Pathala Vinayagar Temple, Palani

  Come to entrance in the base of the hill and you can see a north facing temple. Here three Vinayagars are housed instead of one. They have to be worshipped before three acts. One is going round the hill, the second is going up the hills and having darshan of Dandayudapani, and the third is fulfillment of various vows undertaken by a devotee. For the above three Vinayagars came to be called Patha Vinayagars. Let us bow before all the three Vinayagars to have the grace of all.

Since Vinayagar is at the base of tyhe hill, there is always a huge crowd. Flowers and garlands are sold in plenly. How to describe the fame of this Vinayagar? He is receiving our attention long before his brother. The number of Vinayagar temples in Palani is the greatest than in any other place. Somaley has reported that ther are 108 Vinayaga temples in Palani. Perhaps Vinayaga in grreat numbers have assembled here to shower grace on devotees who come to worship his brother.

Further there are many varieties of Vinayagars too here. They built a new Vinayaga shrine in Shanmugapuram colony. The Tamil Literary Society is looking after that. He has been bestowing grace on all, who come to him. The roof of the Patha Vinayagar temple is very low. In a way it does not affect any devotee, as bowing with head bent is common in all Vinayaga Temples.

The Vinayagar sports in his upper hands Ankusa in the right and Pasa (noose) in the left. Ankusa is an instrument used tocontrol an elephant. Why this elephant is wielding that weapon? He has to control himself as nobody else can control him. The object of bowing down and thumbing our forehead ourselves is indicative of the truth that one should control himself; instead of offering ourselves to be controlled by others.