Singapatti Ayyanar temple, NaLLur

Singapatti Ayyanar   temple, NaLLur

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

About 500 years back , a person from Villiputhur,due to famine had to go  to some other place for living.. In his nativevilage he had worshipped Ayyanar, Pechi and Karuppasami. He went to that temple , took one fist of soil  from there  , put it in a palm leaf box and took it along with him,.When he was nearing NaLLi village , he saw that  the lake there was about to  break up. He could see  fertile crops in the field. He kept the box of soil in a near by place and tried his best to repair the lake bank so that its water   would not come out. When he was not able to do it, he  left all his things there, went to naLLI village and brought them to repair the bund.When he came back the bund was  already repaired  and in a good conditions. From that persons basket Ayyanar  came out and told ll of them, “It was me who repaired the nund and saved your crop,.If you bukid a temple for me and the gods with me here  and do daily worship, we would protect you   for ever. People went and told SEvalpatti Jamindar   who was looking after   the  village about this. Jamindar immediately built a temple and made every body worship those gods. Sine the lake was called  Singamadai lake  this ayyanar was named as Singamadai ayyanar.

    In the  sanctum sanctorum Ayyanar  is there  along with his consorts , Poorna and Pushkala.Pechiyamman  has a temple there  .Turmeric paste  is always applied to her face. So she is called Manjanai Pechi Amman. There are also statues ofMadan, Madathi, Pathala Kanni, Raakaachi Amman and Pathinettam Padi Karuppachami.

Three days after Shivarathri , after taking permission from Ayyanar, Karupachami goes for hunting. This is the biggest festival in the   temple.Most of the importand Hindu festivals are also celebrated in this temple.The temple is open from 7 Am to 5 PM. At 12 noon there  is a special pooja to Ayyanar. Devotees  believe that if some one comes to this temple, takes bath and goes round the God three times on a Friday, all his mental worries would   get solved.Devotees also believe  if they take Turmeric from Pechiyamman temple and keep it in their home. Auspiciousness  will always be there  in the house.The temple tree is Bilwa tree

 From Kovilpatti travel towards Chathur in the    state   high way for 11 km. The  temple is nearby to this point.

Vazhumuneeswarar-Kathayi temple at Karunkanni

Vazhumuneeswarar-Kathayi temple    at Karunkanni

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P.R.Ramachander

  Once it seems the sage brungi wanted only to go round Shiva and not Parvathi. After this the Goddess  requested Lord Shiva to give hw his body to her. When Lord Shiva told that this can only be done with great penance, GoddesParvathi  came to warth along with 64 Yogins and started going on a pilgrimage  to different Shiva temples. On her way she came to Ujjain which was at that time ruled  by seven brothers called Akasa veera Agni veera etc. They were bad people and ordered the Goddess  to be their wife.She childed them and shouted at them.Since they did not go away she praued to Lord Vishnu  , Lord Brahma r etc who appeared  there in person. Hgod Vishnu took a Viswa roopa  and destroyed  Agni veera.Since he touched the sky he was  called Van-muni. The other sages  also took mega forms like that of Lord  Vshnu and killed all the seven kings. The mega form of Agasthya was called as “Chemmuni(red sage). The other sages like Narada, Parachara  took mega forms which were calledMuthu muni, Karu muni , Veda muni  etc and started protecting the Goddess.Then Veera muthu the son of Agni veera    came for a battle.When Vaazhmuni (Lord Vishnu)  was about to kill him, his wife requested  Lord Vishnu to spare hi,So Lord Vishnu appointed  Veera Muthu to be security to the Amman temple.,He also created  goddesses  Vengadamalai Nachiyaer, Ponkurathi nachiyar , Anai kurathi, mudiyaal Azhaki and Vana Kurathi and instructed them to look after the Goddess.He also created a lady form merging himself with Ganges, who was keeping  Lord Subrahmanya  on her lap. He named  her as Kathayi..They went on visiting several Shiva temples and arrived at Naga Pattinam, which was called as  Capital of Shiva places..Then Goddess Parvathi requested g her assistants   to search for aplace which was suitable for meditation and was alone  for some time At thay time a local devotee approached  her and took him to hgis home.Goddess liked that home, At that time, her assistants found a place   on the banks of Vellaru river, where  a Mahalinga tree  and Macizha tree   were growing together. The Goddess started her penance there. Vaazhmuni  , Chemmuni  , Karumuni, Muthumuni, Veda muni and poomuni stayed outside   as security guards to her. After some time when she started   to Kanchipura for doing further meditation, the villagers approached her and requested   her to live there itself., She promised them she would after becoming a part of Lord Shiva. And asper her word she came there.Lord Shiva took the name of M

     Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays are   important days in the  temple,Pachayamman is offered POngal, Kathayi is offered Maa vilakku, Varamuneeswara  Milk pongal and Periyachi Amman is offered non vegetarian dishes. Pachayamman consideres Nagapattinam as her  mothers place and goes there along with Kathayi Anmman for 15 days  in a year in the month of Aadi.During this time  no worship   is offered in the main temple. On Aani third she returns back. This temple is situated in the Nagapattinam –Thiruthuraipoondi road  on the banks of a river called Uppathankarai, The temple is open from 9 am-12 noon  and between 5 Pm to 6 Pm.

Vandambalai Mahasakthi Mariyamman temple

Vandambalai  Mahasakthi Mariyamman temple

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P.R.Ramachander

      This temple is situated in the banks of river Cauvery   6 km away from Thiruvarur in the Thiruvarur-Mayiladuthurai   road. It is a very huge temple  facing the east. You first see  the forms of Ashta Lakshmis as  soon you enter the temoke.On the left site Karuppayi Amman who holds Subrahmanya on his lap  has a small temple.Ladies without children  come here to worship the Goddess  They take the rice an turmeric powder   home. They add the rice to the rice copoked daily and apply the turmeric on themselves after bath..It seems within 48 days , they will be in a family way. They all come back and offer pOngal to this Goddess.Next you would come across Pechayi Amman.U It is believed she removes  all attacks  of black magic on all villagers. Then there is a temple of Kalludayaan  who is the family god of many people of this area..Then towards right you would  see Karupanna sami riding on An elephant..Ift is a custom to salute him and then only enter the main temple.Then you enter the temple of Maha sakthi mariyamman.She is supposed to cure all pox diseases. Amman has a yen day  festival in the  Chithirai month.Daily the Amman comes out amd visits the villagers When you come  out of the temple on your lrft you would see Kathavarayan, Aryamb, Bommi and Thottikati  Chinnan  . The temple is open from 9 Am to 8 Pm.

Thoppampatti Soolathamman

Thoppampatti Soolathamman

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

THoppampatti   is on the road between  Coimbatore and Mettupalayam..You can take autos or buses  to reach this village  from Coimbatore Junction. There is an interesting story about  how the temple of Goddess here.

   It seems one cultivator purchased a small piece of land  from his friend, after  taking loan..In that land, in a corner there  was a neem tree.Below that tree , there was a  statue of A goddess, which was mostly buried in side.The purchaser was requested by the seller to  worship that Goddess..He  also did it without fail. Then he started  planting coconut trees and inter crops in the land that  he purchased.. Slowly that area became a part of the town, and houses  camp up all aroung that piece of land.People living there started  worshipping that Goddess.But since the Goddess was in a deep pit  , they found it difficult to worship her,. Then the cultivator  constructed a compound wall around his property. Then The goddess was just outside  the wall in a pit   and only about 9” of her  visible.tHen the worship to the Goddess  was stopped and evil things  started appearing  in all surrounding areas..A priest  cum astrologer was consulted and he told  that the stopping of worship of the Goddess  was the  reason for all their troubles. When they approached the cultivator , he agred them to remove the Goddess from there  and consecrate in another place. When they dug out the Goddess they found, she was more than five feet tall and was holding a trident and on the top of the statue, Sun and moon were  sculpted. Experts who examined the statue told that it was at least 600  years old. People  started calling Soolathamman  and shifted  her to a temporary  shed. They all felt   they were becoming  very fortunate..They built a permanent stone temple for her. They also  consecrated Mariamman,  Vishnu sakthi and Shiva Shakthi in side the temple.Neem tree was  adopted as the temple tree. First day of Chithirai month   and on all Fridays of Adi months are celebrated in the temple, The  temple is kept open from  7 am to 10.30 am  and 6 pm  to 8 pm. On Tuesdays   Fridays , in the evening  temple is open from 7 PM to 8 Pm.

Akasa Mariyamman of Thirunarayur

Akasa Mariyamman of Thirunarayur

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P.R.Ramachander

   Once upon a time the people  of Thirunarayur were bangle sellers. They used to carry glass bangles on their head go  from home to home I villages and villages   and sell  their bangles.Once these people went   to Samayapuram..That time Panguni festival   was being celebrated  in Samayapuram. Then old bangle seller saw a dream.One young  and very pretty came in his dream and asked him for bangles. At that time the old man had very less bangles . He  put  each bangle he had in the ladies hands and all of them broke. Then the old man told the lady “all the bangles I had have broken and so if you come to my village  , I would make you wear pretty pretty bangles. Then she said, “Would you give me bangles only if I come to your  village? No, there  is no need for that,I would make your  village people  wear bangles.”

And she disappeared. The old man woke up suddenly and he saw that all the bangles had broken and were  lying by his side and he saw that all other villagers  had pox all over  the bodies, At that time  the priest of Samayapuram temple came there and told them, “The goddess   wanted to  compensate   you   for the broken bangles.” And he gave them the cash for it.” Then the old man realized that the young lady  who came in his dream  was Samayapuram  Mariyamman herself.,Then he applied the ashes got   from Samayapuram temple on their bodies and all the pox marks disappeared.,Then the goddess appeared to them on the sky. They called her akasa Mari and saluted her and requested  her to visit their village.. She asked them , “Which is your village?” and they replied “They said it is narayur   famous for its Jasmine flowers.”  And she said, “ I would come every year to your village for the sake  of jasmine flowers and your bangles.”

  It is believed SAmayapuram Mariyamman comes there through the sky every year  (may-june)  and stays  there  for twelve days during the spring.  She has a temple there  in the north east side of the path   where chariot runs. Lakhs of pilgrims come there on all those days a, pray to her and make her  offerings. There is no statue or idol for this goddess. During the festival days using a potm, silk cloth, Durbha grass   and decorations the   form of a very pretty Mariamman is made. She is made to wear all sort of gold and jewel ornaments. She daily  travels on a palanquin made of flowers on the shoulders  of her devotees. All the Nadaswara artists assemble there   and a special Raga called “Mangala Mallari “ is chanted. It is a custom in the village, during these 14 days, no other individual family   celebration would   take place.Devotees bring Kavadis to the templke.Non stop  feast is given in the temple during the festival days.On the thirteenth day , Amman would depart to Samayapuram. On other days a lighted lamp  is kept in the Akasa Mari temple   and is worshipped. The temple is kept open from 6 Am to 10 Am   and 5 pm to 8 PM .People pray here for marriage and child birth.. The temple is 10 km from Kumbhakonam  on the Kumbhakonam- Nagapattinam road near to the Nachiar kovil town.

Kodungayoor Nagathamman

Kodungayoor  Nagathamman

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

  Once  KOdungayoor was  a prosperous  farming village.Near a big pond there   several snakes were living.Near that place there was a banyan tree. The villages consecrated  three Nagars  under a thatched roof below that  banyan tree and they were worshipped as  the Gods of the village. The village slowly became a part of a city  ,Then about 50 years back the villagers  erected a permanent structure   and along with the three Nagars   , they also consecrated an Amman. She was called  as Nagathamman..The temple was called “Sri Devi Nagathamman temple” . There is a  very big pond before the temple.There is a separate temple for Lord Subrahmanya   along with Valli and Devayanai    in the temple complex

    In the sanctum sanctorum the Goddess  appears befre an umbrella of serpent  holding   in her right hand a sword and a hand drum  and Soola  , pot of Kumkum  in her left hand . On the platform  where Amman is consecrated there ois a head of Amman also.

   Those who  light a ghee lamp and worship her are blessed  with children, long life  , health  ,removal of problems due to loan,  removal of problem of stoppage of education etc.People pray her for removal of Naga  dosha in their horoscope .  ON the right side of the sanctum below  the Banyan tree  the nagas who were consecrated originally are    also there. The specialty of Nags is that   each of them are seen holding a Shiva linga. There are also temples of Ganesa and Gajalakshmi behind it.

   Rahu kala pooja are performed on all  Fridays and Tuesdays,Special poojas   are done on full moon days and sankada  hara chathurthi days, Vaikasi visakham, Naga chathruthi and Adi pooram are   also celebrated.There is a special worship of lamps on the first Friday of tHai month.On Chithra  pournami day there is a festival of pots of milk.

   From Kannadasan Nagar bus stop , Madras-118, the temple is 2 km away.It is  in the 7^th street of Ever ready colony. ON normal days temple is open between 7.30 am to  10.30 am   and 5.30 pm to 8 pm.On special days  and Fridays it is open from 7.30 aM to 12 noon and 3 Pm to 8 Pm.

Karumandapam Ilamkattu Mariyamman

Karumandapam Ilamkattu Mariyamman

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P.R.Ramachander

      It seems there was a  Mariyamman in a village called Ilamkadu without any place to stay..Shhe appealed to her elder sister  “Samayapuram Mariyamman” .She advised her.”Many people going  on a pilgrimage to Pazhani would pass through your village. yOu join them.When you reach the town of Uchi pillayar koil, Kali and Karuppachami would prevent you from going further..You stay there.”  As her her advice Ilamkattu Mariyamma came and was stopped near in a place called “Karumandapam” in Trichy..Intially she was staying in a hut constructed by the people. Now it is a permanent temple

     The temple faces the east. As soon as we enter, you can see Karupannachami sitting on a horse on your left  side.Om the western side you would find Pillayar, Nagar and on the north  the idol of Vishnu Durga. The Mariyamman has a peaceful look iN the month of Vaikasi there  is a ten day festival in this temple.Apart from several celebrations, walking  on fire   is also observed.

   Aadsi pooram is celebrated  in a grand scale in this temple. That day the Goddess  is decorated with One Lakh bangles. These would be later  distributed among ladies

  On Fridays The goddess is offered  Rose flower garlands and devotees  pray for early marriage and child birth. As soon as their desires are fulfilled   , they offer a  Sari to the Goddess.People going on Pilgrimage to Pazhani by this way  , take rest at this temple.

Alamaathi Pidari Echathammam temple

 Alamaathi  Pidari  Echathammam temple

Compiled by

P.R,Ramachander

.There  is an interesting story behind this temple:-

    When Goddess Parvathy was fighting with  an ASura called Mahishasura, wherever a drop of blood fell from that ASura’s body a new  Rakthabheeja was created. To  Stop this Goddess Parvathy created the Ferocious form of Kali who drank all the blood  that fell from the Body of  Mahishasura.  Due to consumption of blood, she became   extremely ferocious  and Goddess Parvathi made her wear  a garland of limes which cooled her down. She then covered herself  by an ant hill in that village which was called  Erumavetti palayam(The village of cutting of elephant) .

 Later when Rishabhasura   the grand son of Ravana lusted for Goddess  Parvathi and started troubling her, she again woke up that Kali who cut off the head of Rishabhasura and drank all his blood. DEvas who saw her ferociousness   Offered her several lime garlands and saluted her. She then became Elumichai B Nayagi( Lime Goddess) and  again started living in an ant hill. The ant hill became very huge and the villages who knew about her offered g her Bali on wednedays and  also decorated her   with lime garlands

     AS Time went by the attention of the villagers  came down and they started neglecting her. At that time she caused torrential rain on the village which troubled them greatly. Then their village was visited by  sage Markandeya who advised  them to start worshipping the  Goddess again. So in the month of Masi (February-march) on a Wednesday  when it was also  Amavasya(new moon) , the villages  started worshipping her. Then they heard the Goddess assuring them that  she would protect  that village as well as the seven villages   surrounding it.Sage Markandeya also started  living in that village.

   Once there was huge storm and torrential rain in the village again and those seven villages were about to be drowned by a flood and the lake which was the life line of the village   was about to break..  People got scared and approached sage Markandeya who prayed the Goddess  to solve their problem.Then Elumichai Nayagi rose from the ant hill and went and sat at the bank of the lake which was about to break. The banks became strong and rains stopped. All the villagers requested the Goddess  to stay there itself and she agreed. She  from that time was known as “Pidario Echathamman”.. Here echa indicates yAgna and Athuthal means curing. Since she rose up like a flower in the village  that village became known as “Alar Mathu”  which  lated became Alamathi  

    Pidari sits in a small temple   facing the north. There are separate sub temples   for Ganesa, seven maids(SAptha kanniyar), Karumari and Durga of anthill in that temple.Tuesdays, Wednesdays , Fridays and Sundays are  important in the temple and  huge crowds of devotees visit   their goddess .

   Maha Shivarathri   and new year   are celebrated  in this temple  ,. The festival month of the temple is Aadi(July-august). SEvarl festivals take place durig the month. Ear boring , marriages, worship of new Vehicles etc of these seven villages take place only at this temple.

    A special  worship practiced in the temple is anointing her , offering her pongal  on Wednesdays   for five weeks.Every time they offer five limes to the Goddess. The priest returns two of them. They then  pierce one lime on the spear of the goddess, and cut the other in to two.The juice of  the fruit is poured on the Bali Peda of the Goddess and they light two  ghee lamps on the lime skins and offer it to the  Goddess, On the fifth Wednesday, they make the Goddess  wear a lime garland and offer  her sweet pongal.Devotees believe by doing this all their problems would get solved. The temple is open every day from 7 Am  to 12 noon  and 4 pm to 7 PM.

Velipettai angalamman temple , Dharmapuri

Velipettai angalamman temple  , Dharmapuri

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

   

     The temple of Angalamman is situated   in Dharmapuri town of Tamil Nadu.Though the main deity of the temple  is angalamman  who sits below the umbella held by the serpent holding a  small drum  , rope , sword  and skull   with fire as her   crow. Before  entering her temple is Nandi  and on her left side in Nagar(*serpent). On her right side is  Durga  in a separate   sub temple.In front of her is her primeval  form which was  being  worshipped in early times. Outside the sanctum is Ganesa  , Madhurai veeran  , Bommiyamman    and vellayamman. Pavazha  mali tree and white Arali tree   are the temple trees .On full moon(POurnami) ,on new moon(Amavasya)  , Fridays and  Tuesdays   special worship is done to Angalamman .Chithra pournami  , Adi pathinetteu , Navarathri   and Maha Sivarathri are  celebrated   at the temple. The main festival is  around the Maha Shivarathri day.  After   the flag is hoisted for the festival ,  for one week , the  the goddess  goes in a procession around the village around 7 Pm. On the last day of those 7 days  , the marriage of the mother is celebrated..On that day the Goddess goes out in a glass chariot at night.That day newly harvested from several fields on the way are  offered to her. Two days later  early morning at 1 Am , five dolls of different colours made  of Maida  is taken to the cremation ground and they are  smashed there,This is called Pancha Mukha Vettu festival.It is believed that  the Goddess protects the villagers because of this. On that day at 10Am , the goddess travelling on a Bootha(ghost) goes to the cremation ground.  Three days later a festival called Pillai Pavu   is celebrated. It is believed that  ladies without children would get children by participating in this festival.

       The temple  is about 1 km from the Dharmapuri town Bus stand.It is daily open from 6 Am to 12 noon  and later  between 4.30 Pm to 8 Pm,

Inampuliyur Sabari vara Mariamman temple

Inampuliyur Sabari vara  Mariamman temple

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

   Inamnpuliyur village   is near Puliyur   near Trichy town of Tamil Nadu. It seems several hundred years back, the cow herds and goat hers of the village noticed that a particular place of the   forests was avoided for grazing both by the  goats as wll as cows..One day they all joined together   and when they searched , they found a statue of Mariyamman lying there. When they informed the villagers about it, they decided to build a temple for that  Nariyamman in the spot she was found. Slowly the villages realized the power of the Goddess and a fairly big temple   was built in that place. The Goddess is in the sitting pose   and is facing the east..She has a very peaceful face and the devotees   who go worried there returnrd with great peace in their mind.. On the left of the Mariamman Sannidhi is  the temple for Karuppannaswami .Daily  only a ghee lamp is showed to the Goddess  ,But on the first day of Tamil as well as  English montha  , Fridays of Aadi  month, full moon and new moon days, special pooja and Abhisheka are  offered to the  Goddess,Sivarathri is  celebrated in a grand scale. After the  worship on day  Chundal made of  THattai Payaru  is  distributed. In the month  of Chithirai (april –may) , there is a festival in the temple for three  days. On the second day Pongal is offered to the Goddess  and Mavilakku (A lamp on rice powder mixture)  is observed, In the evening of the second day  devoteescarry milk pots, walk over burning fire  and so on when the Goddess  comes out to see  her people. On the third day, she is given bath in turmeric water.  Devotees believe that  they would get children if they attend the third day celebration,.

      The temple trees are Banyan and Peepul  tree , both of which are  several centuaries old. People desiring children hand baby cradles on the Peepul tree . Next to  the temple   is a structure called Amma Mandapam . Here the people getting b pox diseases are brought and are given the sacred   water from the temple . It seems they get cured   very fast..

        The temple is open between 6 am to 8 Am  and 5 PM to 8 PM.  From Chathiram bus stand of Trichy town buses go to Puliyur and from there   this temple  is about one km away.

Nachikurichi Madhavai Amman temple

Nachikurichi Madhavai Amman temple

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P.R.Ramachander

Nachikurichi is a   small village  near the city of Trichinopoly in Tamil Nadu.In this village   there is a temple of village  Gods and Goddesses . In front of the temple on both sides are temples of Lord Muruga  with Valli  and devanai and Lord Ganesa with Sidhi and Budhi, As soon  as enter the temple   are  huge trees of neem   and peepul.   These are considered as temple trees. Below the trees  is a big hall  with  God sambhavan. Devotees believe that  by sitting and meditating  peace descends  in to out mind quickly.. In the outer corridor of the temples  , there are temples  for Madhurai veeran and nagappar. Those who have dosha in their horoscope  due to rahu and Kethu , bring Nagar  statues and keep them   before  Nagappar  and worship them .People who have snake bite are  brought  to this temple and if they worship Nagappar , the effect  of poison is  considerably reduced.. There  is also a believe that  no one is bitten by a snake  in this village.If some one sees  a snake in the house , they bring a mud pot and keep it near  the snake. It seems the snake of its own enters the pot. Then  the snake is brought to Nagappar  temple and left there, this Nagappa swamy is the clan God for many families   surrounding the temple . In the corridor there are temples for Periyanna swami, Panayadi Karuppaswamy. This Karuppaswamy temple is below  two huge Palmyrah palms in the  temple,People believe   that by praying  to Nagappa swami and Periyanna swamy  the effect  of black  magic done by  others  can be removed..In the  middle of the temple   is the temple of Saptha Mathas.Vaishnavi who  is in the middle of the  saptha Mathas  is called Madhavai amman.On full moon days  special pooja and Abhishekam are  offered to  Madhavai Amman.In the month of Masi  there  is a 15 day festival in this temple. People regardless  of caste or religion participate  in this festival.

  This village is 5 km from Trichy central bus stand  and the temple is open from 6 Am   to 12 noon   and 4PM to 8 Pm.

  

Panamkudi Mariamman temple

Panamkudi  Mariamman temple

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P.R.Ramachander

    This is   a 300 year old temple  situated in annilam Taluq and is the village  Goddess  for  the four villages  of Panamgudi  , Mangulam  , Keezha panamgudi and Mela  vassal. After  a  big tinned shed , there  is big hall  followed by a small hall . On both sides of the  temple   the guardian gods Kathavarayan and Mahamayi   made  of wood   stand. On the right side of Kathavarayan   is Aariya mala and on   the left is Karuppaxhagi.  There are also separate temples for  Thottikatti chinnan and pechayi  . The  Mariyamman of the temple has a  fierce look   with round eyes   and protruding teeth. Devotees    believe that she has   taken this form to prevent  black magic from entering there

   In the month of Aadi(July –august)   there  is a  festival   in this temple. The goddess crosses  the river on a tueday and stays in the other shore   for two days, Next day  she goes in to the  villages of  Melavasal, AAndipanthal  , Mangulam  and Keezha panangudi . Similar procession  of the goddess  takes place  during the  pongal festival also.  On Shivarathri day   there is a practice of fire pot  accompanying the Goddess    to her four villages. There is a huge crowd in this temple on  Tuesdays and Fridays.

    This village is 40 km away from Nannilam in Thiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu and is on the banks of Mudikondan   river. The temple  is open from 9 Am to 12 noon  and 5 Pm to 8 Pm.