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Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Mariamman Temple, Rasipuram, Namakkal

Mariamman Temple, Rasipuram, Namakkal
Sri Mariamman Temple is located in Rasipuram Taluk in Namakkal District of Tamilnadu. Amman in the temple is a swayambumurthy with the honour of Nitya Sumangali title. The temple is situated on the Rasipuram-Namakkal route. The bus stop is very near the temple.  

Legends
The place was fertile with green fields. A farmer, while tilling the land found a place bleeding. He brought all the people and while digging the place, they found a swayambu deity. Mother spoke through one of her devotees to build a temple for her in the place. People did it. Later, they built a temple installing an idol of Mother Mari Amman.
The Temple
Amman in the temple is a swayambumurthy with the honour of Nitya Sumangali title. As a tradition, only during festivals, a wooden post with three branches (Kambam in Tamil) is planted in Mari Amman temples before Ambica.  It is a permanent feature in this temple.  It is said that Ambica has a direct view on this Kambam considered as her Lord.  Hence, she is praised as Nitya Sumangali Amman. Women believe that worshipping Amman would bless them a life with their husbands and absolute longevity to their Mangalsutras in their life time. 

People seeking child boon follow a strange puja in the temple. During the Aipasi festival, they remove the old Kambam and replace it with a new one. Take the old one to a well nearby, do pujas and offer curd rice nivedhana. Women seeking child boon worship the Kambam and consume the curd rice nivedhana so that they will get their wish-child boon. 
This temple is situated amidst four hills, Kollimalai, Alavai malai, Nainamalai and Bodhamalai. During the Aipasi festival Ambal is decorated with flowers called Poochattu. Worshipping during this time is considered a lucky opportunity for the devotees. The swayambu Amman is in the sanctum sanctorum before Ambica seated on a square stage-peeta. 
Swayambu Ambica is in the form of a Linga. The Yali Vahana – resembling a lion – is before Ambica. There is also a swing mandapam. The foot prints of Ambica are on the swing. Women seeking child boon move the swing to and fro with their prayers. There are shrines for Lords Vinayaka and Muruga only in the prakara. There are other deities in the prakara. 
Cooked raw rice is offered as nivedhana to the Lord of the temple. Sri Vinayaka of the temple is praised as Anugnai Vinayaka. The vimana of the temple is of hexagonal design.
Temple Opening Time
The temple is opened from 6.00 a.m. to 12.00 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.
Festivals
A 15 day festival is observed in the month of Aipasi (October-November)
Prayers
People pray to Mari Amman for cure from all the diseases and those with vision problems in particular. Realizing their wishes, devotees carry fire pots and do body circumambulation-Angapradakshinam.
Contact
Sri Mariamman Temple,
Rasipuram-637 408,
Namakkal District
Phone: +91- 4287 - 220 411, 99940 71835.
Connectivity
The temple is situated on the Rasipuram – Namakkal route. The bus stop is very near the temple. Rasipuram is located on the highway NH7 which connects Salem and Namakkal.
SH79 - Athur - Mallikkarai - Rasipuram - Triuchengode - Erode Road and SH95 - Mohanur - Namakkal – Sendamangalam - Rasipuram Road are the two state highways runs through Rasipuram.
The town is located on the new broad gauge line which connects Salem and Karur. Salem – Karur railway line was opened for rail traffic in May 2013. The Rasipuram Railway Station (RASP) is well connected to major cities in South India.
There are daily express trains from Chennai - Central, Bangalore, Salem, MaduraiTirunelveli and Palani. The nearest airport is Salem Airport which is 37 km north of the town. Nearest Major Airport is located at Trichy & Coimbatore.