Pazhamudircholai Murugan Temple

This is a true ‘solai’ or grove atop a hill near Madurai. This is the only shrine among the Arupadaiveedu temples where Muruga appears with his consorts in the main sanctum.

Temple Deity – Murugan

Once the Tamil poetess Avvaiyar stopped to rest in this forest during her travels. A boy appeared and asked if she would like him to shake down some naaval fruits (mountain plum) from a tree nearby. Avvaiyar accepted. The boy asked her, “Do you want a hot fruit or a cold one?” Amused by what she thought was a silly question Avvai replied she’d like a cold one. The boy shook down the fruits. Avvai picked up the fruits and blew on them to remove the dust. The boy asked her, “Are they hot that you are blowing on them?” Astonished by the boy’s play of words Avvai humbly asked the boy who he really
was. Muruga appeared before her and she sang his praises in verse.

The legend thus lends itself to the kshetra’s name: Pazham (‘fruit’) udhir (‘shake down’)
solai (‘grove’).

Flanked by Valli and Devasena, the idol of Muruga here is four-armed and he holds
a bronze spear.

Pazhamudircholai Murugan Temple Timings