Erode Other Important Places

Chennimalai

      Chennimalai is located 30 km form Erode.  It is situated between Erode and Coimbatore.  On the way to Coimbatore, this hill temple is about 7 ½ Kilometers south of Ingoor Railway station.  This temple is located in the city of Chennaimalai of Perundurai, Erode District.  Chennimalai can be reached by road from Erode, which is a business centre. The nearest airport is Coimbatore. There is a famous temple dedicated to Lord Muruga on the top of Chennaimalai (Mountain).  Rare forms of Muruga – Agni Jather – with two faces and eight arms Gourapeyar with four faces and eight arms, as hunter with a single face and six arms can be seen here.  Originally the presiding deity had the idol of Subramanya with six faces.  As it was damaged, a Dandayuthapani idol like the one at Palani has been installed as the presiding deity.  The Devasthanam has provided special buses to reach the hilltop.  This world famous temple of Lord Muruga is where poet Arunagirinathar was blessed with “Padikasu’, wealth of coins.

Government Museum

     The Museum was opened to the public in 1987.  The important exhibits are inscriptionof Kongu Chola, hero stones from Bargur, Tanjore paintings, manuscripts, coins, geological objects, Kodumanal antiques and other pre-history items.  It has both botanical and zoological specimens also.  The Museum is known for its collection of palm-leaf manuscripts and coins.

Pavalamalai and Pachamalai

     Pavalamali and Pachmalai are small hill temples for Lord. Murugan.  Pavalamalai is situated 3 km from Gobi city and is famous for Murugan’s festival “Sura Samharam”. You can get better view of the agricultural lands from the hill top.  It used to be a famous spot for many Tamil movies and so is pachamalai another hill top for Lord. Murugan 2 km from Pavalamalai.

Kangeyam

     Kangeyam is 40 km from Erode.  A famous Muruga temple is located here.  It was once famous for bullocks called Kangeyam Kalai.  From here, on the Muthur Road about 10 km is situated Kuttappalayam where a modern Dhyana Mandapam (Meditation hall) is built dedicated to Sri Aurobindo and the Mother of Pondicherry.  The Mandapam is located amidst a spacious 5 acre land which is being developed as a beautiful garden.  Inside the mandapam is an exact replica of the Sri Aurobindo and Mother Samadhi found in Pondicherry.  The relics of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother have been enshrined in the Samadhi here.  Every month on the 2nd Sunday, group meditation is conducted from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon which attracts large gathering from far and near.

Dharapuram

     Dharapuram is 70 km from Erode, an old Siva temple is located here on the northern banks of river Amaravathi.  The temple has Lingam and Devi shrines.  There is a separage shrine for Bhairava. A flight of steps lead to the river.   On the southern side also there is a Siva temple quite older than this one containing several inscriptions. The Dhakshinamurthi in the niche here is different from the usual one.  The idols are beautifully carved in this temple. Thindal Malai Murugan temple, Pariyur Amman temple, Sivanmalai Arthra Kapaleeswarar temple, Kooduthuraim Kodiveri, Varattuppallam, Kunderpallam and upper dams are the other places of tourist attraction in this district.  Bus services are available to all the places.  The Thalavadi hills and Andhiyur forests border this district.