lord Shiva and Murugan to prove they are the same. In the form of Shiva Lingam, the Lord blesses his devotees who visit here after reaching the hilltop. This temple is one of the oldest shrines in Tamil Nadu, and it has beautiful spiritual beliefs and cultures.
Legend of Vilvarani Murugan Temple:
The legend of the Vilvarani Murugan Temple says that a priest is continuously performing in many temples. There is a horse that he uses to visit different temples for his poojas by following a schedule. But one day, he couldn’t visit Thiruthani and was disheartened by it. Then Lord Murugan appeared in his dream, saying he was on the Nakshatra hill in the form of a saying. He also said he performed poojas in this temple on Kruthika star days.
Then he searched and found ‘Swayambhu Lingam’, guarded by a snake, which became a statue as an umbrella for the Lord after seeing them. The two priests started their pooja for the Lord by making a small tent. Later, they also placed the idols of his consorts, Valli and Devaiani. The snake became an umbrella, and the Lord blessed his devotees as Lord Murugan. Worshipping Rahu and Kethi here for relief from them is common among the devotees who visit here.
Vilvarani Murugan Temple Timings:
The timings of the Vilvarani Murugan Temple are,
| Day | Timings |
| Monday | 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Thursday | 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Friday | 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Saturday | 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
| Sunday | 6:00 AM – 1:00 PM 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM |
Pooja Details:
Vilvarani Murugan Temple is famous for its various poojas that the Lord and his consorts perform. The list of the poojas and the prices in this temple are as follows,
| Pooja Name | Ticket Price |
| Archanai | 2 |
| Special Entrance | 5 |
| Special Entrance at the Festival | 10 |
| Milk Abhishekam | 100 |
| Ear Piercing | 100 |
| Maha Abhishekam | 500 |
| Marriage fee | 1000 |
| Annadhanam(Per Day) | 1500 |
| Annadhanam (Yearly Once) | 25000 |
Festivals celebrated at Vilvarani Murugan Temple:
Every Hindu festival, mainly related to Lord Murugan and Lord Shiva, is grandly celebrated here. All the days of the Kruthika star are celebrated here, and many rituals and rites involve worshipping the god. Between July and August, the Kruthika days of Aadi are the main festival days celebrated here.
This temple is famous for the ten days of Panguni Uthiram, during which the Lord Murugan comes down on the fifth day, and the car festival is on the seventh day. The secret used is specially made for the Lord and worth money.
Places to visit near Vilvarani Murugan Temple:
There are many popular tourist places that visitors of Vilvarani Murugan Temple can visit. They are,
- Girivalam, Arunachaleswar Temple
- Sri Ramana Ashram
- Arunachaleswara Temple
- Skandashramam
- Sri Sheshadri Swamigal Ashram
- Annamaliyar Temple viewpoint
- Vedapureshwara Temple
Accommodation/Hotels:
We recommend a few accommodations near Vilvarani Murugan Temple based on their facilities and affordability. The list is,
- SRB Residency
- Chola Hotel and Resort
- Annamalai Guest House
- CDR Residency
- On cottage guest house
- Shiva Shakti Siddar Peedam Guest House
How to reach?
Three different transport options exist to reach the Vilvarani Murugan Temple in Vilvarani, Tamil Nadu. They are,
By Air: Chennai Airport is the only nearest airport to the temple, 170 Km away. Once you reach Chennai, you can visit the temple by taking local trains or buses.
By Rail: Thiruvannamalai Railway Station is the closest Railway station, 30 km from the temple. Many buses and local taxis can take you directly to the temple.
By Road: The temple is closer to the Polur-Chengam road, and many buses can reach the temple within 35 km and 40 km away.
Address:
The address of Vilvarani Murugan Temple is Nakshatra Giri Murugan temple, Chengam, Vilvarani, Tamil Nadu 606906
Contact Details:
Phone number: +91-9994884878, +91-7826809023
FAQs:
What is the significance of Murugan Temple in Vilvarani?
The Lord is in the form of the Shiva Lingam, which is self-manifested to prove the theory that Lord Murugan and Lord Shiva are the same. The legend of the temple says that a snake protected the Shiva lingam before temple construction, which later became a statue.
Which festival is celebrated grandly in Vilvarani Temple?
All days of Kruthika star are celebrated here by performing rituals and rites for the Lord. Maha Shivaatri is also celebrated grandly.
What are the timings of Vilvarani Temple?
The hours of the Vilvarani temple are 6:00 AM—8:00 PM, with a break between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM.
What is the dress code for visiting the Vilvarani Temple?
Visitors to this temple must wear modest, ethnic attire to respect the traditions and cultures.