Padavettamman of KOyampedu

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.