Vadapalani Dandayudhapani Temple, located in Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu is dedicated to Lord Muruga. The ancient temple built almost 125 years back is held in great veneration by the pilgrims frequenting the pilgrimage centre.
Legend of Vadapalani Dandayudhapani Temple
According to a legendry fable, Annaswami Tambiran, an ardent devotee of Lord Muruga, once built a small thatched hut with his meagre amount and installed a painting of Lord Muruga. It is said that while he worshipped and meditated he experienced a divine power penetrating within him. This stimulated him to utter inexplicable things that were named as arulvak. It helped people to relieve them of their sufferings, such as curing ailments, solemnizing marriages and receiving jobs. Once, suddenly he fell ill and was instructed by a sage to visit Tiruttani. The devotee worshipped Lord Muruga and offered a part of his tongue that he cut with knife. While returning he was completely liberated of his disease. Annaswami Tambiran also visited Palani where he was confronted with certain weird experiences. Once, when he felt that his end was nearing, he appealed Ratnaswami, a close friend of his to preserve the tradition of worshipping the Lord. Ratnaswami pledged to maintain the devotional practises and built a small shrine. It is said that he too experienced trances and gave arulvak. The construction of the shrine was left midway as he soon passed away. Later the building project was stimulated by a group of humanist philanthropists who transmogrified the petite hut into a grand pilgrimage centre. Saiva Pravakta Kripananda Variyar was one of the builders of the temple. Thus, the primordial thatched shed housing a painting of Lord Muruga emerged into an impressive spiritual abode drawing thousands of pilgrims from different section of the society throughout the year.
Construction of Vadapalani Dandayudhapani Temple
Vadapalani Dandayudhapani Temple primarily houses the idol of Lord Murugan in its sanctum sanctorum. Besides these, there are several sannidhis in the vast courtyard such as Goddess Parvati, Bhairava, Goddess Kali, Varasiddhi Vinayaka, Shanmuga with Valli and Devasena and Chokkanathar. The other deities installed in the temple are Lord Ganesha, Chokkanatha, Kaliamman, Arunagirinathar, Kuthuvar, Manikkavachakar, Kasi Viswanatha, Meenakshi Amman, Vairavar, Varasiddhi Vinayaga, Virabagudevar, Virabhadra and Visalakshi.
Respective niches in the inner prakara of Vadapalani Dandayudhapani Temple houses Chandikeswar, Dakshina Murti and Mahalakshmi. A spacious hall built within the temple is utilized for marriage purpose and conducting religious discourses. A rajagopuram embellished with an array of stucco images coronets the entrance of the temple. These images illustrate the legends from the Skanda Purana. A tower measuring 40.8 metres and decked with 108 Bharatanatyam dance gestures rises vertically on the eastern side of the temple. A temple tank in the facade of the temple adds further charm and beauty to the holy abode.
Daily pujas comprising of Nadai, Palli Arai, Milk Abhishekam, Vibhuti Abhishekam, Santanam Abhishekam, Uchi Kala Puja, Palli Arai Puja are conducted with great devotion by the temple priests. Vadapalani Dandayudhapani Temple celebrates the festival of Skanda Sashti in the month of Aippasi. The temple also celebrates the festival of Panguni Uttiram. The festive season draws large crowds to the temple premises.
