அறுபடை வீடு
The six abodes of Murugan
Arupadai veedu means battle camps. The six are read as the stations where Murugan overcame the six inner enemies — desire, anger, delusion, greed, pride and jealousy — which is why the count is six.
Thiruparankundramதிருப்பரங்குன்றம்Madurai districtWhere Murugan married DeivanaiThe first of the six abodes, cut into rock near Madurai, where Murugan married Deivanai after defeating Surapadman.Thiruchendurதிருச்செந்தூர்Thoothukudi districtThe seashore temple, where Surapadman fellThe only one of the six on the sea. Murugan is said to have defeated Surapadman here, and the temple stands directly on the shore.PalaniபழனிDindigul districtMurugan as Dandayudhapani, the renunciateThe best known of the six. Murugan stands here as Dandayudhapani — renounced, holding only a staff, after the quarrel over the fruit of wisdom.SwamimalaiசுவாமிமலைThanjavur districtWhere Murugan taught Shiva the meaning of OmMurugan as Swaminatha — teacher to his own father. He expounded the meaning of Pranava, the syllable Om, to Shiva here.Thiruthaniதிருத்தணிTiruvallur districtWhere Murugan's anger cooled, and he married ValliThe abode of rest. Murugan came here after the battle and his anger subsided — the name itself means the place where it cooled.Pazhamudircholaiபழமுதிர்ச்சோலைMadurai districtThe forest abode, and Avvaiyar's riddleThe sixth abode, set in forest on the Azhagar hills, where Murugan tested the poet Avvaiyar with a riddle about fruit.
Visiting all six
Most people complete the six over several trips rather than one. Thiruparankundram and Pazhamudircholai are both near Madurai and are usually done together; Thiruchendur is furthest south; Thiruthani is the closest to Chennai. We do not list pooja timings here — they change, and a stale timing sends someone on a wasted journey. Check the temple's own announcements before travelling.