Thirumoorthy Hills
Encyclopedia
Thirumoorthy Temple is situated at the foot of the Thirumoorthy hills or Thirumoorthi hills adjoining the Thirumoorthy dam. The scenic beauty of the Anamalai hill range of Western Ghats, includes the cascading water to the Thirumoorthy reservoir from the Panchalingam Falls. A perennial stream flows by the side of the Sri Amalingeswarar temple. The presiding deity is called ammlingeshwara.
praised Anusuya's "pativratyam" (Devotion to husband) a lot before the wives of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva making them jealous of her. They requested their husbands to reduce her pativratyam. Brahma
, Vishnu
and Shiva
went to Anusuya as guests when Atri
was not there at home and asked her to serve them food. When she agreed to do so, they said that they will accept her alms on the condition that she serves them without wearing clothes. Anusuya falls into a dilemma. If she comes without clothes in front of other men her pativratyam will be reduced. If she refuses then that is dishonour to the guests and they can take away all the power of Atri. Anusuya felt that the three guests who asked such a strange favour are not normal people since they are trying to place her in a tricky situation. Anasuya prayed to her husband in her mind and said that she doesn't have any fear serving them without clothes as she is not affected by lust. Since the guests asked for alms saying "Bhavati Bhiksham Dehi" (Oh Mother! Give us some food) and indirectly called her a mother. She decided that she will consider them as her children and serve them as requested. Because of her greatness and as per her thinking by the time she came to serve food the three gods became small children and her breasts started producing milk. She then breastfed them and put them to sleep in a cradle. Atri came back afterwards and hearing the story from Anusuya praised the three gods sleeping in the cradle. They woke up in their original form and praised Anusuya's pativratyam and gave her a boon. Anasuya requested that these three should be born as her children—the incarnation of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma as sage Durvasa, Dattatreya
and the moon-god Chandra
. Also, on seeing the power of devoting Anushiya devi, the Thiru Moorthi's blessed the couple and hence the place is known as Thiru Moorthi hills. It has an old temple with beautiful setting and some rare sculptures with a spacious front hall.
It is also believed that Jain priests or Samanar lived in the hills when Jainism flourished in Tamil Nadu. The huge rock which is worshiped as Thirumoorthy has a sculpture of a Jain priest. A popular belief is that this rock rolled down from the hills few centuries back during a flood. This is supported by the fact that sculpture is carved upside down on rock top.
. The foundation is under the guidance of an enlightened Yogic Guru, "Guru Mahan Paranjothiar".
Movies are taken here due to the pleasant climate and the elegant view of the nature. There is also a swimming pool and a well laid out garden and boating facilities in the dam.
on the Highway from Palani
to Coimbatore
.Local buses fly from Udumalpet to this place.
Air :
Coimbatore has an airport. Flights connect it to Chennai and other important cities.
Rail :
Coimbatore is connected by rail to Chennai, Trivandrum, Delhi and other cities.
Road :
It is also connected to all the important cities and places of interest by road.
History
It is believed that a few thousand years ago Athari Maharishi along with his wife Anusuya devi lived here. Sage NaradaNarada
Narada or Narada Muni is a divine sage from the Vaisnava tradition, who plays a prominent role in a number of the Puranic texts, especially in the Bhagavata Purana, and in the Ramayana...
praised Anusuya's "pativratyam" (Devotion to husband) a lot before the wives of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva making them jealous of her. They requested their husbands to reduce her pativratyam. Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
, Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
and Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
went to Anusuya as guests when Atri
Atri
This article is about the sage named Attri. See also the gotra named Atri. For the Italian city, see Atri, AbruzzoIn Hinduism, Attri or Atri is a legendary bard and scholar and was one of 9 Prajapatis, and a son of Brahma, said to be ancestor of some Brahmin, Prajapatis, kshatriya and Vaishya...
was not there at home and asked her to serve them food. When she agreed to do so, they said that they will accept her alms on the condition that she serves them without wearing clothes. Anusuya falls into a dilemma. If she comes without clothes in front of other men her pativratyam will be reduced. If she refuses then that is dishonour to the guests and they can take away all the power of Atri. Anusuya felt that the three guests who asked such a strange favour are not normal people since they are trying to place her in a tricky situation. Anasuya prayed to her husband in her mind and said that she doesn't have any fear serving them without clothes as she is not affected by lust. Since the guests asked for alms saying "Bhavati Bhiksham Dehi" (Oh Mother! Give us some food) and indirectly called her a mother. She decided that she will consider them as her children and serve them as requested. Because of her greatness and as per her thinking by the time she came to serve food the three gods became small children and her breasts started producing milk. She then breastfed them and put them to sleep in a cradle. Atri came back afterwards and hearing the story from Anusuya praised the three gods sleeping in the cradle. They woke up in their original form and praised Anusuya's pativratyam and gave her a boon. Anasuya requested that these three should be born as her children—the incarnation of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma as sage Durvasa, Dattatreya
Dattatreya
Dattatreya or Datta is a Hindu deity encompassing the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, collectively known as Trimurti. The name Dattatreya can be divided into two words - "Datta" and "Atreya" referring to the sage Atri, his physical father.Various Hindu sects worship him differently...
and the moon-god Chandra
Chandra
In Hinduism, Chandra is a lunar deity and a Graha. Chandra is also identified with the Vedic Lunar deity Soma . The Soma name refers particularly to the juice of sap in the plants and thus makes the Moon the lord of plants and vegetation. He is described as young, beautiful, fair; two-armed and...
. Also, on seeing the power of devoting Anushiya devi, the Thiru Moorthi's blessed the couple and hence the place is known as Thiru Moorthi hills. It has an old temple with beautiful setting and some rare sculptures with a spacious front hall.
It is also believed that Jain priests or Samanar lived in the hills when Jainism flourished in Tamil Nadu. The huge rock which is worshiped as Thirumoorthy has a sculpture of a Jain priest. A popular belief is that this rock rolled down from the hills few centuries back during a flood. This is supported by the fact that sculpture is carved upside down on rock top.
Climate
Temperature varies from moderate to quite cool. The best times for travelling there are from September to December.- During the summer it is between 25 and 30°C and
- During the winter it is between 20 and 25°C.
- The average rainfall is 1550 mm[1].
Spiritual
Thirumoorthy hills is also home to the Universal Peace Foundation. It is an international non-profitable organisation with its fundamental aim to emerge Universal Peace through Individual Peace. The foundation is also involved in the practice of Kundalini yogaKundalini yoga
Kundalini yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual discipline for developing strength, awareness, character, and consciousness. Practitioners call Kundalini yoga the yoga of awareness because it focuses primarily on practices that expand sensory awareness and intuition in order to raise individual...
. The foundation is under the guidance of an enlightened Yogic Guru, "Guru Mahan Paranjothiar".
Entertainment
There is a famous waterfalls called PANJALINGA falls which is situated about three kilometers climbing over the hills.Thirumoorthy hill is the major cini shooting spot in the Coimbatore District where most of the Malayalam and TamilTamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
Movies are taken here due to the pleasant climate and the elegant view of the nature. There is also a swimming pool and a well laid out garden and boating facilities in the dam.
How To There
This is about 20 km from UdumalaipettaiUdumalaipettai
Udumalai also known as Udumalpet is a town and a municipality in Tirupur district, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Poor Man's Ooty, as it is called, the Udumalpet town is one of the famous summer resorts of Tamil Nadu, surrounded by Mountains on three sides.Its name in the ancient days was "UDUMALAI"...
on the Highway from Palani
Palani
Palani is a city and a municipality in the Dindigul district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located about 100 km South of Coimbatore City and 60 km west of Dindigul...
to Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
.Local buses fly from Udumalpet to this place.
Air :
Coimbatore has an airport. Flights connect it to Chennai and other important cities.
Rail :
Coimbatore is connected by rail to Chennai, Trivandrum, Delhi and other cities.
Road :
It is also connected to all the important cities and places of interest by road.
Nearest tourist locations
- The CrocodileCrocodileA crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
Farm at Amaravati Dam is just 25 km from here - PalaniPalaniPalani is a city and a municipality in the Dindigul district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located about 100 km South of Coimbatore City and 60 km west of Dindigul...
hills - Amaravati Dam
- TopSlipTopslipTopslip is located above the from the sea level on the Anamalai mountain range. It is a small place in Indira Gandhi National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary that lies in the Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu at the southern part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve...
Sources and Reference
- www.covai.com/temples/thiru.htm
- www.tn.gov.in/policynotes/tourism
- http://www.universalpeacefoundation.org
- http://www.udumalaiinfo.com