Palani Lord
Murugan is the deity of the Tamil Land. Palani (Tiru Avinankudi) is the third
Padai Veedu. The temple at Palani is an ancient one, situated at an elevation
of 1500 feet above sea level. It is a charming campus from where one can take a
look at the Idumban Hill, the Kodaikanal Hills, the Western Ghats, the greenery
of the paddy fields, rivers, tanks, Palani town and the colleges. On a lovely,
clear and mist-free day, the Kurinci Andavar Temple is visible from here
against the bright sun. In daytime, Palani is Hill Beautiful; at night, it is
Hill Resplendent.

The deity of Palani is known as Dandayudhapani
Swami, the Lord having the Staff in his Hand. The deity at the sanctum
sanctorum is made out of an amalgam of nine minerals popularly called
Navabashana. The deity is in a standing position with a baton in his hand. He
has the look of a person who has renounced all worldly pomp. He has just a
loincloth besides the baton. He is a mute messenger of the great precept
'Renounce all to reach Me'. The icon is unique in the whole world. It was made
by siddha Bhogar by combining nine poisonous substances (navabashana). Murugan
signifies beauty and Lord Murugan of Kurinji land is the god of Beauty and
Youth.

Thai Pusam is another festival in which people enjoy
themselves to the hilt in rich pageantry. Palani is one of the most exciting
pilgrim cities of India, in the immediate post-harvest season of the ten-day
Thai Pusam festival in the Periyan?ki Temple.

As in other festivals, a different v?nam is used
for each day's procession. On the seventh day, the full-moon day marking the
Thai Pusam, the deity is taken to the banks of the Shanmuga Nadi for a bath and
the temple car drawn by thousands of devotees. There is a gaily decorated float
festival on the tenth day. The unique character of the Thai Pusam is the
astonishing parade of people bearing kavadis. As already stated, the kavadi,
associated with Idumban, vassal of Muruga, originated in Palani.

There are several kinds of kavadis, the milk and
rosewater kavadis being the principal ones. The central shaft of the
semicircular wooden structure is placed on the shoulders and the pilgrims
dressed in yellow costume and decorated with garlands, undergoing many
privations to fulfill vows, dance their way through the streets and up the
hillock under the hypnotic music provided by the drum, the pipes and the
tom-tom.