In Tamil Nadu, Devotees Tie Locks Around This 1,500-year-old Temple

In rural areas of Tamil Nadu, the god named Muniyappan is worshipped with great arrangements. In the city of Salem, there is a Muniyappan Temple, which thousands of devotees visit every year. Devotees seeking solutions to their life problems often visit this place and follow a unique form of worship.

According to a report by Local 18, this temple is located around 8 km from the Salem New Bus Stand. The Aalanguttai Pootu Muniyappan Temple situated in the vicinity of the Salem District Collector’s Office is believed to be more than 1500 years old. There is a unique way to worship the deity here.

Earlier, Muniyappan was worshipped as a guardian of the place. It is said that when ancestors prayed to him by tying locks as part of their vows, their prayers were answered within three months. Believing this the locals named the god ‘Pottu Muniyappan.’

If you visit this temple, you can see numerous locks hanging around the temple. These locks are said to be faced by devotees seeking solutions to various kinds of problems in life. Families affected by issues like disputes between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, addiction problems and land disputes perform a special ritual.

Devotees who visit this place to seek problems often purchase a new long along with the other offerings and bring them to the temple. After praying to god Muniyappan for the fulfilment of their desires, they place the new lock in front of the deity. The devotees then hang the lock on a rod in the temple premises and take the key with them. Once the wishes are fulfilled they return to the temple unlock the lock and place the key in a designated place. The number of accumulated keys in the designated container shows that the wishes of the devotees were fulfilled.

Talking about another unique ritual, many families face disputes in relationships due to alcohol addiction. Those affected by such issues often come to this temple, take a vow in front of the lord, tie a rope around their wrist and leave. It is believed that within three months, the addicted person leaves the addiction and lives a normal life.

A devotee from Omalur, Salem said, “I recently learned about this place through online sources. Many people have told me that their wishes were granted after playing a lock here. This is the reason I came here. My wife has been missing for a long time and I have no information on her whereabouts. I have prayed to Muniyappan, with the hope that she will return soon.