Friday, August 19, 2016

Muthumariamman Temple, Thayamangalam, Sivaganga

Muthumariamman Temple, Thayamangalam, Sivaganga
Muthumariamman Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Mariamman located in Thayamangalam in Sivagangai District, Tamilnadu, India.  It is a powerful temple and the primary God Muthumaari Amman resolve people’s all the prayers and problems. There is a Big Theppakulam has located (Theertham) near by the temple.

Legends
Three hundred years ago, farmers of Ramnad region have traded their crops in the Capital city of Pandya kingdom called Maduraiyampathi. Muthuchettiar is one of the prominent trader and famous for his probity. He used to worship Meenakshi and Chokkanathar on his return to his native. Even though he was rich, he had no children and the family was worried over this. One day while returning from Maduraiyampathi, he found a three year old girl baby crying isolated in Chinnamanur. He embraced the child and since there is no one nearby, he felt that God has blessed him with this child and he decided to take care of the child.
On his way, he found a river and wished to take bath in it. He left the child on the banks of river and went for bathing. He was shocked to see the child missing on his return. He searched everywhere and unable to find the child. He returned back home and explained her wife about the happenings. The couple did not eat out of mental depression and both went on sleep. The child appeared in his dream and informed that it is staying in the cactus forest and asked him to make an idol of it and to worship regularly.
As Muthuchettiar carried the child on his shoulders, the child directed to combine his name along with the name of the Goddess, hence the idol of the Goddess was named as "Muthumaari". People made the idol of Goddess using the sand from the riverside where the child was found and built a thatch-roofed tiny temple. It is believed that people will be provided with all the wealth by worshiping this Goddess. The temple hall was built by collecting donation from the rich people and foreigners. The black stone statue of the Goddess and the temple was built in the year 1914.
The successors of Muthuchettiar were maintaining the temple for the past seven generations. A successor Mr. N.A. Muthupal Chettiar was appointed with effect from 1-12-1967 and continuing his tenure till 3-4-2001 under the act 1180/68, ordered by Hindu Religious Endowment Board and Madurai Assistant Commissioner. As he died on 4-4-2001, his son Mr. M. Venkatesan Chettiar was appointed as a hereditary Trustee by the Hindu Religious Endowment Board. During the year 1934, this temple was announced as Exempted Temple by the Chennai board of Commissioner under the order 2286(a.O. 327/34) dated September 19th.
The Temple
Muthumariamman is worshipped as virgin deity as she is still a child. Those seeking marriage boon offer a pearl of gold at her feet instead of the traditional offer of a mangal sutra. The “Archanai” is performed at the same time for Moolavar and Urchavar in different locations.

Temple Opening Time
The temple is open from 7.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. continuously.
Festivals
Kappu Kattudhal (this may be called an announcing or inauguration ceremony. Till the conclusion of the festival, the residents would not leave the place.) Procession with milk pots, Theerthavari, Pookuzhi or fire pit festival, Navarathri in September-October, abishek with 108 pots of milk and special pujas in the month of Aadi (July-August) and Thai (January-February) are importantly celebrated in the temple.
Panguni festival / Pongal festival is being celebrated on the 7th day ( 22nd day of the Tamil Month Panguni), Milk pot festival and Flower Pallakku on the 23rd day of the Tamil Month Panguni 23rd day. The festival will be completed on 25th day of Panguni after celebrating “Theertha vari” function. Panguni festival is the only festival which is grandly celebrated when compared with the Tamil Month Aadi
10th day of Panguni – The festival begins with the flag hoisting in the temple and with Kaapu Kattudhal. The festival goes on for 15 days. On the 22nd day of Panguni – Devotees carry Agni Chatti, the clay pot with 1000 holes, filled up with burning coal and come around the temple. Childless parents, when they get a baby after their prayers, they place the baby in a cradle made of sugarcane and the mother’s cotton sari and they come around the temple, giving thanks to the goddess.
Devotees offer even different parts of the bodies made of steel, like the pair of eyes, hands legs, and even a full clay toy, praying the goddess to cure their diseases.
Contact
Sri Muthumariamman Temple
Thayamangalam – 630 709
Sivaganga District
Phone: +91 4564 206 614
Connectivity
The temple is 22 km from Manamadurai, Paramakudi. Buses from these places to Thayamangalam are available only at specific hours. In the festival time, Government of Tamilnadu is operating more than 100 buses from Madurai, Sivagangai, Manamadurai, Paramakudi and Kalaiyarkoil for the facilities of the devotees.
Thayamangalam is a small town in the Sivaganga district in the Indian state of Tamilnadu. The town is 68 km from Madurai and comes under the Ilaiyankudi block. The town is located a short distance from railway stations situated in Paramakudi (20 km), Sivaganga (25 km), &Manamadurai (22 km).
Thayamangalam is located 6.7 km distance from its Taluk Main Town Ilayankudi. Thayamangalam is 22.8 km far from its District Main City Sivaganga. It is 416 km far from its State Main City Chennai.