Sri Othimalai Andavar Temple / Othimalai Murugan Temple, Othimalai, Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu.

 07^th April 2016.

After Bannari Mariamman's darshan on 4^th April 2016, I proceeded to Othimalai through Sathyamangalam. I had seen this hill temple during my previous visit on the way to Sathyamangalam from Mettupalayam. At that time, I decided to make a visit to this hill temple. Able to get the phone number of Gurukkal from the website, and Gurukkal advised me to come after lunch. Since the frequency of the bus is not known to reach the base of the hill, we started a little earlier. Got down at Rangampalayam and the local people advised me to go to the base of the hill through the Town bus No 15C, which goes up to Puliampatti from Mettupalayam. Luckily got the bus and it dropped me at the Shanmugapuram bus stop, ie, the base of the hill. After purchasing pooja materials started my trek around 12.00 Hrs.

This temple is considered one of the Arupadaiveedu temples of Kongu Nadu. They are.......

1. Thirumurugan Poondi, Avinashi, Murugan with 6 heads & 12 hands.

2. Othimalai, Murugan with 5 heads and 08 Hands.

3. Tindigul Chinnalapatti, Murugan with 4 heads & 8 hands.

4. Kumaran Karadu, Kasi Palayam, near Gobi, Murugan with 3 heads & 6 hands.

5. Chennaimalai, Murugan with 3 faces & 4  hands.

6. Palani, Murugan, with one face and two hands as Dhandayuthapani. 

Even though the steps started from the east, it went towards the west, and then it took a turn to the south, and at the temple entrance it took again west. The steps are paved neatly, and in many places, the steps are very vertical. Trekked slowly after taking rest in all the mandapams and reached the temple around 13.30 Hrs. On reaching the temple, about 5 devotees had already come for darshan. Gurukkal was kind enough to offer tamarind rice to the devotees, and his brother, whom I met on return, inquired about my lunch and asked me to stay for the abhishekam. When I explained my return to Chennai, he asked me to come once again.

SRI OTHIMALAI ANDAVAR TEMPLE - OTHIMALAI.

This is a hill temple, a part of the western hills.

 A panoramic view of the Othimalai 

 A Vinayagar sannidhi 

Moolavar: Sri Othimalai Andavar.

Some of the important features of this temple are….

Before climbing to the main sanctum, sannidhi for Idumban and Kadamban. And Annadhana Mandapam is on the left. 

The temple faces east with Peacock vahana and balipeedam. Sannadhi for Kasi Viswanathar on the left of the main sanctum and Sri Visalakshi on the right side of the sanctum. Moolavar has five faces and 8 hands, a beautiful and charming face.

 A Vinayagar sannidhi at the steps' starting point 

 A Vinayagar sannidhi at the starting point 

steps starting point 

There is a way on the right to climb down. In that sannadhi for Naagars and saptamatrikas.

Saptamatrikas 

In the 15th Century, Arunagirinathar sang Hymns in Thirupukazh, in praise of Murugan of this temple. 

ஆதி மகமாயி யம்மை தேவிசிவ னார்ம கிழ்ந்த

            ஆவுடைய மாது தந்த                        குமரேசா

    ஆதரவ தாய்வ ருந்தி யாதியரு ணேச ரென்று

            ஆளுமுனை யேவ னங்க                  அருள்வாயே

பூதமது வான வைந்து பேதமிட வேய லைந்து

            பூரணசி வாக மங்க                             ளறியாதே

    பூணுமுலை மாதர் தங்கள் ஆசைவகை யேநி னைந்து

            போகமுற வேவி ரும்பு                       மடியேனை

நீதயவ தாயி ரங்கி நேசவரு ளேபு ரிந்து

            நீதி நிறி யேவி ளங்க                           வுபதேச

    நேர்மைசிவ னார்தி கழ்ந்த காதிலுரை வேத மந்த்ர

            நீலமயி லேறி வந்த                             வடிவேலா

ஓதுமறை யாக மஞ்சொல் யோகமது வேபு ரிந்து

            ஊழியுணர் வார்கள் தங்கள்                  வினை தீர

    ஊனுமுயி ராய்வ ளர்ந்து ஓசையுடன் வாழ்வு தந்த

            ஊதிமலை மீது கந்த                             பெருமாளே

HISTORY 

It was believed that the temple was 500 to 1000 years old, with 2000 or odd neatly paved steps.  Resting mandapams were also built en route. There are sannadhis for Vinayagar and a naturally formed Shiva Lingam. 

LEGENDS

It was believed that Sri Othimalai Andavar recited the Pranava mantra into the ears of Lord Shiva (ஓதுதல்) and hence the Hill is called Othimalai.

There is a place called Irumbarai (இரும்பு + அறை), 3 km from the base of the hill. Sri Othimalai Andavar kept Brahma in an iron + room, later it became Irumbarai.

TEMPLE TIMINGS :

The temple is kept open for 3 days (Monday afternoon, Tuesday, and Friday), in a week during ordinary days, and will also be kept open on No Moon Day (அம்மாவாசை), Kiruthigai, and Sashasti days.

The Gurukkal will reach the hill temple on Monday at 16.00 hrs and stay at the temple till Tuesday evening.  Also on Friday, the Gurukul will be available from 11.00 hrs to 18.00 Hrs

CONTACT DETAILS :

The Gurukkal Ganapathy may be contacted through his mobile  9865970586 and landline is 04254- 287418

HOW TO REACH :

The hill temple is on the way between Mettupalayam to Sathyamangalam.

The town bus 15C from Mettupalayam to Puliyampatti (Punjai Puliampatti) goes via Pethikuttai, Rangampalayam, and Shanmugapuram, the base of the hill Othimalai.

The base of the temple is 3 km from Mettupalayam to the Sathyamangalam main road.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:    CLICK HERE

 Othimalai sign board with hill view from Shanmugapuram 

  A long way to go 

  A Long way to go  

 Long way to go- Steps turn to the left  

 Yes, we reached the temple 

 Annadhana mandapam

 Idumbar & Kadambar sannadhi 

 Moolavar Vimanam  

 Moolavar Vimanam with Sri Visalakshi Sannadhi 

 Rasi reliefs 

For More photos on the Picasa web album:    CLICK HERE

After the Darshan of Sri Othimalai Andavar, I had to catch the Yercaud Express at Erode and rushed to Shanmugapuram, the base of the hill. Skipped my original plan of going through Gobichettipalayam, Chithode, and Erode. As advised by the Gurukkal reached Puliampatti by 15C town bus, and from there I got a bus to Avinashi. Since the frequency of buses from Avinashi to Erode is frequent, I reached the Railway station just 10 minutes before the train. Thank God, finally I made it and I could complete the darshan of the three temples as planned. Thanks once again to Sri Othimalai Andavar and Lord Shiva for making the trek a pleasant one.  

---OM SHIVAYA NAMAHA:---