Chennimalai

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?Chennimalai Tamil Nadu • India
Chennimalai
Coordinates: 11°10′N 77°37′E / 11.17, 77.62
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	• 330 m (1,083 ft)
District(s)	Erode
Population	15,526 (2001)

Coordinates: 11°10′N 77°37′E / 11.17, 77.62 Chennimalai is a panchayat town in Erode district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.

[edit] Geography

Chennimalai is located at 11.17° N 77.62° E.^[1] It has an average elevation of 330 metres (1082 feet).

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census,^[2] Chennimalai had a population of 15,526. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Chennimalai has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 83% and female literacy of 67%. 8% of the population is under 6 years of age.

The murugan temple is situated at about 600 meters above sea level and this hill is noted for its natural flora and fauna. This hill also has rare medicinal herbs in its lush green forests. In Devanagiri this hill is called Siragiri and Chenniyangiri. In Tamil it is called Chennimalai. The city underneath the hill is also called Chennimalai.

Chennimalai is situated between Erode and Coimbatore. On the way to Coimbatore, this hill temple is about 7-1/2 kilometres south of Ingoor Railway Station. This temple is located in the city of Chennimalai of Perundurai, Erode District. Chennimalai is 26 kilometres from Erode and 14 kilometres from Perunthurai. Chennimalai can be reached by road from Erode, which is a business centre. The nearest railway station is Ingoor and can be reached by road from Perunturai also. The nearest airport is Coimbatore. The Chennimalai Sthalapuranam has 207 verses including the invocation songs and is divided into six cantos. They are Chepêdu Kanda Mânmiyam, Siragiri Mânmiyam, Pushpagiri Mânmiyam, Kâtchi Mânmiyam, Idumbanuku Vazhi Kâtiya Mânmiyam, Âlayam Kanda Mânmiyam. The author of this great work is the poet Saint Saravana Munivar. This book also mentions that the temple was initially built by Saravana Munivar himself and the festivities were also initiated by him.

Saravana Munivar went to Palani, Tiruvavinankudi and circumambulated the Palani hills offering prayer and requested the Lord to give him Chennimalai Sthalapuranam. As per Lord Muruga's Divine instruction, Saravana Munivar went to Kanchipuram and brought a copy of the copper plate inscription of Sthalapuranam. He was wonder struck to note the depiction in the Sthalapuranam come alive when he reached Chennimalai. He built the temple of Lord Muruga and also a separate Srine for Valli and Teyvannai. Later he also built a temple for Kailasanâthar near Subramanya Theertham in the city of Chennimalai. He built the Srine of Lord Muruga and Valli Teyvannai in the Chitra Mandapam of this temple. He also made the temple car similar to the one at Palani. The Lord of Chennimalai is enSrined both on the hilltop and in the city. The famous poet Teyvasigamani Gounder brought out the original palm leaf inscription of this Puranam in print. Mr. KMC Periaswami Mudaliar - popularly known as Kandiyar Periaswami had also written a book in Tamil, about the Greats of Chennimalai Aandavar and chennimali, under the title, " Chennimalai Velavar Sirappu".