This 1,000-year-old Tamil Nadu Temple, Surrounded By Hills, Is In A Cave

There is no paid darshan in the temple.

The renowned Sri Pathala Sembu Murugan Temple in Ramalingampatti, Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu is believed to be 1,000 years old. It shelters the shrine of the deity Murugan, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, and the siblings of Lord Ganesha. The shrine is surrounded by mountains like the Western Ghats and Devarmalai near the Murugan temple in the Palani Hills. The Murugan temples are usually found in the hills but in this temple, the deity graces his devotees under the ground.

Sri Pathala Sembu Murugan is in an underground cave. It is also known as Little Tiruchendur by the local people. This underground copper Murugan temple is located 16 feet below ground level. The war veterans have been paying their respects by circumambulating the temple.

There is no paid darshan in this temple and it is the same for all. All the donations made in this temple are given to the poor people by the temple authorities. Annadanam is offered daily at 1 pm in this temple. This temple is visited not only by local devotees but also from other districts and foreign states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana. Apart from common people, celebrities and politicians are often seen visiting this temple.

A library is already set up in this temple for devotees to study. It is also said that famous music composer Ilaiyaraaja has composed five songs for this underground copper Murugan temple. Also, a separate shrine for Goddess Varagi was built in this temple. The devotional song for this temple has been sung by singers Satya and Srinivas with lyrics by director Vasanth. The ebony garlands are used as a plunger for positive thoughts and good luck. It is often worn by the devotees after worshipping the ord Murugan. The differently-abled persons are provided free-of-charge black-and-white garlands.

Bhaskar, a devotee who had come from Andhra Pradesh for darshan, after knowing about the merits of this temple, said, “I have come from Andhra Pradesh to know the merits of this temple and worship. The natural resources found in this temple are beautiful and give great peace to the mind.”

In Sri Pathala Sembu Murugan Temple, the people also perform remedies to mitigate the negative effects of the planets in their horoscope.