Salem Murugan Temple

Introduction to the Salem Murugan Temple

Salem Murugan Temple is a famous shrine dedicated to Murugan. It is at Putrakaundanpalayam, a suburb of Ettapur, Salem, Tamilnadu. Muthumalai Murugan Temple and Ettapur Muthumalai Murugan Temple are its other names. Muthumalai Murugan Temple, Salem, is 329 meters above sea level. The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, Tamil Nadu, manages the Salem Murugan Temple.

History of the Salem Murugan Temple

Sri. N. Sridhar, the Sri Muthumalai Murugan Trust chairman, built the Muthumalai Murugan Temple Salem. He is a businessman from Attur, Salem. Sri. N. Sridhar wanted to construct a Murugan temple similar to Pathumalai (Batu Caves) Murugan Temple in his hometown Salem for locals who could not visit the renowned Batu Caves in Malaysia. So, he decided to build the Salem Murugan Temple on his land. It took two years to initiate the construction process.
Sri. N. Sridhar appointed Tiruvarur Thyagarajan, who sculpted the Murugan statue in Malaysia in 2006, to sculpt a similar statue in the Muthumalai Murugan Temple Salem. Over 25,000 laborers worked on this project. The temple was consecrated on April 6, 2022, with a Kumbhabishekam and opened to the public

The Architecture of the Salem Murugan Temple

This 146-foot Murugan statue is claimed to be the world's tallest. Construction of the Muthumalai Murugan Temple Salem took six years. The Murugan statue in Pathumalai (Batu Caves) Murugan Temple, Malaysia, was considered the tallest in the world, at 140 feet. But now, it is the Salem Murugan Temple that stands first.

This tallest Murugan statue is visible from the road. Many shops are on the way to the temple. A Vinayagar shrine is at the entrance. Adjacent to the shrine is a flight of steps leading to the Murugan statue.

Murugan stands with a bewitching smile on his face, Abhayahasta mudra in his right arm and a Vel (spear) 80 feet high in his left arm. A bejeweled crown adorns his head.
Visitors can worship only at his foot. With the help of an elevator, devotees can reach up to 120 feet to look closely at the statue. The statue is colorfully painted, and the deity graces his devotees with a serene face. Before the tallest statue, a small statue of Murugan greets devotees.
There is also a small temple enshrining the Murugan idol. Anna Daanam Hall is for the free distribution of Prasadam.

Festivals in the Salem Murugan Temple

The Muthumalai Murugan Temple hosts various rituals and festivals. However, Skanda Shasti has a prominent celebration here. People from nearby cities visit the temple to receive the deity's blessings on this auspicious occasion.