Sri Ranganathar Temple is located in a small hill in Palamalai within Periyanayakanpalayam Taluk of Coimbatore District. This Temple is several centuries old and has been a haven for Sages and Saints to perform their Poojas, Penance etc because of its Natural Beauty, Calm Ambience and Tranquility. This is a hilltop Temple and there are two ways to reach this Temple. In recent days apart from the Devotees who tend to walk all the way up there are an equal number of trekkers and Tourists who love to reach the Temple top by foot. There is a motorable ghat road but some patches of it is full of potholes.

The full name of the Temple is Sri Senkothai and Sri Poonkothai Samedha Sri Ranganathar Temple. This Ranganathar Temple has an East facing Welcome Arch at the base of the foothill with a coloured Idol of Sri Ranganathar in His Sayana Kolam. The base of the Welcome Arch has coloured Idols of Sri Garudalwar and Sri Anjaneya Swamy. This is an East facing Temple with a three tiered Rajagopuram. Before the Rajagopuram is a four pillared Mandapam with a Deepasthambam in it. The base of the Deepasthambam has an East facing Idol of Sri Anjaneya Swamy and a West facing Idol of Sri Garudalwar. While entering the Temple premises there are two black Elephant Idols placed on either side before the Rajagopuram. On entering the Rajagopuram there is a huge tiled multi pillared Mandapam and each of these pillars has an Idol of Yaali.

There is a gold plated Neivedhya Peedam or Bali Peedam, a gold plated Dwajasthambam or Kodi Maram and an Idol of Sri Garudalwar placed in a four pillared Sub Shrine facing the Moolasthanam. There is a coloured Gopuram here in which Sri Ranganathar is seen in a Sayana Kolam. The multi pillared Mandapam beyond this Gopuram is used for conducting festive occasions. There is an East facing Sub Shrine of Sri Lakshmi Hayagreevar on the left side. On the right side is a Sub Shrine of Sri Anjaneyar who is seen North facing. The Presiding Deity of this Temple is Sri Ranganathar who is a Swayambhumoorthy and He is seen East facing in the Sanctum Sanctorum. He is seen in a standing posture and is diminutive in appearance but on the contrary He is Omnipotent and grants any number of Boons to His Devotees. To the rear of the diminutive Swayambhumoorthy Idol is another Presiding Deity of Sri Ranganathar who is seen East facing and in a standing posture.

The threshold of the Sanctum Santorum looks dazzling with its gold plated threshold. There are two Dwara Baalakas viz Jayan and Vijayan who seem to stand guard before the Moolasthanam. Infact, this Temple is made up of multiple gold plated thresholds and in each of them there are etched Images of Sri Chakkrathalwar, Sri Yoga Narasimhar and Sri Krishna. Flanking the Moolasthanam are two East facing Shrines which pertains to the Consorts of the Presiding Deity of Sri Palamalai Ranganathar. The left Shrine is that of Sri Senkothai Thaayar and the right Shrine is that of Sri Poonkothai Thaayar and both of them are East facing and in a seated posture. The outer walls of the Thaayar's Sannadhi has coloured Idols of Sri Manavala Maamunigal and Sri Ranganathar who is seen perched on His Garudalwar along with His Consorts Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi.

The peripheral of the Temple has an East facing Sub Shrine in which Sri Chakkrathalwar looks Eastwards. To the rear of Sri Chakkarathalwar is a West facing Idol of Sri Yoga Narasimhar. The Alwar Idols are North facing and they are as follows: Sri Poigai Alwar, Sri Boothathalwar, Sri Peialwar, Sri Thirumazhisai Alwar, Sri Nammalwar, Sri Madurakavi Alwar, Sri Kulasekara Alwar, Sri Periyalwar, Sri Andal Nachiyar, Sri Thondaradipodi Alwar, Sri Thirupannalwar and Sri Thirumangalalwar. The Idol of Sri Para Vasudeva Perumal is place between these Alwars and He is North facing. The Sub Shrine of Sri Viswaksenar is seen East facing.

The Sub Shrine of Sri Thumbikkai Alwar is seen East facing and there are two Naaga Devatha Idols who stand guard outside the Sub Shrine of Sri Thumbikai Alwar. Then is a multi pillared Mandapam in which the East facing Sub Shrine of Sri Arul Kalidasa Swamigal alias Sri Kaaliannan Swamigal is seen. This is the place where He attained His Jeeva Samadhi on 01.01.1939. They have installed an Idol of Him and facing this Sub Shrine is a Nandhi Vaahanam. Then comes another East facing Sub Shrine in which the Idols of Sri Koorathalwar, Sri Ramanujar and Sri Muthalaiandan are seen together. Close to the North facing Sub Shrine of Sri Anjaneyar is the East facing Sub Shrine of Sri Dhanwanthri Perumal who is considered as a Supreme Physician capable of curing any diseases.

Even the Vaahana Mandapam of this Temple is kept clean attracting the attention of any Devotees who pass this way. There is a Sorga Vaasal or Paramapatha Vaasal which is South facing. Close to the Sorga Vaasal is a South facing Sub Shrine consisting of the Dasavathara Idols and they are as follows: Sri Maccha Avatharam, Sri Koorma Avatharam, Sri Varaha Avatharam, Sri Narasimha Avatharam, Sri Vamana Avatharam, Sri Parasurama Avatharam, Sri Rama Avatharam, Sri Balarama Avatharam, Sri Krishna Avatharam and Sri Kalki Avatharam. There is a South facing Yaaga Saalai in this Temple. It is heartening to note that all the Bhattachariars of this Temple are alloted a room for thier official use. 

The Temple has a Madapalli and Prasadam is distributed to the Devotees. The Temple has a Annadhana Koodam for the sake of its Devotees. The Sthala Viruksham of this Temple is Kaarai Tree and the Pushkaranis or Sacred Tanks are known as Palamalai Theertham, Padma Thertham, Pasumai Theertham, Kannimar Sunai and Senkothai Sunai. Devotees visiting this Temple tie a thread aound the Poovarasam Tree in order to get blessed with a Child and a good married life. Every year during Tamil Month of Chithirai Car festival ten days is celebrated in a grand manner. On Krishna Jayanthi, Hanumanth Jayanthi, Diwali and Pongal special Poojas are conducted here.

Contact Details: Jagadeesan, Trustee 94433 48564 and 96069 37530

Temple Timing: 6 AM to 8 PM

Distance from Coimbatore to Palamalai is 29 Kms 

Distance from Tiruppur to Palamalai is 66 Kms 

Distance from Pollachi to Palamalai is 70 Kms 

Distance from Palakkad to Palamalai is 84 Kms 

Distance from Thrissur to Palamalai is 144 Kms 

Distance from Kozhikode to Palamalai is 219 Kms 

Distance from Guruvayur to Palamalai is 170 Kms 

Distance from Ooty to Palamalai is 80 Kms 

Distance from Palani to Palamalai is 131 Kms 

Distance from Dindigul to Palamalai is 185 Kms 

Distance from Madurai to Palamalai is 240 Kms 

Distance from Tiruchirappalli or Trichy to Palamalai is 244 Kms 

Distance from Srirangam to Palamalai is 240 Kms 

Distance from Thiruvinnagar to Palamalai is 342 Kms 

Distance from Karur to Palamalai is 158 Kms 

Distance from Namakkal to Palamalai is 172 Kms 

Distance from Rasipuram to Palamalai is 182 Kms 

Distance from Kodumudi to Palamalai is 142 Kms 

Distance from Mysore to Palamalai is 194 Kms 

Distance from Talakadu to Palamalai is 187 Kms 

Distance from Marupalli to Palamalai is 292 Kms 

Distance from Kodaikanal to Palamalai is 194 Kms 

Distance from Krishnagiri to Palamalai is 291 Kms 

Distance from Dharmapuri to Palamalai is 240 Kms 

Distance from Mannarkudi to Palamalai is 331 Kms 

Distance from Kumbakonam to Palamalai is 339 Kms 

Distance from Kanchipuram to Palamalai is 509 Kms 

Distance from Thiruvallur or Tiruvallur to Palamalai is 516 Kms

Distance from Kaveripakkam or Thiruparkadal to Palamalai is 444 Kms

Distance from Chennai to Palamalai is 522 Kms 

Nearest Railway Station is Coimbatore R.S

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