Palani

"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 Pazhani
city
Clockwise from top left: Gopuram of Palani Murugan temple, Winch pulled car climbing uphill, Vaiyapuri Pond, View of temple atop the hill
Palani Location in Tamil Nadu, India
Coordinates: 10.45°N 77.52°E / 10.45; 77.52
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
Region	Kongu Nadu
District	Palani
Government
• Type	Municipality
Population  (2011)
• Total	100,467
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	624 601
Telephone code	04545
Vehicle registration	TN 94 (Before TN 57)
Website	palanimurugantemple.org

Palani (or Pazhani) is a town and a taluk headquarters in Palani district, Tamil Nadu located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) South-east of Coimbatore, 100 kilometres (62 mi) north-west of Madurai, 67 kilometres (42 mi) from Kodaikanal,130 kilometres (81 mi) from Kochi,and,90 kilometres (56 mi) from Munnarkerala

The Palani Murugan Temple or  Arulmigu Kulazhandaivelayutha Swamy Temple (Thiru Avinankudi), dedicated to Lord 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 1,00,467.

Etymology

The town derive its name from the compounding of two Tamil words pazham meaning fruit and nee meaning you, a reference to poet Avvaiyar's song praising Lord Muruga which forms part of the legend of the Palani Murugan temple. Palani is pronounced using the retroflex approximant ɻ (ழ) and is thus also spelt using the 'zh' digraph as "Pazhani".

History

Tamil Inscriptions at Pazhani Temple

References to the place exist in ancient Tamil devotional texts. According to Hindu mythology, "Sage Narada once visited the celestial court of Lord Sivan at Mount Kailash to present to Him a fruit, the gyana-pazham (literally, the fruit of knowledge), that held in it the elixir of wisdom. Upon Lord Sivan expressing his intention of dividing the fruit between his two sons, Ganesha and Muruga, the sage counselled against cutting it. He decided to award it to whomever of his two sons first circled the world thrice. Accepting the challenge, Lord 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". Pleased with their son's discernment, Lord Shiva awarded the fruit to Lord 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.

Palani and most of Palani district were part of the Kongu Nadu region of the Tamil country. The northern part of the Palani and Oddanchatram taluks is held to have been part of the Anda Nadu sub-region, whereas the rest of the area constituted the Vaiyapuri Nadu. The area was under the influence of the rulers of Coimbatore and Madurai, at various points of time. In the 18th century, Hyder Ali and his son, Tippu 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 Lord Muruga, as worshiped in the Hindu sect of Kaumaram. The Thandayudhapani Temple dedicated to Lord Murugan "Palani Andavar", and regarded one of his Arupadai Veedu (Six Battle Camps), is situated here. The temple is situated atop a hill known as Sivagiri. The Garbagriham is surmounted by a gold gopuram and the walls of the Garbagriham have numerous stone inscriptions describing offerings made by devotees to the temple. Steps are hewn into the rock, besides a wide path meant for the ascent of elephants, up the hill. In addition, a winch pulled railway with three tracks and a rope way are operational. A temple is dedicated to Murugan near the foot of the hill by the name of Thiru Avinan kudi which actually forms a part of the six abodes of Muruga (Arupadaiveedu). It is also called as Kulandai Velayudhaswami Thirukkovil.

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 Western Ghats, the Palani Hills, whereon lies the hill-station of Kodaikanal. The view within the town is dominated by the two hills, Sivagiri and Sakthigiri, on the former of which lies the temple. At the foot of the hills lie several lakes which drain to the Shanmuga river, a tributary of the Amaravathi River (itself a tributary of the Kaveri River), which takes its source on the slopes of the Palani Hills.

Varadhamanadhi Dam

Demographics

According to 2011 census, Palani had a population of 1,00,467 with a sex-ratio of 6,023 females for every 4,600 males, much above the national average of 929. A total of 61,467 were under the age of six, constituting 32,283 males and 13,184 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 16.57% and .23% of the population respectively. The average literacy of the town was 78.95%, compared to the national average of 72.99%. The town had a total of 19015 households. There were a total of 27,150 workers, comprising 372 cultivators, 12,277 main agricultural labourers, 7633 in house hold industries, 23,478 other workers, 1,260 marginal workers, 405 marginal cultivators, 658 marginal agricultural labourers, 1067 marginal workers in household industries and 1,045 other marginal workers. As per the religious census of 2011, Palani had 84.71% Hindus, 12.4% Muslims, 2.44% Christians, 0.01% Sikhs, 0.01% Buddhists, 0.42% following other religions and 0.02% following no religion or did not indicate any religious preference.

Religious census
Religion			Percent(%)
Hindu			84.71%
Muslim			12.4%
Christian			2.44%
Other			0.46%

Transportation

Roadway

National Highway NH 83 connects Coimbatore to Palani to Nagapattinam via Dindigul Tiruchirappalli Thanjavur. Palani to Thoppampatty to Dharapuram Palani to Alangayam to Dharapuram 2 roads for dharapuram new project Coimbatore to Palani Xpress way (1.20 hours)

Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Limited TNSTC buses connect the town to other parts of the state. KSRTC buses connecting places like Kottayam, Kozhikode, Kasaragod,Kochi, Guruvayur, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, and kottarakara are available at particular interval of time from Palani bus stand.

Palakkad every 20 Minutes Private Bus also.

Railway

Main article: Palani railway station

Station Code :PLNI, Palani is a part of the Coimbatore-Rameswaram BG line prior to the commencing of gauge conversion. On 20 November 2012, the Dindigul-Palani section of the line was completed, and the local railway station opened to railway traffic again. Currently there are passenger trains are crossing from Madurai, Thiruchendur to Coimbatore, Palakkad. And a daily express train train available between Palani to Chennai. Recently Amritha express running from Madurai - Thiruvananthapuram via Dindigul , Palani, Pollachi , Palakkad , Ernakulam , Kottayam, Kollam. Bengalore exp.(Pln-Bang) Mumbai eXpress.(pln-Mumbai) Nagercoil-Palani new project palani-dharapram-mulanur-karur dharapuram-kangayam-erode

Airway

The nearest major airports are Coimbatore International Airport located 113 kilometres (70 mi) from Palani and Madurai International Airport located at 130 kilometres (81 mi) from Palani 150km Tirchy International airport 130km Kochi International airport New Project started soonPalani International airport10km from Palani

See also

• Palani (Lok Sabha constituency)
• Vibhuti
• Panchamirtam
• coconut