Ranabali Murugan Peruvayal

Ranabali Murugan, Peruvayal

Other Temples - Ramanathapuram District

God

Siva Subramanyaswamy, facing east

Goddess

Valli and Devyanai with the main deity

Other Deities

Jeyamkonda Vinayaka, Ramanathaswamy, Parvathavardhini, Naagar

Ranabali Murugan Peruvayal is an east-facing temple with a huge 5 tiered Rajagopuram in the east. The temple is situated in 2 Prakarams. The outer prakaram has Naagar idols. The entrance to the inner prakaram is through a Mukha Mandapa with beautiful stucco works of horses. One horse Bhadrakali riding on it and another one has her attending priest Aadhi Mangaleswara Gurukkal (of Uthirakosamangai). Daily food offerings are presented to them before offering on the Balipeedam. On the north side of the Prakaram is the grave of Thalava Vairavar Servaikkarar(commander of the Ramanathapuram King) with a Shiva Lingam installed on top. A long mandapam leads inside to the sanctum sanctorum which is reached through more mandapams. The main deity is seen standing with his consorts. The unique feature here is that Lord Muruga’s image is carved on a Vel (his weapon, Lance) and kept here too. It is called ‘Satru Samhara Vel’. This Vel is taken during the Soora Samhara Festival and used to symbolically destroy the Asura Soora by Lord Muruga. The main deity is also called Ranabali Murugan. The idols and the Vel are said to have been retrieved from the sea at Devipatnam off the Navagraha temple. A large temple tank is on the north side of the Ranabali Murugan Peruvayal temple.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Saravana Poigai

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Magizham (Mimusops elengi)

History

Ranabali Murugan Peruvayal is an old temple built in 1741 CE by Muthukumara Raghunatha Sethupathi (regnal years 1734 – 1747 CE) as per an inscription found here and copper plates references. They mention the name of the place as Peruvayal Kalaiyanur and the lord as Siva Subramanyaswamy and Ranabali Murugayya. These copper plates also mention the appointment of priests and the responsibilities given to them to ensure that all the donations of land, grains, and other items are taken care of and ensured sustenance to provide revenues. Also mentioned are the necessary revenue audit and monitoring procedures. There has been a large grain storage facility here in the olden days. Saint Kirubhananda Variyar who visited the temple in 1979 exclaimed that though he had seen so many Muruga temples, he had never ever seen a Vel with Muruga’s image on it and used to mention it in his discourses.

Legend

Thalava Vairavar Servaikkarar (also called Sathappan) who used to visit the Thiruchendur Temple was once informed by Lord Muruga in his dream to locate the Idols and the Vel in the sea off Devipatnam to be found in the depths at a spot where a lemon and a garland would float. A similar dream occurred to the priest Adhi Mangaleswara Gurukkal of Uthirakosamangai who also joined Sathappan in the quest. The divers who went in could not locate and returned with grave injuries and scars. With great difficulty, the items were recovered by Sathappam himself. Hearing about this the King of Ramanathapuram allocated the land and donated liberally to build the temple. Since the divers received injuries (Ranam) while trying to recover the idol, the name of Rana Bali also came into being. The name of Ranabali Murugan Peruvayal is believed to have stuck because the lord here is considered to destroy (Bali) the scourges (Ranam) of devotees.

Directions

Ranabali Murugan Peruvayal is about 12 kilometers north of Ramanathapuram. Ranabali Murugan Peruvayal can be reached by taking a left towards the west at Venkulam Village. The drive from here through the beautiful fields will provide the reason for the name of the village as Peru Vayal (Large Fields).

Stay and Food

None locally. The closest is Ramanathapuram.

Other Temples

Tamilnadu Temples