Near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu, the Swamimalai Murugan temple is one of the Arupadai Veedu — the six abodes of Lord Murugan named in the Thirumurugatruppadai — set upon a hill of sixty steps, one for each year of the Tamil calendar cycle. Its glory rests on a singular legend: here the child Murugan expounded the meaning of the Pranava, the sacred syllable Om, to his own father, Lord Shiva — and so became Swaminatha, the teacher (swami) even of the Lord himself.
Because he instructed his father, Murugan is revered at Swamimalai as Guru, the supreme teacher, and Shiva as his devoted listener. The presiding deity is worshipped as Swaminathaswamy. Ancient and deeply venerated, sung in Tamil devotional verse, Swamimalai draws pilgrims who seek the grace of Murugan as the giver of divine wisdom.
