Chellandi Amman of Mohanur

Chellandi Amman of  Oruvanthur near Mohanur

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

  The two younger sistes of   Chelliamman of Madurai  and Kali  wanted to decide the place they wanted    to live. They decided they would hit a ball each and wherever   the ball falls they would have   their temple there. The ball hit by the eldest  sister fell in Oruvanthur  , the  ball hit by the younger one fell  in Paranthadi   and the ball hit by Kali fell  in Thottiyam   ,Because of that the elder sister became Oruvanthur  Pidari , the second one became  Panathadi Periya Kandi Amman   and Kali  became Thottiyam  Madurai Maha Kali 

    The Oruvanthur  Pidari  took the shape of a golden ball   in a place where salt was manufactured. Those people thought that  it was an ordinary ball   and put it in a pot. The Ori king who came  to know about it somehow  , along with a poet  called Parana   came there  and a young girl also came there   in search of the  ball.

  When king asked the salt manufacturers about the ball  the young girl claimed the ball belonged to her. tHe salt manufacturer told , that any one of them who tells exactly where   the ball fell can claim it. When the girl told the exact spot, te worker introduced his hand   in side the pot. The pot had  broken at the bottom and the girl also vanished from there.When the king removed the pot , below it was a pretty statue  of the Goddess. The poet told   that  the girl who came there was Goddess  herself. That Goddess  was named as  Chellandi Amman and prople started   worshipping her  in Oruvanthur. In the Sanctum   she stands with eight hands    holding weapons in the form of killing an Asura. They also  sanctified  Ganesa , Pattavan Chami  ,Karuppanna Chami , Madurai Veran , Seven maids  , Pechi amman , Chadaichi amman etc.

    After they recovered a statue of Goddess Parvathi worshipping Shiva  from the temple, Ladies   visit the temple   and pray for fulfilling their wants. Near the sanctum there  is  a depot like structure  and the salty mud from the depot called “Uppiliyan thittu  Uppu Man”  is given to devotees as Prasad.  People believe  if it is applied over the body , the metal and physical diseases would be cured. Devotees pray for getting married, and getting children  and Annoint the Goddess and present her with Silk saris. In  the month of Margazhi there is a festival in the temple called Vel thiruvizha . In the month of masi the founding day of the temple is celebrated for 15 days. In the last Friday of Adi month the  Goddess is anointed with 1008 pots of milk.

     The temple is situated 5 km from Mohanur which is 23 km from namakkal. The temple is open from 6 Am to 8 Pm