Overview
Balamurugan temple is an ancient Murugan temple situated in Elavambadi,Vellore, India. It was built around the 14th century. It is situated on top of a hill. Ancient Hindu scriptures say where there is a hill, there is Lord Murugan. Over the passage of time an ordinary sand structure was converted into a stone shrine.
Murugan was created from Lord Shiva's third eye and 6 sparks flew out and became babies on the Saravana River. Karthigai Women brought up Murugan( in form of six children). They taught Asthras and Shastras to Murugan. Later on, Goddess Parvati became the mother when she joined the six children and that's how Murugan is known as Arumugam. Later the six Karthigai Women were blessed and became the Krithigai Nakshatram.
During one episode, Narada brought a Gnanapazham(ஞானப்பழம்) or Fruit of Knowledge and said that this competition is between Murugan and Ganesha. In this competition who goes around bhoomi or the Earth 3 times would win this fruit. Murugan started this journey while Ganesha didn't start. He started to go around his parents Shiva and Parvati 3 times (As circulating them is equal to rounding the earth). After Murugan finished the contest and returned back to get the prize, he was disappointed on what Ganesha did. He was very angry with him and his parents. So he left Kailayam to find a place for himself with peace and he headed south – Tamil Nadu. He then found a place for himself, which is Palani(பழனி). Devas blessed him there and that place became divine place. At a stage, Tamil poet Nakkeeran and other poets were captured by Andasuran. He was an Asura who wanted his own language Karkhimukhi Jwala to exist. So he opposed Tamil language and it's popularity. Murugan fought with that Asura and helped Tamil poets get freedom. As a result of this,Tamil kings like Pallavas and Cholas praised him as Tamizh Kadavul Murugan or God of Tamils as he was the saviour of Tamil language.
“முருகன் என்றால் அழகன் என்பதாகும்”
