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Thirumoorthy means three idols; Thirumoorthy Malai (Hills) gets the name from the existence of 3 idols of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara (Shiva). Thirumoorthy Hills is located amidst the beautiful Annamalai Hill ranges in Coimbatore district.
Thirumoorthy Hill
Photo Courtesy: Hayathkhan.h
Thirumoorthy Hills is not just a paradise for nature lovers but also a religious place. Arulmigu Amanalingeswarar Temple is one of the famous temples in this region. The speciality of this shrine is that it has all three Gods (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva) as the prime deities. In fact, the legend of this temple makes this a sacred place.
Legend of Thirumoorthy Hills
Once upon a time, Sage Athri lived here with his wife, Anasuya. Anasuya Devi was a devoted wife (Pativrata). Sage Narada praises about Anasuya's devotion in front of the wives of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. As usual, the Goddesses become jealous and tell their husbands to test Anasuya's devotion. So, the Trinities Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma come to Sage Athri's house when he is not there.
Sri Amanalingeswarar Temple
Photo Courtesy: Amanalingeswarar Temple
They ask Anasuya to serve food, and she agrees happily. However, they agree to eat food on one condition that she serves without wearing any clothes. In those times, serving the guests was considered as serving gods. So, if Anasuya doesn't do as she is told, her husband Sage Athri might lose all his power.
In her dilemma, she realises that they said 'Bhavati Bhiksham Dehi', which means 'Mother, give us some food'. Anasuya knows that these people are not commoners who are testing her. So with the thought of a mother, she goes without clothes only to see the three gods transformed into toddlers.
Thirumoorthy Malai
Photo Courtesy: A.D.Balasubramaniyan
She breastfeeds and put them to sleep in the cradle. By that time Sage Athri comes and she tells the story. Later, the Trinities come back to their original form and give a boon to Anasuya. According to her wish, three children are born to her; Shiva is born as Sage Durvasa, Vishnu as Dattatreya and Brahma as Chandra (Moon). Hence, this region is named as Thirumoorthy Malai (Hills).
Places to Visit in and around Thirumoorthy Hills
Thirumoorthy Temple (Sri Amanalingeswarar Temple), Panjalinga Waterfalls and Thirumoorthy Dam are the famous attractions in Thirumoorthy Hills.
A Distant View of Thirumoorthy Hills
Photo Courtesy: A.D.Balasubramaniyan
Thirumoorthy Hills is also known for Universal Peace Foundation. Since it is a picturesque destination, Thirumoorthy Malai is also a favourite shooting location of Tamil and Malayalam movies.
How to Reach Thirumoorthy Hills
Thirumoorthy Hills is around 20km from Udumalpet and 40km from Pollachi.
- By Bus: Several buses are available from Udumalpet to Thirumoorthy Hills
- By Train: Pollachi Junction Railway Station is the nearest railway station. It is better to hire a cab or taxi from Pollachi.
- By Air: Coimbatore International Aiport is the nearest airport to Thirumoorthy Hills.
Hotels near Thirumoorthy Hills
Thirumoorthy Hills is around 80km from Coimbatore.
Coimbatore is a big city centre and there are many stay options available in the city.
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Pollachi is around 40km from Thirumoorthy Hills. You can find several accomadations in Pollachi too.
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