Marudamalai rises at the edge of the Western Ghats, a short drive from Coimbatore. The hill takes its name from the marudha trees that grow on it, and the temple faces east, looking back over the city.
What is special here
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A hill temple in forest, closed to visitors after dark because of wild animals
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The cave of Pambatti Siddhar, the snake-charmer sage, beside the temple
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Two springs, Maruda Theertham and Skanda Theertham, held to be healing
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A golden chariot taken round the temple in the evenings
Chapter 1
The hill of the marudha trees
Marudham is the Tamil name for the Arjuna tree, and malai means hill. The temple sits on a granite hill about six hundred feet high, where the plains of Coimbatore meet the forests of the Western Ghats.
Most Murugan hill temples look out in every direction. This one faces east, towards the city and the rising sun. You can climb the steps or take the hill road, but both close in the evening: this is still forest, and elephants and other animals come down after dark.
Chapter 2
The snake-charmer sage
Beside the temple is the cave of Pambatti Siddhar. A siddhar is an ascetic of the Tamil tradition, and pambatti means snake-charmer. The story told here is that Murugan came to him in the form of a snake, and blessed him.
The cave is still visited, and tradition says a passage once joined it to the sanctum. For many people the two are one visit: the god on the hill, and the sage who lived beside him.
Chapter 3
Water and healing
Two springs belong to the temple, Maruda Theertham and Skanda Theertham. People have long believed their water is good for the body, and many carry some home.
In the evenings the festival image of Murugan is taken round the temple in a golden chariot, pulled by devotees. It is one of the loveliest times to be on the hill, if you leave early enough to come down before dark.
Our reflection: come early. The morning light on the hill, the quiet of the forest and the cool steps are the best part of Marudamalai.
Our own retelling of the temple's history and traditions.