Pidari Chellandiamman Temple, Oruvandhur, Namakkal
Sri
Pidari Chellandiamman Temple is located at a distance 12 kms from Namakkal in
Tamilnadu. The presiding deity is a swayambumurthy. Salt sand is offered as
sacred ashes to the devotees.
Legends
About a
thousand years back, the soil of this region was salty. While men were digging
the salt soil, the crowbar of one stopped with a sound with blood coming out.
On checking, they found a beautiful Goddess Idol. People in their ecstasy,
erected a temporary green tent and began worshipping. The Goddess stayed there
permanently with the name Pidari Chellandiamman. In due course, with the
efforts of the peopled backed by the grace of the Goddess, the present temple
came into being.
The
Temple
The
Goddess here graces as Chellandiamman. There are shrines for Malayala
Karupannasamy, Pattavan, Madurai Veeran, Sadaichi Amman, Pechiamman and
Sapthakannis (seven maidens) in the prakara – the ring way around the main
shrine known as corridors.
People
here believe that Goddess Chellandiamman is the combined form of Lord Shiva and
Shakti. The Goddess is facing north towards Mohanur and Namakkal. It is also
the belief of the people here that the development of this region is only due
to this aspect of the Goddess.
A few
years back, while digging the land for temple renovation work, a stone was
found that was carved with a horse, tree and a Linga and Parvathi worshipping
the Linga. Though the bull is the vehicle of Lord Shiva, this showed a horse as
His vehicle. As the sculpture shows Parvathi worshipping the Lord, women
worship this stone to get their desires realized, those facing obstacles in
their marriage proposals in particular.
Temple
Opening Time
The
temple is opened from 6.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.
Festivals
15 day
Masi Magam (February-March) festival including a car festival and the Vel
festival in Margazhi (December-January) are grandly celebrated in the temple.
During the Vel festival all the Puja articles are taken to all the Ettupatti villages
and return to the temple. 1008 milk pot abishek festival is conducted on the
last Friday of Adi month (July-August. Special Pujas are performed on New Moon
and Full Moon days each month.
Prayers
Devotees
seek child boon, removal of obstacles in marriage talks and to achieve
excellence in education. Abishek are performed for the Goddess with Vastras
–clothing.
Contact
Sri
Pidari Chellandiamman Temple,
Oruvandhur
– 637 015, Namakkal
Connectivity
Oruvandhur
is 12 km from Namakkal on the Mohanur route. It is well connected to
Namakkal by Buses. Nearest Railway Station is located at Namakkal & Nearest
Airport is located at Trichy.