As per legend, demon Soorapadhman had become powerful, after obtaining boons from Lord shiva. His boon was such only the power of Lord Shiva and Devi Parvathi together good destroy him. Lord Murugan was born to Lord shiva and Goddess Parvathi with the powers of Lord Shiva. Devi Parvathi, gifts him a spear out of her own powers, and Lord Murugan sets out to destroy Soorapadman, whose city was built in an island of the Bay of Bengal. However, the demon transforms into a tree to escape. Lord Murugan, uses the spear to break the tree into 2 halves, one of which is transformed into a peacock, used as Murugan's vehicle, while the other becomes a rooster, which is used as Flag symbol. The shores of the Town is filled with blood, turning sand red, and hence the Town was named as Tiruchendur meaning the Red land
The Temple is located exactly on the sea shore. The most fascinating fact of the town was, during the 2006 Tsunami in Bay of Bengal, while the whole of Tamil Nadu was flooded with Sea waters, this Town experienced a very low tide, sending the waves far away from the Temple.
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]The nearest airport is Thoothukudi, connected by Flights from major cities of the country, located about 60 km from Tiruchendur. Madurai at 150 km away, is also one of the major airports in the region.
By train
[edit]Tiruchendur Railway station has a daily train 16105/06 Chennai tiruchendur Express via Thanjavur, Tiruchirapalli, Madurai and Tirunelveli. The Nearest Major Railhead is Tirunelveli, located about 55 km from here. Tirunelveli is well connected to cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai with daily trains, and also to Kolkata, Jammu, New Delhi by weekly trains
By road
[edit]Tiruchendur is well connected by road, with regular buses operating from Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Madurai and Rameshwaram operated by the state government of Tamil Nadu. Regular Deluxe buses are also available to Chennai and Bangalore from Tiruchendur.
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]- Ayyanar Sunai. It is located 10 km from Tiruchendur. A natural water spring in the desert near Ayyanar Temple attracts local tourists.
Map of Tiruchendur - 1 Kaalikesam (Kaalikesam Water Falls). Kaalikesam is a beautiful place to visit. It is located at a distance of 100 km from Tiruchendur. It's a very good picnic spot.
- Kulasekara Patnam. The Mutharamman temple is located 20 km from Tiruchendur (Thoothukudi Dist) is known for the popular Dasara festival where folk dance artists from all over the state participate in the festival. More than 1500000 devotees gather together and celebrate Navarathiri in this village. This coastal village used to be a port in its earlier days. This place has other two famous temples including Katchiappar temple and Chidarambeswar temple.
- 2 Manapad. It is located 18 km. from Tiruchendur. It is on the sea-shore at the Bay of Bengal. An ancient Roman Catholic Church is here where the Cross is said to have been brought from Jerusalem, This Church is also associated with St. Xavier, the famous missionary from West. Since there are other small Churches here in this place, it is called as “Chinna Jerusalem” (Small Jerusalem).
- 3 Manimutharu. Manimuthar Falls is a natural water falls flowing through out the year situated above the Manimuthar dam. Really it is an adventorous feeling, if people drive there by bike. The falls near by has a pond which has a depth of 90 feet. It is really a picturesqe place. It is just in 90 km from Tiruchendur.
- . The cluster of 9 Sacred Srivaishnava Temples located near Tiruchendur are known as Navathirupathis. They are 1.) Srivaikuntam, 2.) Thenthirupperai, 3.) Thiru Puliankudi, 4.) Thiru Kurugoor, 5.) Thiru Kulanthai, 6.) Thiru Koloor, 7.) Twin Tirupati-1, 8.) Twin Tirupati-2, 9.) Thiru Varagunamangai.
- Pabanasam Falls. It is located 95 km from Tiruchendur. There is a falls where Shiva and Parvathi appear before the great saint “Agasthiya”. Hence the falls is popularly called as Agasthiyar Falls.
- 4 Panchalankurichi. It is located 58 km from Tiruchendur. From here the great warrior “Veerapandiya Kattabomman” raised his voice against the British regime in the 17th Century A.D. The fort was converted as a memorial by the Govt. of Tamil Nadu in 1974. Sri Devi Jakkammal Temple, the hereditary Goddess of Kattabomman, is located near the fort. The cemetery of British soldiers are seen near the fort. Within the memorial Hal!, there are beautiful paintings on the walls depicting the heroic deeds of the saga.
- 5 Thirparappu Falls. Thirparappu falls is a natural beauty spot attracts many tourists. It is located at a distance of 100 km. from Tiruchendur. There is a lord shiva temple. The lord after destroying the yagam of dhaxan as virabhadra murthi has taken abode over here. This temple is one in the shivalaya ottam temples. This temple is situated in a very scenic background as the kodhaiyaru rivers makes a fall near the temple.
- Tiruchendur Temple. The temple is one among the six abodes of Lord Sri Subramanya. This is the only seashore temple of Lord Subrahmanya. The temple tower & various sculptures in the temple are worth seeing.This Temple is the most important pilgrim spot and visiting place of the Town.
- Vana Tirupati (Saravana Bhavan Temple) (25 km from Tiruchendur). Off Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur Road, 5 km from the Main road deviating at Kurumbur. Lord Balaji Temple developed by Hotel Saravana Bhavan in his Home Town
- Sri Vaikuntam (Kallapiran Temple) (35 km from Tiruchendur). Located on Tiruchendur Tirunelveli Highway. Major buses stop here. Famous Temple of Lord Vishnu. Mentioned in the Divya Prabandham
- 6 Alwarthirunagari (Nava Tirupati Kshetram). 30 km from Tiruchendur on the Tirunelveli Highway. Lord Adhinathar, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu is the main deity. Popularly one of the Nava Tirupati in the area
Do
[edit]Buy
[edit]Lot of things made from different parts of palm tree are available here. Palm jaggery (karuppatti), Palm sugar (panangarkandu) are good alternatives for sugar and have medicinal values. Especially boxes made from palm leaves used as cartons to contain groceries especially palm jaggery.
Eat
[edit]chillu karuppatti is a candy only available in Tiruchendur and surrounding area.Panaṅgizhaṅgu, an edible palmyra root found in Tiruchendur is known for its quality.The boiled panaṅgizhaṅgu are sold by roadside vendors
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- Chendur Residency, 142-C, T.B Road, Tiruchendur (Near to Murugan Kovil), ☏ +91 4639-245384.
- Hotel Chitra Park, 367, Travelers Bangalow Road, ☏ +91 4639243766, [email protected]. 10 minutes travel to Lord Muruga Temple and Tiruchendur Bus Stands
- Hotel Thilagam, 151-B,T.B. Road, ☏ +91 4639 - 245185. Contact person: KalyanaKumar. Hot and cold water and power supply are both 24 hours.