A Mountain of a Temple -
Velliangiri
Coimbatore - Tamilnadu
The seven hills with altitudes ranging from 521 m – 1841 m are bordered by the plains of Coimbatore district to the east, the Palakkad district of Kerala on the western boundary, the Nigiri mountains to the north, and the Siruvani hills on the southern boundary.
Lord Shiva
Dedicated to Swayambhu, which is a form of Lord Shiva, the temple on Velliangiri Hills is a preferred meditation spot for sages and siddhas. Legend has said that this temple was where the Lord himself performed a cosmic dance which was requested by Uma Devi, his consort.
On the top of the Velliangiri Mountains, Lord Shiva is worshipped as Swayambhu Lingam, one who is self-created in this form and he graces the devotees
History
The Velliangiri hills form a major range in the Western Ghats in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The seven hills with altitudes ranging from 521 m – 1841 m are bordered by the plains of Coimbatore district to the east, the Palakad district of Kerala on the western boundary, the Nilgiri mountains to the north, and the Siruvani hills on the southern boundary.
The annual rainfall is quite variable in the hills (500 mm – 7000 mm) with temperatures ranging from 0 °C during winter to 41 °C in the summer. Many seasonal rivers such as the Neelivaikal, Mayar or Andisunai traverse the hilly landscape. The Noyyal river originating from Velliangiri hills is one of the major tributaries of the Cauvery, which irrigates about 100,000 of hectares of agricultural land in the plains.
