Erode Tourist Places and About Erode Temples

Erode is the birth place of Periyar E.V. Ramaswamy affectionately called ‘Thanthai Periyar’ by the people of Tamil Nadu. He was a great social reformer, nationalist, orator and politician.  There are two ancient temples one dedicated to Lord Siva and the other to Lord Vishnu.  There are some interesting inscriptions in these temples.  The hand-loom products of Erode are very famous.  It is about 92km from Coimbatore.

It is noted as the birthplace of the great social reformer and political leader Periyar EV Ramaswamy Naicker (Thanthai Periyar).  The town is also famous for its handloom products and cultivation of turmeric.

Erode City

It is an important railway junction connected to Chennai, Coimbatore, Salem and Trichy  as well as to Bengaluru, Trivandrum and Delhi.  regular bus services ply to Coimbatore (92km) and Salem (60km). The places of interest in the district of Erode include Bhavani Sagar to the west of this district, a dam on the direct route from Salem to Ooty thrugh Satyamangalam.  The lake behind the dam has boating facilities and attracts a variety of migratory birds in winter.  10km from Bavani Sagar is Bannari.  The Mariamman Temple here attracts thousands of devotees. The Kaliamman Temple in Gobichettipalayam Built with marbles covers an ara of over 2 hectares in an important site. It is abour 26km from the town, Chennimalai has a famous temple dedicated to Lord Muruga atop the hill.  The presiding deity is Dhandayuthapani and rare forms of Lord Muruga Angijather (with four faces and eight arms);  as hunter with a single face and six arms can be seen here. Kodumudi is about 40km to southeast of this district, Kodumudi is the place famous for a temple complex housing the temples of Muchukundeswarar (Shiva), Veera Narayan Perumal (Vishnu) and Brahma.

About Erode Tamil Nadu

It occupies the 5th place for handloom textile in India. It is a business centre and the birthplace of Thanthai Periyar, the greatest social reformer and father of the self respect movement in Tamil Nadu.  It was formerly part of the Coimbatore district and became a separate district in 1979.  The river Cauvery flows through Erode.   Erode got its name from the famous Arthra Kapaleeswarar.  Arthra means wet.  The Tamil word is ‘Iram’ and ‘odu’ means kapala or the skull.  So, the word Ira-ottu-Isar is due course was corrupted to be pronounced as Erode.  Turmeric is important cultivation in this district.  Turmeric is received, not only from Erode district, but also from the other parts of Tamil Nadu and adjoining district like Mysore in Karnataka State.  Kangeyam Bulls and Uthukuli butter are famous in Tamil Nadu.  The notable textile products such as towels, bed sheets and lungies are exported to foreign countries.  Also one of the largest coco-nut oil producers in south India. This district contains some important temples and places of tourist importance.

Erode Tourist Places

Kodumudi

Kodumudi is about 40km from this Erode city and 105km from Coimbatore.  A special feature of this place is the shrines for Siva, Vishnu and Brahma are located in one temple complex. Siva is known as Muchukkundeswarar, Vishnu as Veera Narayana Perumal. The temple is one of the important temples in Erode District.

Bannari

Bannari is located in the Erode district.  It is about 83 km from Coimbatore and 10km from Bhavanisagar.  The mariamman temple here is famous and attracts thousands of Pilgrims.

Bhavani

The Sangameswarar temple at Bhavani is situated at the confluence of the Rivers Bhavani and cauveri.  This place is called “Thriveni of South India”.  It is an important pilgrim centre.  Lord Sangameswarar with his Consort Vedanayaki is the presiding deity.

Chennimalai

Chennimalai is an important Handloom Weaving centre in the Erode district.  It is 30km from erode city and 80km from Coimbatore.  There is a temple on the hill close to the town.  Originally, there was the idol of Subramanya with faces.  As it was damaged, the idol of Dandayuthapani was installed as the presiding deity.

Places to Visit in Erode

Chennimalai

      Chennimalai is located 30 km form Erode district.  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 about 40km From Erode District.  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 District, 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.

About Erode Temples

Anithiyur Gurunatha Swami Temple

     Kamatchi and Perumal as the Lord of Vainava and Sivam & Murugan jointly from in the name of Gurunathaswamy as the Lord of Saiva appears to the people from the stone house of Puthu Palayam next to Anthiyur.

Bannari Amman Temple

     Bannari Annan temple is about 10 km from Bhavanisagar.  The mariamman temple here is very famous and attracts thousands of Pilgrims. The festival at this temple during the month of Adi(August-September) is attended by large number of people. The fire walk by the devotees is very thrilling.

Bhavani Temple

     The Sangameshwar Temple at Bhavani is situated at the confluence of the Rivers Bhavani and the Cauvery. This place is called ‘Tiruveni of South India’.  It is an important pilgrim centre.  Lord Sangameshwarer with His consort Vedanayaki is the presiding deity.  It is said that during the East India Company regime the then Collector of Coimbator and Salem Districts, William Garrow, who had his headquarters at Bhavani, worshipped Goddess Vedanayaki.  One night the Goddess directed him in his dream to vacate his bungalow immediately.  The moment he moved out, the entire bungalow collapsed.  He wondered at this miracle and he presented to the temple an ivory cradle, which is still in the temple, with his signature.

Kodumudi

     Kodumudi is about 40 km from Erode city.  A special feature of this place is that the Trinity of the Hindu faith Siva, Vishnu and Brahma all have their shrines in a single temple complex. Muchukundeswarar is the name of Siva and Veera Narrayana Perumal is that of Vishnu here.  This is one of the important temples in Erode district.

Mukkoodal

     Sangameshwarar Temple, Bhavani is about 12 km.  Three rivers by name Cauvery, Bhavani and invisible Amudha are merging at this pilgrimage place.  This is treated as the place of purity in parity with river Ganges.  It resembles of Thriveni Sangam at Allahabad in North India.

Sri Kondathu

     Sri Kondathu Temple is located 3 km away from Gobichettipalayam and 93 km from Coimbatore. Situated amidst a serene back drop replete with green fields and topographed near the west ghats, this was the place where the famous King of parivallal lived.  This historical place has also been know as parapuri and later came to be known as ‘Pariyur’.  In the mount, there is a most important temple called “ Kondathu kaliamman Temple”.  Here, the Goddess Kaliamman gives her blessings to her devotees. Once, the people were affected to her devotees. Once, the people were affected by an evil disease and they had many causalities and remaining people moved to other areas.

Kudamulukku Year Festival

     In the month of April – may (Chitirai Tamil Month) when the day the Star ‘Ponarpoosam’ falls the devotees worship the Goddess with Abishegam and special ‘ Laksharchana’ is performed and the da ends with a 1008 Sangu Abishegam.

Kundam and Car Festival

     Every Tamil year in the last week of Margali, Kundam and Car festival are celebrated. On the second Thursday of the month special Pooja is performed at 9.00p.m. After the pooja, ‘Poochattu’ is carried out.  On the 12th day the goddess is decked with sandhanakappu. On the 15th day (the last Thursday) Kundam festival takes place in the early morning.  At that time devotees walk on the burning coal which is known as ‘Poo Midhithal’.  It is an electrifying experience for the looker when even children and handicapped people walk on the burning coal having implicit faith on the Goddess. This speaks volumes of the benediction of the Goddess and the devotees realize her immense power

Sangameswarar Temple

   Sangameswarar is about  15 km north-east from Erode Railway Station, 55km from Salem and 40km from Mettur is the famous pilgrimage centre, Bhavani is known mainly by its temple which was built 1000 years ago by Kongu’s state kings.  It was built by black stones at the meeting point of rivers Cauvery and Bhavani.  In North India, the meeting point of three rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswathy is famously known as “Triveni Sangamam’. Like that in South Cauvery and Bhavani meet at this point and so it has got several names like Thatchina Prayagai, Bhadrikasiramam and Mukkudal, Vijayapuri, Veerapuram etc.

Tourist Places Near Erode

Bhavanisagar Dam

     Bhavanisagar Dam is 16 km from Sathyamangalam across the river Bhavani.  This dam was built only with sand.  People  visit the Bhavani Sagar Dam which presents a beautiful feast the eyes.  There is a swimming pool and a park.  Bhavani is known the world over for its blankets with floral designs.

Kodiveri Dam

     Kodiveri Dam is 10km from Gobichettipalayam.  The entrance to the anicut at Kodiveri is a study in stunning contrast. On one side of the bridge, water flows without as much as a ripple.  The other side, it gushes with bottled fury.  Walk a little further to reach a vast expanse of water, and see it force itself through a layered surface hewn out of a rock face, taking on the shape of two frothy mini waterfalls 9thanks to the 4.6 meter drop down stream). Waiting bathers shout with joy under the spray.  Onlookers cannot help get wet too, the misty spray enveloping you in chillness.

Thanthai Periyar Memorial

     Thanthai Periyar is Born on 17th Sep. 1879, Died on 24th Dec. 1973. The social reformer Mr.E.V.Ramasamy called ‘Thanthai Periyar’ and the great mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujam are the sons of this soil.  Periyar memorial is 528.1 sq mtrs.  And it was opened on 17-08-1975. His statue, life history and photographs are displayed here at Periyar Rd.

Distance from Erode To Other important places

City Distance
Chidambaram 262 Km
Coimbatore 89 Km
Cuddalore 244 Km
Dharmapuri 133 Km
Dindigul 143 Km
Ernakulam 272 Km
Chennai 400 Km
Hogenakkal 178 Km
Hosur 229 Km
Kanchipuram 346 Km
Kanyakumari 530 Km
Karaikudi 179 Km
Karur 66 Km
Kodaikanal 326 Km
Kodikkarai 332 Km
Krishnagiri 181 Km
Kumbakonam 237 Km
Madurai 206 Km
Mamallapuram 372 Km
Mysore 197 Km
Nagappattinam 277 Km
Nagercoil 549 Km
Palani 114 Km
Pollachchi 128 Km
Puducherry 273 Km
Poompuhar 302 Km
Pudukkottai 193 Km
Rajapalayam 291 Km
Rameswaram 373 Km
Ranipettai 283 Km
Salem 66 Km
Tenkasi 365 Km
Thanjavur 198 Km
Thekkadi 277 Km
Tiruchchendur 420 Km
Tiruchirappalli 143 Km
Tirunelveli 357 Km
Tirupathi 391 Km
Tiruppur 63 Km
Tiruttani 336 Km
Tiruvannamalai 213 Km
Thrissur 198 Km
Tiruvananthapuram 465 Km
Tuticorin 417 Km
Udagamandalam 141 Km
Ulundurpet 197 Km
Valparai 168 Km
Vellore 266 Km
Yercaud 95 Km