Thirumoorthy Hills Amanalingeswarar Temple- Coimbatore

Address

Thirumoorthy Hills Amanalingeswarar Temple- Dhali,Tirumurthimalai, Udumalpet, Coimbatore district- 642101 Phone: +91-4252 – 265 440

Amanalingeswarar

Location: Situated at the foot of Thirumoorthy Hills, near the Thirumoorthy Dam in Udumalaipet, Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu.

Age & Structure:

Believed to be 1000 years old.
Features rare sculptures and a spacious front hall.
A rock worshipped as Thirumoorthy has an upside-down Jain priest sculpture, believed to have rolled down from the hills centuries ago during a flood.

Historical Significance:

Jain priests or “Samanars” are believed to have lived in the hills during the flourishing period of Jainism in Tamil Nadu.
At 900 meters above the mountain, there are five self-manifested (Swayambumurthi) Lingas.

Puranic Importance:

Associated with Sage Atri and his wife, Anusuya Devi.
Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, disguised as guests, tested Anusuya’s devotion, which led to the gods becoming children under her care.
Anusuya’s boon led to the birth of Sage Durvasa, Dattatreya, and the Moon-god Chandra as incarnations of Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma.

Mythological Connection:

The temple is referred to as “Kailash of the South” and is significant for Sage Agasthya’s darshan of Lord Shiva’s wedding.
Lord Shiva is believed to grant invisible boons as a child deity.

Beliefs & Rituals:

Bathing in the holy spring and worshipping Saptha Kannikas is believed to help couples seeking children.
Rituals involving bathing in the Thoni River and offering salt and pepper are followed for curing facial scars (Maru).
Women seeking child boons and youth seeking higher education or jobs offer prayers with coconuts and fruits.

Sandal Paste Worship:

Devotees throw sandal paste balls at the deity; if the ball sticks to the deity’s forehead, their prayers are believed to be answered.

Natural Beauty & Scenic Location:

The temple is set against the backdrop of the Anamalai hill range, with the Panchalingam Falls tumbling into the Thirumoorthy reservoir.
A continuous stream flows by the temple.

Deity & Shrines:

The presiding deity is Amanalingeswarar, also known as Mummoorthy Andavar or Thirumoorthy Andavar.
Lord Shiva is revered as a Guru, making Lord Dakshinamurthy worship important.
Saptha Kannikas (seven virgins) have a separate shrine.
The temple also houses Sundara Ganapathi (Lord Vinayaka) and Balasubramanian (Lord Muruga).

Festivals & Special Days:

Mahasivarathri: Four pujas are performed on this day in February-March.
Amavasya: Special pujas on Aadi Amavasya (July-August), Thai Amavasya (January-February), and Mahalaya Amavasya (Purattasi, September-October).
Sunday Pujas: Special pujas every Sunday at 12:30 p.m., particularly in the month of Aavani (August-September).