Dwarapalayas guarding the entrance, Pazhamudhircholai Temple, Madurai, India
Pazhamudircholai temple, situated 19km from Madurai on the Vrishabhadri hill. This is the sixth sacred temple among the Aru Padaiveedu (Six abodes) of Lord Muruga. This is where Muruga is supposed to have toyed with Avvaiyar, the grand old lady of Tamil literature and his ardent devotee. On her way to Madurai she stopped here for some rest when she noticed a young boy sitting on the branch of a 'Naaval' (a type of berry) tree and asked him to throw down some fruits. He asked her if she wanted some hot or cold fruits and her curiosity piqued she asked for some hot fruits. The boy shook the branch of the tree and the berries fell to the ground. As she picked up the fruits and blew on them to remove the sand, the boy playfully asked if the fruits were too hot to eat and advised her to blow a little harder. Avvaiyar realized that the boy had tricked her with his word-play and then realised that it was her idol playing with her. The questions then asked by Lord Muruga in this encounter with Avvaiyar and the answers given by her in verse are a big part of Tamil literature.
