 Swamimalai
temple is placed
near Kumbakonam.
The place is famous
for its shrine of
Subramanian placed
on a hillock. It
is considered as
fourth of the six
sacred places of
Lord Subramanian.
The legend of the
temple goes that
when Siva forgot
the Pranava Mantra
due to a curse from
Bhrigumuni, he approached
his son Subramanian
to teach him. Lord
Siva stood with
folded hands before
his son with great
veneration and learnt
the Mantras again
and this incident
is supposed to have
happened here. Thus
this place cam to
be known as Swamimalai.
Subramanian is placed
on the Hillock and
Siva below the mound.
There are three
Gopurams and three
prakarams here.
One of the kings
Varaguna Pandya
is supposed to have
halted in Swami
Malai on his way
for a pilgrimage
and installed Lord
Sundareswar (Siva)
and Meenakshi (Devi)
here. A temple was
constructed here
by the king. Some
of the features
of the temple include
the sixty steps
that have to be
ascended to reach
the hill and the
presence of Indira’s
white elephant in
front t of the Subramanian.
Swamimalai has its
own railway station
and is well connected
from Madras and
Tiruchi.
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