Literary history has that Swamimalai is the place where Lord Muruga taught the meaning of Om Pranava Mantra to Lord Shiva. During Thiruneeru abishegam to the deity Lord Muruga is named as Gnanaguru (for his wisdom) whereas while sandal abishegam is performed he is known as majestic Balasubramanian. The pedestal of the main deity looks alike the Sivalinga Avudaiyar and and the deity himself is in the form of Shivalinga. This stands as a proof of the concept that Shiva and Muruga are one and the same. Unusually, except for peacock, an idol of elephant is installed before the Lord, which, as scriptures hold, was gifted by Indra after the Lord destroyed demon Harikesa.
Thanjavur district, 6 km west of Kumbakonam is Swamimalai, Swaminathaswamy temple. Thiruthalam is the fourth of the six houses of Lord Muruga. It is the famous place where om of Pranava Mantra was preached to his father Lord Shiva.
THIRUMURUGATRUPADAI The sage Nakkheerar has composed a 317 lined poem Thirumurugaatrupadai” in praise of six Murugan temples also known as arupadaiveedu The fourth of the six temples is Thiruvaeragam, now known as Swamimalai. The poet has praised the conduct of the Adisaivars in this place and their rituals to the temple in the thirteen lines of his poem. The saint Arunagirinathar who lived in 15th century has sung 16000 songs which has been grouped as Thiruppugazh, of which 38 songs are in praise of this temple.
SRI MUTHUKUMARASWAMY DEVASTHANAM POPULARLY known as ARULMIGU KANDASWAMY TEMPLE OR KANDAKOTTAM is one of the celebrated temples in the Chennai City. It is just a furlong and a half from the Madras Central Railway Station. The very foundation of the temple has a mystic and divine background.
In the seventeenth century there were two ardent devotees of Lord Muruga-Thiru Mari Chetty and Thiru Kandapandaram, who use to visit Thiruporur Sri Kandaswamy Temple, a famous centre of piety situated on the Madras mahabalipuram visit that temple, every month on the Kirthigai asterishim day. In 1672 when they reached Thiruporur they were very tired and decided to take rest under a margosa tree near a tank. As they were slumbering, they had a divine dream in which Lord Muruga appeared and informed them that they would find an idol and Himself in an ant-hill