Viralimalai temple is situated in the heart of the town of Viralimalai. Hence the town takes the name of the hill.The hill is small and rocky. From the foot of the hill a beautiful flight of steps take us to the top. These footsteps are engraved on the rock and are 207 in number. In between there are beautiful mandapams for devotees to rest. There are thick woody orchards on the hill and peacocks abound in these orchards. Great saints and yogis are said to have lived in the form of Kura trees and worshipped Lord Muruga and hence the name Viralimalai derived from the Tamil word Viravi.

Special Attractions

T his temple is specially known for the peacocks that are found in plenty. Cigar is a unique offering similar to the sandal paste offered to Lord Dandayudhapani during Arthajama puja in Palani. During the reign of Ramachandra Thondaiman of Pudukottai the Lord is believed to have appeared in his dream and requested the offering of cigars for the Kalasandhi and Sayaratchai puja. The king is said to have been cured of his diseases after the offer of cigars to the Lord according to history. We also find a number of caves in which saints and yogis have performed penance. This is a place where the Lord blesses devotees with the power to control the indriyas or senses. Rishis Narada and Kashyapa offered prayer to Lord Subrahmanya for getting their sins propitiated. The mute Sivachariyar obtained the power of speech after worshipping Lord Murugan here. These and many more are the marvels of this temple.

The Temple

The statue of Kashyapa Muni and Narada

Muni in the hill temple along with sculptures of Arundhati and Vashishta.

We also find the sculpture of Arumuganand Arunagirinathar on the pillars found on the way to the temple. The temple islocated on top of the hill and can be seen from a great distance. A beautiful flight of steps along with mandapams for devotees to rest, take us to the top of the hill. At the foot of the hills the water tank called Saravana Poigai is located on southern side. On the eastern side there is a Srine for the goddess Maikannudaiyal. It is customary to worship this goddess before climbing up the hill.

On the way to the hill top we find the Idumban Sannidhi a small cave Srine for Meenakshi Sundareshwar and a mandapam called Sandana Kottam at the end of the flight of steps. Adjacent to the Sandana Kottam Mandapam we find the Navaratri and Shanmuga Moorty Mandapam.

History of the temple

When the temple and its allied properties were acquired by Vadi Lakkaiya Naicker, the temple was renovated and built by their successors and the descendants of Marungapuriyar. In the 18th century the temple was under the control of Pudukottai Thondaiman. In the 18th and 19th century during the Karnataka war Viralimalai Tiruchirapalli was a military area. The tourist Bungalow here was built in 1822 for the army chiefs to halt and rest. The Palayamkarar's used to offer cigar to the Lord.

Poet saint Arunagirinathar described the beauty of the Lord, the way Sri Krishna hide the sun with floods, the way peace was brought into the Uruthirasanmar Sangha before he wrote divine verses on Lord Murugan.