The Time When Lord Murugan Became Worlds Hero

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Whenever I have an assignment bringing tourist to Batu Caves, I tried to elaborate more when I gave commentaries on Hinduism and Batu Caves as a whole story which gives me pleasure to do so. After I have learnt from tourism school , my own research from the internet, visited Batu Caves frequently to ask around the Indians about Batu Caves and Hinduism which somehow has thicken my knowledge and making my story more interesting when I gave my commentary. There is this part about Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati decided to test their two sons, Lord Ganesha (Elephant God) and his younger brother Lord Murugan (The God with his peacock). Lord Shiva held a Golden Mango of Wisdom in his hand and told his sons whoever circles the world and return first to his parents will win this fruit of wisdom. Lord Murugan flew on his peacock, taking his sweet time to return home, knowing well his brother Lord Ganesha can never win. He cannot fly!...because Lord Ganesha’s vehicle is a Moonjoor rat......So for a moment, Lord Ganesha thought, he walked round his parents three times and told his parents, they are his world (self realization can be attained only with one's vision focused inwards). He won the contest. Lord Murugan came back and was angry that he had lost the contest. He left the family, leaving all his wealth and position and became an Aandhi, a person who has nothing to his name and left for Palani Hill, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. This is also the place where Lord Murugan became enlightened when his mother later came to see him and told him of an evil demon that he needs to destroy to save the world. That was the day he became Lord Subramaniam.

My neighbor advised me to places I never heard of. One of them is Palani. It was a long drive from Kochi to Palani, almost two hours. Basically there was nothing much to see from the highway. When we entered into smaller roads, we saw small towns, cows on the streets, many Indians men and women lepak lepak (a Malay word for jay walking), temples built on barren hills, wondering if I could go there but then it will take a lot of time if we chose to climb one of the hills. So I let the idea slipped. Palani was a bigger town. Many buildings, from single to four stories the most, hotels and restaurants available. Yup, all serves Indian food, no Italian pizza but Indian ones, The Paratha. Flowers, incense and fruits are the most common necessities to the Indians, for there were so many temples around us. Yet I could not see Palani but only a wall on my left hand side that stretches quite a distance until we reached the cable car. My driver told us there are 3000 steps up if we decide to walk. We just shook our heads, NO! My friends decided not to walk up to Palani and insisted on riding on a cable car, more like a tram to me but the Indians called this differently.

“Oooooooh My God”. We waited for two and the half hours for the tram. There was a lunch break for an hour in between, playing some prayer songs that almost could tear our eardrums apart and these Indians do really have patience waited for so long hours in a six line queue that each queue is about sixty feet in length. There are only two trams that can only fit in less than fifteen passengers and each trip took about fifteen minutes. Let’s do some calculation, fifteen minutes x two ways = thirty minutes. About half an hour before the tram started its operation, I was ushered by three sweet gentle chubby sisters to cut queue to the fifth row. Every grill partitions have an exit for people who want to go to the washroom or to buy food. I came from the washroom. I asked if this is alright to do so. The sisters said it was ok. They knew I am a tourist but my friends were still in the sixth row. But the three gentlemen on the fifth row did like the idea I crossed over to their side. The first guy said to me, “Do you know it is a sin to do this? God will punish you”. I smiled back and replied, “I am a sinner and I am ready for the punishment”. The second guy refused to let me sit on the bench by lifting up his left leg and let rest on the bench in which I do not mind at all. But the third guy, he was kind enough to shift himself backwards to let me sit before him. So it was not too bad after all. At least one person understood and obligingly offered a seat in kindness. Just like the story of the Good Samaritan. Patience, Patience, Patience.
Up on the Palani Hill, I had a wonderful time. The view around Palani was simply great. One side I saw few mountains and green carpet of paddy fields and coconut plantations while on the other side, there is a lake that is surrounded by the town. The people there were friendly, they showed me the way to the shrine of Palani but we were allowed a few seconds to clasp our both palms and mumble his name and a short prayer. I was told there was a Siddha (Bhogarnatha) buried in one of the underground passage unfortunately I could not find him. Many took the steps. I found out it was only 689 steps that only took them about forty five minutes to reach the top. Old folks of sixty to eighty years old managed but why can’t we? A little too late, wasted the two and the half hours…….”shuks! if only I knew…….”

I have heard of a story told by my neighbor that in ancient times, Bhogar made a statue of Lord Murugan with nine herbs and one of them is mercury. He said, in those days, many devotees and monks scraped off the back of the statue and ate them bit by bit for medicinal healing, it seems it healed many illnesses and diseases. The back of the statue became hollow, leaving the visible front, the committee decided to save the statue and hid the statue in a safe place. I hope the next Bhogar will come and make the new one for the world sufferings......soon.

So this is the hill I have always given commentary to tourists in my homeland. I finally came here, felt on top of the world, so close to Lord Murugan if he notice me, a foreigner with T-shirt, short pants, a cap and a snicker that look a lot different from the norm that turned heads, oh my.... came to me asking questions, gave big smiles so warm and friendly that allowed me to make some new friends in just that one hour, so meaningful, always wants me to take photos of them, unfortunately many do not have computer or an email. They were disappointed; it showed on their face expressions but they were kind and understand for that reason yet gave me a friendly smile.

I will go to Palani again, that’s for sure.

Some pointers for tourists when visit India.

1) Remember not to use the cable car in Palani (chuckle)

2) No ice-drinks, No yogurt drinks. No food from side stalls by the five foot path.

3) Hot food and hot drinks are acceptable. Always insist eating at the restaurant.

4) Buy diarrhea pills from India.

5) WC or Washing Machine means Toilet/Washroom/Wash Basin

6) They say “Hotel” for restaurant

7) Foreigners are not allowed to enter most Temples in South India.

8) Walk barefoot and park your shoes/slippers at the shoe shack for a small fee or if you come by car, leave your shoes/slippers in the car.

9) Remember which entrance of the temple you enter. Look out for landmark before entering temples. They have North, South, East, West entrance.

10) No photography allowed on the main shrine and other shrines. Some have to pay a fee for taking in the camera with you.




Have fun.

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Photos

palani 1
the main shrine of lord murugan

palani 2
another temple on the next hill

palani 3
paddy fields and coconut plantations

palani 4
zoom in on paddy fields and coconut plantations

palani 8
view from the cable car / tram

palani 10
small hindu shrine

palani 17
the steps we refused to take

palani 18
palani town