Parangipettai Muthukumaraswamy (Murugan) Temple

Parangipettai Muthukumaraswamy (Murugan) Temple

Sri Valli Devasena sametha Shri Muthukumaraswamy temple is at Parangipettai in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu.The temple is believed to be more than 1000 year old.The sthala theerthams are Swetha Nadhi (Vellaru which merges with Bay of Bengal sea here).

The Subramanya or Murugan of this place is unique in several aspects.Out of the six faces, five face the front and only one faces the back. (Generally, the six faces are arranged in a hexagonal pattern).

Though it us Muthukumaraswamy temple, it is actually a Vishalakshi sametha Vishwanatha temple. Indra was facing problems from an Asura called Namuchi. The Asura had received a boon that he could not be killed by any weapon. After repeated defeats, Indra prayed to Shiva for a solution. Lord Shiva advised him to use the sea foam (Kadal Nurai in Tamil) as a weapon.Since the sea foam is not considered as a weapon and is very light, the Asura did not take it seriously.The huge quantity of the foam submerged and killed him.

The grateful Indra installed a Lingam for the Lord along with the Goddess and called it Indra Lingam. However, they came to be called Vishwanatha and Vishalakshi.After a few centuries, Subramanya’s shrine was created in this temple. The gopuram and the dwajasthambam were also constructed/installed in front of the Son’s shrine and from that time onwards, this temple is called Muthukumaraswamy temple. While the main shrine is that of Shri Subramanya with Valli and Devasena, on his left is his father’s shrine is present. Both face east. On the left side of the Vishwanathar shrine, Mother Vishalakshi is in a separate shrine, facing south.

Special prayers are performed on all Krithika star days. Every Tuesday, Shathru Samhara Trisadhai is performed to this Lord. The unique thing is that separate Aarthis are shown for each face with a separate Neyvedhyam.The main prasadam after this pooja is honey as Valli is from a hill tribe, whose main food is honey and Thinai flour. In Subramanya temples, generally Murugan uses his goat, peacock or Idumban vahanams. In this temple, he also uses the Rishabam (bull) and Airavatham (the white elephant of Indra) vahanams, which are generally used for Shiva processions.