This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(March 2014) |
Palanior Pazhani (Tamil:[paɻani]) or "Pallhani" is a town inDindigul districtofTamil Nadustate inIndia.It is located about 54 kilometres (34 mi) west ofDindigul,106 kilometres (66 mi) south-east ofCoimbatore,122 kilometres (76 mi) north-west ofMadurai,67 kilometres (42 mi) from Kodaikanal. ThePalani Murugan Templeor Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple (Thiru Avinankudi), dedicated to 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 70,467 and the Taluk had a population of 292,301[3]which makes it the second largest town in the district after Dindigul.[4]
Palani | |
|---|---|
 Clockwise from top left: Gopuram ofPalani Murugan temple,Winchpulled car climbing uphill, Vaiyapuri Pond, View of temple atop the hill | |
  Palani Palani, Tamil Nadu | |
| Coordinates:10°27′00″N77°30′58″E/ 10.450000°N 77.516100°E | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| Region | Kongu Nadu[1] |
| District | Dindigul |
| Government | |
| • Type | Selection-Grade Municipality |
| Elevation | 341 m (1,119 ft) |
| Population (2011)[2] | |
• Total | 70,467 |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30(IST) |
| PIN | 624 601 |
| Telephone code | 04545 |
| Vehicle registration | TN94 |
| Website | palanimurugantemple |
Etymology
editThe town derives its name from the compounding of twoTamilwordspalammeaningfruitandneemeaningyou,a reference to poetAvvaiyar's song praisingMurugawhich forms part of thelegendof the Palani Murugan temple. But the actual correct word is பழம்நீர் which means place surrounded by fruit with water (Coconut and Palm trees). The word கழனி which is similar in name, both gives agricultural meanings, here கழனி means வயல் (field).
History
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References to the place exist in ancient Tamil devotional texts. According to Hindu mythology, "SageNaradaonce visited the celestial court of Shiva atMount Kailashto present to Him a fruit, thejnana-palam(literally, the fruit of knowledge), that held in it the elixir of wisdom. Upon Shiva expressing his intention of dividing the fruit between his two sons,GaneshaandMurugan,the sage counselled against cutting it. He decided to award it to whoever of his two sons first circled the world thrice. Accepting the challenge, 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 andShakticombined, circumambulated them ".[5]Pleased with their son's discernment, Shiva awarded the fruit to 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.[citation needed]
Palani and most ofDindigul districtwere part of theKongu Nadu[6]region of the Tamil country. The northern part of the Palani andOddanchatramtaluks is held to have been part of the Anda Nadu sub-region, whereas the rest of the area constituted the Vaikapuri Nadu. The area was under the influence of the rulers of Coimbatore and Madurai, at various points of time. In the 18th century,Hyder Aliand his son,Tipu Sultanruled over the place before being annexed the British after theThird Anglo-Mysore War.
Temples
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Palani is home to one of the most sacred shrines of the Murugan, as worshiped in the Hindu sect ofKaumaram.The Thandayudhapani Temple dedicated to Murugan "Palani Andavar", and regarded one of hisArupadai Veedu(Six Battle Camps), is situated here.[7]The temple is situated atop a hill known as Sivagiri. TheGarbagrihamis surmounted by a goldgopuramand 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, awinchpulled railway with three tracks and arope wayare operational. A temple is dedicated to Murugan near the foot of the hill by the name ofThiru Avinan kudiwhich actually forms a part of the six abodes of Murugan (Arupadaiveedu). It is also called as Kulandai Velayudhaswami Thirukkovil.[8]
Besides this, right at the foot of the Sivagiri is a small shrine dedicated to the godGanapathi,where he goes by the namePada 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 theIdumbanshrine 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 akavadiis associated with the legend of Idumban.
Within the town is another temple dedicated to the GoddessParvathiasPeriyanayaki Amman.Near the Periya Nayaki Amman temple are two others – theMariyammanTemple and thePerumalTemple. 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 asPeriya 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.
Geography
editThe backdrop to the town is formed by an offshoot of theWestern Ghats,thePalani Hills,whereon lies the hill-station ofKodaikanal.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 Shanmuganathi river, a tributary of theAmaravathi River(itself a tributary of theKaveri River), which takes its source on the slopes of the Palani Hills.
The nearest towns areOddanchatram,Dharapuram,Udumalaipettai,Kodaikanal.
Demographics
editAccording to2011 census,Palani had a population of 292,301 with a sex-ratio of 1,023 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929.[9]A total of 6,467 were under the age of six, constituting 3,283 males and 3,184 females.Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribesaccounted for 16.57% and 0.23% of the population respectively. The average literacy of the town was 78.95%, compared to the national average of 72.99%.[9]The town had a total of 19,015 households. There were a total of 27,150 workers, comprising 372 cultivators, 1,277 main agricultural labourers, 763 in house hold industries, 23,478 other workers, 1,260 marginal workers, 40 marginal cultivators, 68 marginal agricultural labourers, 107 marginal workers in household industries and 1,045 other marginal workers.[2]As per the religious census of 2011, Palani had 90.58%Hindus,7.63%Muslims,1.44%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.[10]
Transportation
editRoadway
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National HighwayNH 83connectsCoimbatoretoNagapattinamvia Palani TiruchirappalliThanjavur.Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation LimitedTNSTCbuses connect the town to other parts of the state.KSRTCbuses connecting places likeKottayam,Kozhikode,Kasaragod,Guruvayur,Ernakulam,Thrissur,Palakkad,andkottarakaraare available at particular interval of time from Palani bus stand. 24 hours buses are available on all three main roads (viaDharapuram,OddanchatramandUdumalaipettai)
Railway
editStation Code:PLNI, Palani is a part of theCoimbatore-RameswaramBG line prior to the commencing of gauge conversion. On 20 November 2012, the Dindigul-Palani section of the line was completed, and thelocal railway stationopened to railway traffic again. Currently there are passenger trains are crossing fromMadurai,ThiruchendurtoCoimbatore,Palakkad.And a dailyexpress trainavailable between Palani toChennai.Recently Amritha express running from Madurai – Thiruvananthapuram viaDindigul,Palani,Pollachi,Palakkad,Thrissur,Ernakulam,Kottayam,Kollam.
Airway
editThe nearest major airports areCoimbatore International Airportlocated 100 kilometres (62 mi) from Palani andMadurai International Airportlocated at 130 kilometres (81 mi) from Palani. Tiruchirappalli International Airport is the next nearest, 164 km from Palani.
References
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- ^"Kongu Nadu".coimbatore.Retrieved3 December2019.
- ^ab"Census Info 2011 Final population totals – Palani".Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2013.Retrieved26 January2014.
- ^"Palani Population (2021/2022), Taluk Village List in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu".
- ^"Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple, Palani | Dindigul District | India".Retrieved19 June2022.
- ^"Dhandapani Murugan Kovil".tamilnadu.General Interactive, LLC. Archived fromthe originalon 7 March 2013.Retrieved28 January2017.
- ^"Kongu Nadu Areas".Retrieved8 June2021.
- ^"Dhandapani Murugan Kovil".Tamilnadu. 5 March 2013. Archived fromthe originalon 7 March 2013.
- ^Cōmale.Palani: The Hill Temple of Muruga.Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple, 1975. p. 23.
- ^ab"Census Info 2011 Final population totals".Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2013.Retrieved26 January2014.
- ^"Population By Religious Community – Tamil Nadu"(XLS).Office of The Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2011.Retrieved13 September2015.