Kancha malai kalangi Siddhar part 2.

Kancha Malai Kalangi Siddhar is in "Jeeva Samadhi" in the Siddhar Koil,  also called as "Amavasai koil" by locals.He is sitting in a veerasanam pose.Anointment is  done around 12 noon by  a brahmin sivachariar.He comes in wet condition after  taking   a holy dip in the stream near by the temple.There is   a   pond  near the temple in which mineral water containing iron is filled up  from  a stream coming from the sanctum of  Siddhar.As the water is  flowing continuously  underneath the sanctum  into the pond , water is coming out as a stream near the temple into long distance. A number of wells are available near by the stream.Local people come here from morning to evening daily .After taking the bath,they visit  Siddhar Sannidhi.On  new moon days thousands of  devotees visit here waiting in along que.Farmers,businessmen & locals throng this temple.They take their new vehicles,two & four wheelers,heavy vehicles including lorries here & perform pooja.There is another temple in the hill top around 3000 feet high called "Mel Siddhar Koil".Here Sivalinga with  naga prathishta & Vinayagar are worshipped.As Siddhar became young taking the rice cooked in the hill,locals after climbing this hill , bring  rice & vessels from the plains,cook the rice with stream water ,after lighting  a fire  with  the available dry sticks,offer it to God & Siddhar,distributes it & eat it as prasadam.As  kanchamalai contains iron ore,there is not much trees .Only bushes are here & there.You can see the rock & stones look like  a rusted iron.They are also heavier  than ordinary stones.There is also  a temple further ahead of Mel siddhar koil  after another fifteen minutes walk (called Saptha  kannigai or madhas).Here some holes around one feet dia &  3 feet depth are carved in the rock.Water for anointing is taken from here.This  place is slightly inclined & several herbal tree like plants are available.Each one is different from others. I have visited mel siddhar  temple &  kannimar temple several times during no moon days.We used to climb around  7 am & reach  mel  Siddhar temple by 8.30am.We have to only walk & no motorable road.we used to bath in  a small  stream flowing continuously  from the hill towards downwards.Water is crystal clear & very cool.You will feel very fresh & no need for any hair shampoo.One feel disconnected from the routine hectic life.The huge mountain,extremely silent atmosphere,no two wheeler or 4 wheeler.Some time locals bring transistor radios. No cell phones.This is 25 years ago.We would climb down around 11.30 or 12 noon.Getting down takes only an hour & comparatively easier.                                                                                                    A  Temple for lord Muruga was constructed near Siddhar temple around 1960.It is well maintained & is  in a small hill. You can  have a panoramic view from the temple towards Salem steel plant (Sail) in the plains).Earlier it was  started in 1981 & planned to introduce reverse integrated steel plant.Earlier Stainless sheets from 6 mm  to 0.5 mm were rolled out  with mirror like finishing with cold rolling mills ,with annealing & pickling lines.Later on Hot rolling mill & steel melting shop for  producing steel slabs added.Any how they have not gone for iron ore mining & blast furnaces.Earlier plan is take iron ore from Kancha malai .Later dropped citing less percentage of iron ore content.But one British collector posted in Salem district,resigned his job, transported iron ore from here to   portonovo Harbour by bullock cart (Parangipettai  in between  Chidambaram & cuddalore),melted  iron ore in  cupola furnace there & made steel girders.They were transported thorough ships to London .  Those beams are still in a bridge in london  with mark of  Salem dt.This is Published later in Hindu news paper.    The mineral water in the pond near the temple,stream cures skin diseases.Everyone coming here to worship get their problems solved &  you would always want go there & love to have the dharshan of Siddhar.  I took my wife,son & daughter(below ten years) around 1989 to mel siddhar temple.We took also vessels & rice.Had a holy bathe,prepared  Pongal rice  with stream water & offered to Siddhar.After  visiting here only I constructed a house of my own with  the blessing of  Kanchamalai Siddhar.When i came here in 1982 june from north Madras(Thiruvotriyur) of which my first posting in this  blog  is published.My Guru (Sri.T.N.Manickam ,Managing trustee of Thiruvotriyur Sanmarga Sangam) told me to  visit this temple .He has got vast knowledge of Siddhars life & quote them to us .Everyone visiting this  temple  has their life  elevated & shown correct  path.Visit any Siddhar's temple & get their blessing. I am not exaggerating .You will surely experience there bliss.Share me your experience.On the full moon day of  Tamil month Chithrai(சித்திரா பௌர்ணமி ) , special festival is celebrated here to honor Kanchamalai Siddhar by locals & devotees.Later  a temple for Goddess Kali is also constructed & maintained well by the devotees.There are frequent bus services   available from Salem new bus stand.This is well connected by roads.The legend is that famous  Tamil poet Avvaiyar got the "black amla fruit"(கரு  நெல்லிக்காய் ) by the King  Adhiyaman who  ruled Kongu  Nadu consisting of Dharmapuri,Salem, Erode & karur districts then from this Kancha malai.That amla  fruit is said to have  the property of  increasing the life period of the takers.I 'll add some photos related to kancha malai Siddhar Temple in my next post .