Foot Steps.....

Now Muruga devotees everywhere can see, worship, and participate in the development of the unique hill shrine of Lord Muruga Jñanamalai, the only place where one can find the foot prints of Lord Muruga, revealed only recently in a stone inscription on a hill near Vallimalai / Tiruttani Malai. Jñanamalai is 15 kilometres off the National Highway from Chennai to Bangalore at about 97 km from Chennai.

Lord Muruga after the wedding with Valli at the Vallimalai and on his way to Tiruttani, spent time on this hill as per the oral history of the village and as a proof of this story we can see His Foot Prints on the rock. Jnanamalai is also where Saint Arunagirinathar was blessed with Yogaanubhooti and darshan of the lotus feet of Lord Muruga.
This Hill temple of Lord Muruga is situated in the village Govindaseri and is surrounded by lake and fertile plains. The temple is dated about more than 1300 years ago, with the moola vigraha dating back to Pallava era. He is seen in the Brahma Sasta form along with his consorts Valli and Teyvayanai.
From all evidence it appears that there must have been a big Murugan temple and over years of neglect and nature’s fury got reduced to a very small temple occasionally visited by the villagers. No regular pujas were being conducted. There was no proper way or steps to the hill temple.

On the west side there is a very small Siva shrine. Behind this shrine one can see the unique divine Footsteps on the solid rock. This is a volcanic hill and who can put his foot in this molten rock (temperature of 1800 degrees C) to leave a mark on solidification except Lord Muruga who was carried by none other than Agni (Lord of Fire)!
About 600 years ago Saint Arunagirinathar worshipped this temple and the Lord has revealed his Lotus Feet. The one and only internal evidence about the saint’s life where he says he was dejected with this life and when he tried to end his life by jumping from the gopuram (tower) Lord Muruga saved him by showing his Feet. Arunagiri himself reveals this information in his Tiruppugazh “manaiyaval nagaikka…” It is also unique that Vallimalai, Tiruttani Malai and Jnanamalai form a triangle within 40 km. distance.