Padaveetamman of
koyampedu, Chennai
Compiled By
P.R.Ramachander
This happened about 250 years ago. Some
people from Chennai from Thiruppathi
after a pilgrimage to
Thiruppathi. When the heared Chennai , they saw a wheel like stone rotating on
the road.. That wheel was rotaing on the
road and stopped in the middle of the
road blocking it. The people travelling in the cart got down and wanted to put
that stone on a side but to their surprise they saw it was a statue of
was the upper part of a Goddess. When they were not knowing what to do,
, one girl who was looking after goats
nearby Goddess in her..She told, “ I was the goddess of the war zone (padai
veedu) of a chozha king.,. Over time my
temple disappeared. I am rolling and travelling to find out a proper place for
me to stay. Little from this place there is a Neem tree. Please keep me there and worship me. I would fulfill your wants and always protect
you.” They searched and saw a Neem tree near by and kept that Goddess there. From that day that Goddess is still below that neem tree.
That forest area has become an important locality of Chennai city..The name
Padai Veet Amman slowly changed to Padavettamman. People have constructed a small
sanctum sanctorum for the Goddess below that same neem tree.. On the head of
the Goddess a sepent opening its hood
and a flame of fire is seen. People say that this indicates that she was
worshipped by soldiers once upon a time.
The face of that goddess is pleasant
like moon in the n middle of the wheel like stone. Just before anointing only this form can be
seen clearly . After Abhisheka they
decorate the Goddess with
silver. Another important thing about the temple is that , they ofter find a cobra sleeping at the
feet of the Goddess at night. So priests clean up the old garlands etc vey
carefully. Many families have adopted
this Goddess as the family deity and worship her by offering Pongal.
From the fifth Friday of Adi month there is a
festival at this temple which lasts for three days. All her devotees
firly believe that she will fulfill all their wants which are just.
The temple is 4 km from Koyampedu bus
stand of Chennai on the main road. The temple is open from 6 Am to 12 noon and 6 PM to 9 Pm.