Near Madurai in Tamil Nadu, the Thiruparankundram Murugan temple is revered as the first of the Arupadai Veedu — the six abodes of Lord Murugan sung in the Thirumurugatruppadai. Carved into and out of a great rock hill, this ancient cave-temple is honoured as the place where Murugan, after his victory over the demons, wedded Deivanai (Devasena), the daughter of Indra — and so it is cherished above all as a shrine of divine marriage.
The rock-cut sanctum, among the oldest of Murugan's shrines, holds shrines to many deities within the living stone. Pilgrims come to Thiruparankundram to seek Murugan's blessing for marriage and family, and the hill resounds with celebration during the festivals of the Lord. As the foremost of the six abodes, it holds a place of special honour in the Tamil devotion to Murugan.
