Thiruparamkundram Murugan Temple

This Temple is dedicated to the Murugan which is another name of Kartikeya. The temple is built in rock-cut architecture and believed to have been built by the Pandyas during the 6th century. According to the legend, it is where Murugan killed the demon Sura-padman and married Devasena also known as Deivayanai, the daughter of the king of heavens, Indra.

The temple is located 8 kms from Madurai City. In the main shrine, apart from Murugan, the deities Shiva, Vishnu, Vinayaka  and Durga are housed. The temple follows Shaiva tradition of worship. Six daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the Kantha Sashti festival during October - November is the most prominent one.

Thiruparamkundram finds mention in the Skanda Puran detailing the killing of Sura-Padman by Murugan. As per Hindu legend, the demon king Sura-padaman, once obtained boons from the god Shiva on account of severe Tapasya. He started ruling the 1008 worlds on account of the power attained. He had several sons. He started troubling the devas . He imprisoned Indra the king of the gods. Indra sought the help of Shiva's son and the god of war Murugan. Murugan sent his messenger to the demon, but he remained unmoved. A severe battle was fought in Thiruparamkundram where Murugan killed all the sons of the Sura-padman except Iraniyan. Sura-padman hid under the sea. Murugan split him into two pieces, which went on to become the god's divine vehicles, peacock and rooster. The day when Murugan slayed Sura-padman is celebrated as Skanda Sashti festival in all the Murugan temples.

In gratitude, Indra married his daughter Deivayanai to Murugan at Thiruparamkundram.  A treatise of the divine marriage, Kanthar Anoobothi, records that Murugan asked all the divine angels and gods who attended the marriage to fly back to heaven in their own vehicles with Mano vegham ie speed of thought.

The temple is built rock-cut architecture dating back to the Pandya period of 6th century and the life sized sculptures in the mandapas of the Nayaka period during the 16th century. An Aasthaana Mandapa with several artistically carved pillars lead one to the towering 150 feet high seven-tiered raja gopuram at the entrance. The granite hill behind the temple is 1,050 ft which has a shrine of Kasi Viswanatha at the top. The image of Vinayaka  in the temple holds sugarcane and fruits. The inner rock cut image is made from a single stone.

A notable feature of this temple is that the Shiva and Vishnu face each other in the main shrine, considered a rare thing in ancient Hindu temples. In front of the Dhwaja-sthambam, the flag staff, there is a carved Nandi , peacock and mouse, the  vehicles of Shiva, Murugan and Vinayaka.