Mariamman Temple, Valangaiman, Thiruvarur

Mariamman Temple, Valangaiman, Thiruvarur

Mariamman Temple is a Hindu temple in the town of Valangaiman in the Tiruvarur district of Tamilnadu, India.

Legends

The story that Mother Shakti was born to Daksha and married Lord Shiva and that she ended herself due to the humiliation she met from her own father Daksha is popular among the people.  Lord Vishnu requested Lord Shiva to create a beautiful Shakti.  That Shakti created by Lord Shiva made many places as her abode, 108 in number.  Some temples excel in glory these 108 Shakti Peeta.  Valangaiman Maha Kali is one such temple.

Some People believe that Mother Parasakthi took away the heat from the world and provided Rain to protect the lives on the Earth. They thought that Mother Parasakthi appeared in this world as Mariamman and some thought she was Renuka mother of Parasuraman. Others thought that Mariamman was Sakthi who destroyed Marasuran. Some thought that the worship of Kannaki later on changed into the worship of Mariamman yet people believe that Mariamman is part of Parasakthi who had taken away the heat from the Earth, provided Rain and protected the lives on the Earth. Still they believe that Mariamman is Mahashakti.

There are temples in every place for this Mahashakti and she has been creating wonders in all these places. In Valangaiman, Varadharajanpettai Muthumariamman had a wonderful historical background.

In a street Valangaiman Varadharajanpettai about 200 years ago there lived Kathagounder. His wife's Govindammal both of them devotees of God. Kathagounder was a farmer. His wife prepared eatables and sold them in the nearby villages. She had a good sale of her eatable in a village called Pungancheri South East of Valangaiman.

One day on Friday Govindammal went to Pungancheri for her business. She got a lot of money, paddy and then she went to a tank for bath, and there she saw a Brahmin couple with their child went towards Adaikkalam Katha Ayyanar Temple. After bathing Govindammal heard the cry of a child from the side of the Ayyanar temple.

Govindammal hurried to the spot and found a girl child was crying there. She called the neighbours and the people from the street ran towards the temple. They searched for the persons who brought the child there, but there was nobody.

Govindammal took the crying child and immediately the child stopped her cry and laughed beautifully. All the people of the street were attracted by beauty of the child. And they wanted to bring up the child themselves.

Finally the people decided that the leader of the street (Nattamai) should bring up the child. Govindammal felt sorry that she did not get the child. She returned to her house and for three days she didn’t go to Pungancheri for selling.

In Pungancheri, all of a sudden fowls, sheep and cattle’s died and many people suffered by smallpox. The child from the Ayyanar temple was also infected by smallpox. There was confusion everywhere at that time a furious man said that the child should be given to Govindammal and further said that then only that village would become well.

Immediately they called Govindammal and gave the child to her. Govindammal got the child, named her as 'Sithala' and began to bring her up. But on the 3rd day by the acute smallpox the child passed away. Govindammal and her husband with sorrowful heart did the funeral at the back of their house (some believed that the child lived for seven and half years in Govindammal house and had done many wonders and then only she died).

Later on people after bathing in 'Kudamurutti' crossed the backyard of Govindammal house. They came to know that it was Mariamman came to the house of Govindammal in the shape of the child, immediately they built Sithala Devi Mahamariamman temple and considered the Goddess as Mother Parasakthi. This is the historical background of the Valangaiman Mahamariamman temple.

Temple Speciality

In India this is the only separate temple for Goddess Sithala Devi as called as “Padaikatti Mariamman” protected the people from smallpox and many other diseases. This Goddess Padaikatti Mariamman has a supreme power to the Devotees.

Devotees here follow a strange custom of prayer commitment by doing a ritual with Padai – generally used for carrying a dead body.

The Paadai festival is celebrated in the month of Panguni-March-April.  Sick people pray to Amman that they would offer the Padai Kavadi to her after recovery from illness.  The patient after recovery shall lie on this Paadai as a dead person accompanied by son and wife. The patient will be brought to the temple.  The priest would spill the water on the body.  The person would wake up as if from death by the grace of Amman.  The belief is that Amman would not let her devotee die.

Every year in the days of Panguni Padaikatti Festival Lacks of People from all over the country visited this temple for worshipping to sending their Nerthi Kadan, Kanikai and Whatever they think it and get the turning point in their life.     

The Temple

The Temple is situated with cultural style. The Sudha Idol of Mahamariamman in the front elevation is attractive with natural appearance. The stone idol of Pechiyamman, Erulan and Veeran are situated in left prakara mandapam. In the front mandapam and Alangara mandapam are constructed with artistic sense. The Sudha idol of Ambal in the alangaramandapam and Maha mandapam has a special appearance. The Garpagraha Vimanam is constructed in the scholar style.

The Vimanam are in Dravida Style. In the prakara mandapam many Goddess Avatharam (Colour paintings) are found in the walls. The Prakara mandapam is RCC Roof. Many colour Kamalams are appeared in the top of the prakara mandapam roof.

There are shrines for Lord Vinayaka, Pechi Amman, Irulan and Madurai Veeran in the temple.

Temple Opening Time

The temple is open from 5.30 am to 1.00 p.m and again 4.00 p.m to 9.00 p.m daily

On Sundays it is open from 5.30 a.m to 10.00 p.m

On festival days the temple is open throughout the day and night and it is never closed.

Pooja Timing

In Valangaiman Mahamariamman temple daily poojas, special poojas and poojas on festival days are conducted properly. The six time poojas of the temple.

Pooja Names	Timings
Ushathkalam Pooja Kalasandhi Pooja Uchikalam Pooja Sayaratchai Pooja Irandamkalam Pooja Arthajamam Pooja	Morning   6.00 a.m Morning   9.00 a.m Noon      12.00 Evening   6.00 p.m Night        8.00 p.m Night        9.00 p.m

Fee Structure

Special way - Rs.10/-

Abhishegam - Rs.50/-

Annadhanam Scheme:

·        Member to be permitted per day - 100 people

·        Per Month Annadhanam Expense - Rs. 60,000/-

·        Per day Annadhanam cost - Rs.2000/-

Festivals

The two months Panguni and Avani are very important months for festivals in this temple. In the month of Avani on every Sunday special festivals are considered for Sithala Devi. On every Sunday special Abhishekam and Arathanais are conducted for the Goddess from 7.00 p.m night.

Special Religious lectures, fine arts programmes are conducted for the people for the devotion towards the Goddess. A number of people worship the Goddess and receives her blessings.

In the Last Sunday of the month Avani the floating festival of the Goddess is conducted. The Goddess in her Swan vehicle goes around the tank and appears before the devotees.

Panguni Festivals:

The Panguni festival starts in the first Sunday of the month that night Kappu is tied both for the Goddess and the Priest.

The First day festival in the month of Panguni	Sithala Devi Mariamman comes in the streets in Swan Vehicle.
Second Day Festival	Sima Vehicle
Third Day Festival	Swan Vehicle
Fourth Day Festival	Mahishasuramardhini on her Sima Vehicle
Fifth Day Festival	In the image of Kannapiran. The Goddess with a pot in her left hand and butter in the right hand goes around the streets.
Sixth Day Festival	Rajeswari Sitting on the Elephant Vehicle
Seventh Day Festival	Raja Decoration in Horse Vehicle
Eight Day Festival	Padaikavadi Festival
Ninth Day Festival	Sedal Festival, Sprinkling of Turmeric Water
Tenth Day Festival	The floral chariot Festival

Prayers

Those suffering from impaired vision, suffering from small pox and facing hurdles in marriage proposals pray in the temple. The most important prayer commitment in the temple is the Paadai Kavadi – a ladder horizontally placed and decorated for carrying a dead body. The father is placed on this and carried as a corpse. The son with all devotion will carry the fire pot and the wife of the acting dead person will accompany with neem leaves. In some cases, the son will be on the Paadai with father and relatives carrying the fire pot.

Contact

Sri Valangaiman Maha Kali Temple,

Valangaiman, Tiruvarur.

Phone: +91 4374-264575

Connectivity

The temple is in Varadarajan Pettai in Valangaiman 10 km far from Kumbakonam on the banks of Kudamurutti River. The full name of the temple is Seethala Devi Maha Mari Amman temple. The Temple Located at 10km South from Kumbakonam which is between Kumbakonam to Mannargudi route and 10 km South from Kumbakonam Railway station.

Nearest Railway Station is located at Dharasuram and Nearest Airport is located at Trichy.