Oothukattu ellayamman kovil
Compiled by
P.R. Ramachander
This temple is in a
diversion to Valajabad near Oragadam in the Tambaram to Kanchipuram road. It is a
verypopular temple . There is a story behind the temple. It seems once King
Krishna Deva Raya who came for hunting
in the Othukadu forest ggot tired and was
taking rest below a neem tree. A pup called Bhairava which accompanied
the king roamed in those parts and found
out the water source and lead the king
there. When the king was drinking water he noticed a lime fruiyt fl;oating in
the lake and following it one statue of
the Goddess which was two and half feet long also came,. He built a small
temple below the neem tree and consecrated
that Goddess there and she was
called The “Oothukadu ellayamman”.(She
is also called OOthukattau amman ) This is believed to have been established in
the year 1608.There is also a story that
the temple was established not by the knig but Nagal Naidu who was working in
his army. The Temple tree is supposed to be Vanni tree.
She is the family
deity of large number of
people in those parts and beople
believe that all their prayers are fulfilled by her. They express their gratefulness to the Goddssx by
offering Pongal to her on tuedays,
Fridays and Sundays. A festival called Brahmothsavam is velebrated to the goddees in the April-may month,. People dressed in yellow cloth dipped in turmreric, walk on
the open fire to please her during this festival.
Recently the
temple was expanded and an enytance Gopuram was built to the temple. Temples
for Lord Ganesa , Durga , Seven
brothers, nine planrts and Kala Bhairava
are consecrated surrounding her
temple.
SEeral photographs of the temple can be seen in http://sanctifiedspaces.blogspot.in/2011/01/uthukadu-ellamman-temple-visit.html
