Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Annamalaiyar Temple – Fifth Prakaram – Valaikappu Mandapam

Annamalaiyar Temple – Fifth Prakaram – Valaikappu Mandapam
This mandapa is used during the Adipuram festival for the bangle wearing ceremony of the Goddess Unnamulai Amman. This is an open sixteen pillared mandapa on a high plinth. This is facing west with a flight of four steps. This is attached to the back of the garbhagriha of Kambatthu Ilayanar shrine. The outer square is supported by 12 pillars. The inner raised platform is supported by four pillars. The adhishtana of plinth resembles to that of the Kambatthu Ilayanar shrine.

This mandapam is used during the Adipuram Festival i.e. the annual 10 days Parvati Amman Utsavam Festival. The Festival concludes with a traditional Valaikappu (bangle) ceremony  and worship of Amman by lady devotees. On this day glass bangles are offered to Ambal and then distributed to devotees. 


These bangles are said to provide offspring and generally protect the wearer from evils. In addition Valaikappu is a Festival during which a pregnant woman wears glass bangles as the sound of the bangles is believed to protect her and her pregnancy from evil forces.