Madukkarai Chellandiamman
Temple, Mayanur, Karur
Chellandiamman Temple located at
Madukkarai (Mayanur), Krishna Rayapuram taluk, Karur district, Tamil Nadu,
India. Cauvery River flows through Mayanur. There is a Thiru Mukkudal i.e,
confluence of two rivers Cauvery and Amaravathi near Mayanur. Here the river
Cauvery is known as Aganda Cauvery (broad Cauvery) since the width of the river
is around 1.5 km.
Chellandiamman temple is located on the southern bank of
the confluence point. The temple is surrounded by coconut groves and paddy
fields and the Cauvery River flows on the northern side. The goddess ensures
that at this point in Cauvery the water flowing throughout the year. The
temple draws water from Cauvery for ablution.
This temple is considered to be built 2500 yrs ago by
all the 3 kings of the Chera, Chola and Pandya Kingdoms. She is called the
Madukkarai Chellandiamman. The king of the Chola Kingdom prayed to the Goddess
here to make the Kingdom fertile. So the Goddess here has her head tilted to
the north east. She is special towards wedding problem, child birth issues, and
property issues. The present construction of the temple is not ancient.
Prime Deity: Chellandiamman
Thala Virutcham: Arasu (Peepal) and Neem – Vembu
Theertham: Cauvery River
Antiquity: 2000 years old
Town / Village: Madukkarai (Mayanur)
District: Karur
Taluk: Krishnarayapuram
State:
Tamil Nadu
Prime Deity
The temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvati
(Chellandiamman) and in the sanctum sanctorum the prime deity is appear mounted
on her lion. The goddess keeps facing the holy river Cauvery as well as the
Chola Nadu.
Guardian Deities
Separate shrines are allocated for the guarding deities
(parivara devatas) like Lord Madurai Veeran Lord Kathavarayan and goddess
Pechiyamman. Outside the temple (east side) Chandana Karuppar riding a horse is
protecting this temple.
Lord Chandana Karuppar (Karupannaswamy) found seated on
the horse back and guards the temple from outside the temple premises. Lord
Valampuri Vinayakar graces in the prakaram under a Peepal tree (Arasa maram).
From Karuppar shrine there are eighteen steps leading to
the holy river. On the banks (near steps) Lord Shiva found seated under the
banyan tree.
The Arya Rajan, ruler of the kingdom of Madurai
king was the staunch devotee of the goddess Madurai Meenakshi. He wanted to
bring the holy water from river Cauvery for ablution of goddess Meenakshi.
There is a legend about the construction of the road from Madurai to
Madukkarai. The idols of Arya Rajan and his consort queen Chandanathammal are
found at the left side of the sanctum of the prime deity.
Legend
The three rulers of ancient Tamil Nadu namely Cheras,
Cholas and Pandyas often waged war against each other to establish their rights
over territorial boundaries. Since there were frequent wars their strength was
getting weakened day by day, they wanted to come to an amicable agreement. They
wanted to settle their disputes in the presence of a neutral personality.
They even met a sage for a solution. The sage knew that
goddess Parvati was observing penance in a hill located north of Karur and
directed them to approach the goddess. The kings with great effort met the
goddess Parvati and sought her grace in solving the dispute. Goddess wanted to
test their loyalty and directed them to go to Mayanur.
The goddess also appeared before them at Mayanur in
guise of a tribal girl. She listened to their territorial disputes and finally
gave them a solution. Accordingly the land falling east to Mayanur went to
Cholas (Chola Nadu); the land falling west to Mayanur was handed over to Cheras
(Chera Nadu); and the land falling south went to Pandyas (Pandya Nadu). The
boundaries were indicated clearly.
The three kings accepted the justice rendered by the
tribal girl. Soon they realized that the tribal girl rendering justice was only
goddess Parvati. They prostrated before the goddess Parvati and prayed her to
remain there as the guardian deity. The goddess also agreed to remain at
Mayanur in the name of Chellandi Amman and was facing towards east (Chola
Nadu). She also instructed Mother Cauvery would take care of their fortune.
It is also learned from the local people that after a
long time after establishment of the above temple, The Chera, Chola and Pandya
kings again prayed that they wanted the presence of goddess in their kingdom
and wanted to construct Chellandiamman temple for her. The Goddess divided
herself in to three pieces and the three kings obtained one piece each for the
construction of temple.
In Chellandiamman temple at Trichy, Uraiyur (Chola
Nadu), only the leg (without body) was consecrated. In Chellathamman temple at
Madurai, Simmakkal (Pandya Nadu) her head was consecrated and in Chelliamman
temple at Noyyal (place of Noyyal confluence to Cauvery) near Karur (Chera
Nadu) her torso is consecrated.
Evidence for Presence of Border Wall
The place was named as Madukkarai (Madhil = Wall + Karai = Border /
Territories) since the territories of the kingdoms were earmarked with the
construction of the walls. Wikipedia reports about Madukkarai wall as the
historic border fortification as 'the stone and earthen fortification with a
parallel embankment in central Tamil Nadu. The wall was built during the
Pre-Sangam period to demarcate the tri-junction of the Chera, Chola and
Pandya.'
According to local people the goddess Chellandiamman
presided over the territorial dispute between the kings and rendered justice
with construction of wall overnight by her supernatural act. It is also noted
that the Karaipottanar River (tributary of the Cauvery River to the north)
provides the border between Chera (Kongu) Nadu and Chola Nadu.
An embankment running southwards across the Kulithalai
taluk can be considered as the continuation of the boundary. The Chellandiamman
temple at Mayanur is the culminating point of the wall. The wall is believed to
be extending up to Madurai.
It is also learned that the presence of wall and can
notice a straight line from Chellandiamman temple up to Kadavur hills. Though
the portions of the walls got destroyed, the mud bank remain intact and at some
pockets the relics of six feet wide wall structure can also noticed.
Link with Ponnar Sankar Novel
The temple is linked with the 'Ponnar Sankar', the
historical novel penned by Dr.Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi. The author stayed at
Mayanur for long duration while writing the novel Ponnar Sankar.
Festivals
Every year during August Adi-18 festival is celebrated
in a grand manner by the surrounding villages and the people of Mayanur.
Connectivity
Mayanur is located on "Karur-Trichy" main road (NH-37), 21 km from Karur city and 21 km from Kulithalai. Travel from Trichy 60 km; from Kulithalai 23 km; from Karur 19 km; Nearest Railway station: Mayanur.
Mayanur is located on "Karur-Trichy" main road (NH-37), 21 km from Karur city and 21 km from Kulithalai. Travel from Trichy 60 km; from Kulithalai 23 km; from Karur 19 km; Nearest Railway station: Mayanur.