Adhi Parasakthi Siddhar Peetam, Melmaruvathur, Kanchipuram

Adhi Parasakthi Siddhar Peetam, Melmaruvathur, Kanchipuram

Arulmigu Adhi Parasakthi Siddhar Peetam is situated at Melmaruvathur, 92 km from Chennai (Formerly known as Madras) in the southern state of Tamilnadu, India. This is the place where 21 Siddhars (saints) men as well as women from different religion, had their Jeeva-Samadhis (meaning, where the Siddhars left their human forms behind, while they are still alive as holy spirits). Here in Melmaruvathur Adi Parashakti Siddhar Peetam, the divine mother Adhi para Sakthi transmigrates into Arulthiru Bangaru Adigalar thereby promoting spirituality and devotion. Women are the priests of this temple performing pujas and archanas in the very sanctum sanctorum to Mother Adhi Parasakthi.

Legends

There is a Woman-Siddha in swayambu form in the place wherefrom Mother Adhi Parasakthi emerged. She is head of all Siddhas. It is believed that a huge number of Siddhas are in this holy soil. Fertile lands are on the northern part of the temple. For the convenience of devotees staying during nights, it was suggested that a thatched roof tent may be built. But Bangaru Adigalar says that permission from Mother could be obtained as still many Siddhas exist under this land. Hence, the temple is called Siddhar Peetam.

History

Where the current temple's sanctum sanctorum stands today, there was only a neem tree in the 1960s. Unlike every other neem tree, which bear bitter tasting fruit, this tree secreted and dripped a sweet nectar. Residents of that village found that they had an urge in their mind to taste this nectar whenever they passed by this tree. Since many passers reported of curing their illness and diseases after tasting this nectar, the word spread swiftly to entire village and its neighborhood. So it became a customary for these villagers to take a drop of this nectar to ailing friends and relatives. They treated this as a medicinal tree and protected it from grazing cattle and wood cutters.

In 1966, a severe storm uprooted this neem tree, which exposed the Swayambu underneath to the villagers for the first time. Swayambu means a self-emerging, naturally formed oval shaped object (carved of rock). People built a small hut on top of this Swayambu and conducted poojas (prayer rituals) to it. This place is known as Siddhar Peetam (Siddhar in Tamil language means enlightened or evolved souls. Peetam means throne. Thus Siddhar Peetam means The Throne of Evolved Souls or Great Spiritual Masters/Gurus) where 21 Siddhars are laid in Jeeva Samadhi.

Swayambu alone was worshipped for many years. The idol of Mother Adhi para Sakthi was installed later in the sanctum sanctorum on November 25, 1977. The idol of beautiful Mother is three feet tall, seated on thousand-petal lotus seat, with her right leg folded and the left leg resting on the lotus petals. The thousand petal lotus has significance in meditation. In this idol form, she holds the bud of a lotus in her right hand, the mudra (sign) of knowledge in her left hand and with her hair plait and knotted upwards like a crown.

Principles of the Siddhar Peetam

The basic tenet of Melmaruvathur Adhi Parasakthi Siddhar Peetam is One Mother, One Humanity, means the whole human race is one and all the human beings who inhibit this vast earth are children of Mother Goddess and therefore there is no distinction amongst the human beings on any basis, be it religion, race, creed, community, caste or even gender at any Siddhar Peetam. Amma has revolutionized the concept of spirituality by letting everybody irrespective of caste, creed, religion, language, nationality, social status, gender, education, etc., to enter the sanctum sanctorum and perform the daily rituals and prayers to the Mother Adhi Parasakthi. Women can enter the temple even during their menstrual cycle (which is prohibited in Hindu Temples) after taking bathe.

Here in Melmaruvathur Adhi Parasakthi Siddhar Peetam, during the transmigration Adigalar (Amma) tells Arulvakku (oracle). Through the Arulvakku (oracle) Adhi Parasakthi herself speaks to her devotees, this is the unique specialty of this Siddhar Peetam. Hearing the Goddess Adhi Parasakthi’s oracle is a great spiritual experience, this miracle takes place at Siddhar Peetam. Arul Thiru Bangaru Adigalar is called by his devotees as Amma (means Mother), here in Siddhar Peetam whatever "Amma" says is the law and it is administered under the guidance of 'Amma' which is a divine administration.

The Temple

Mother Adhi Parasakthi is a swayambumurthy in the temple. Women perform pujas and archanas in the sanctum sanctorum. Three feet tall Mother Adhi Parasakthi appears in a sitting posture with right leg kneeled, and the left touching the lotus shaped phallus thus indicating that she is all supreme. Mother is holding lotus bud in her right hand.  As a tradition, Gods and Goddesses are formed with four hands. But here, as in the Madurai Sri Meenakshi Amman temple, Mother Adhi Parasakthi appears with two hands only. It is said that such forms – with two hands – are adopted in such places where the Goddess functioned in a human form. Her hair is knotted upward indicating high wisdom.

The Lotus phallus on which Mother is sitting indicates that she is in the heart of devotees. It may be recalled that the shape of human heart is also as a lotus bud placed upside down. The petals of the Lotus are both upward and downward indicating higher spiritual efforts and the material leaning of the human mind respectively. The sitting posture of Mother Adhi Parasakthi tells that she is pulling the unwise to enlightenment and that she is all supreme. 

It may be recalled that the idol of Mother Adhi Parasakthi was sculpted by Sri Ganapathi Sthapathi, principal of Mahabalipuram Sculpture College. This is probably the only temple in Tamilnadu where women enjoy the right of men-priests performing pujas in the very sanctum sanctorum of the temple. As a rule during the monthly cycle days, women do not go to temples for physical purity reasons. There is no such restriction to them in this temple. As this is a rule of nature in case of women, no debate on the issue is necessary, says Bangaru Adigalar. 

The Om Sakthi Podium:

The Om Sakthi Podium, with the Trident in its centre, stands vibrantly at the entrance and in front of the Siddhar Peedam. Since Adhi Parasakthi is the Mother of all Gods and Goddesses, there are no separate structures for the Navagrahas (the 9 planets generally termed as Planetary Lords, which can be usually seen in the Hindu Temples) in the Siddhar Peedam.

The Mother has strongly ascertained, “Those who surrender to me need not pray to the Planetary Lords. They are just my officers who carry out the work of implementing My Law of Karma. If you go round the Om Sakthi Podium, all the evil effects will be reduced in intensity or fully nullified.”

The Sanctum Sanctorum:

In the Sanctum Sanctorum, The Divine mother, Adhi Parasakthi showers her Choicest Blessings from the Lotus Peedam. She showers her Blessings in the ‘sitting’ posture folding her right leg and letting her left leg down. Keeping the left leg down signifies that The Divine Mother Adhi Parasakthi has the highest place in everything. 

She holds the Lotus Bud in her right hand signifying Gnana (wisdom) and depicts the Chin Mudra (index finger touching the thumb and the other fingers stretched out) in the left hand. The Swayambu is situated right in front of the Adhi Parasakthi statue. Anointments (Abishekam) and Archanas (pooja) are performed to the Adhi Parasakthi statue and Swayambu, every day. The sanctorum is only about 10X10 feet room.

Putrumandapam:

The Mother in order to keep blessing people at all times, dwells in the snake pit (Putrumandapam) in the form of a cobra. The Mother appears before the devotees who stay in the mandapam (Hall) at nights, in the form of a snake till this day. It is the Putrumandapam where the Mother gives her Oracle.

Saptha Kanniyar:

Saptha Kanniyar Kovil (The Temple of Seven Virgins) to the right of Putrumandapam. Normally the temple of the virgins will never have a roof. So also this temple of the virgins, with wall on four sides has no roof. To ascertain the fact that all are her children and that She doesn’t differentiate between any of us, the Mother ordained the local Harijans (considered to be low caste people in India) to construct the Saptha Kanniyar (Saptha means seven and Kanni means virgin. Kanniyar is plural for virgins) worship center within the Temple.

In 1974, the Saptha (Seven) Kanni (Virgin Angels) Sannidhi (Temple) was consecrated in Melmaruvathur Adhi Parasakthi Siddhar Peetam, Tamilnadu, India. As with everything else in Melmaruvathur, Saptha Kanniyar (Virgin Mothers) and their Temple is also unique, transcends the traditional and emphasizes the fundamental Universal Nature of these Mothers. Seven Angels are Saptha Mathas, Saptha Matrikas, Saptha Kannikas, etc. Also, some of these sources attempt to differentiate between Matrikas, Mathas and Virgin Angels, although in reality, they are one and the same.

In all Hindu scripts and Devi Mahatmayam, one will note that Saptha Kannikas are mentioned as Parivaara Devatas of Aadhi Para Shakti. Among the millions of Parivaara Devatas, these Seven Virgin Mothers carry special place in Aadhi Para Shakti as depicted in Sri Yantra (Sri Chakra). The seven nodes in the middle line of the First Enclosure (Prathama Aavaranaa) are occupied by the Saptha Kannikas, namely Brahmi, Maheshwari, Kowmari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Indrani, and Chamundi .

The eighth node is occupied by Mahalakshmi. Traditionally, all the Hindu Temples in villages and rural areas of India, these seven virgin mothers are consecrated as seven stones and worshipped as formless. These shrines are often called “Kanni Kovil” meaning “Virgin Temples”.

Naga Peedam:

Naga Peedam is situated behind the Putrumandapam.  Upon worshipping the deity in the Naga Peedam by lighting lemon lamp, the devotees can gain the benefits of worshipping three Goddesses Kanchi Kamakshi, Kasi Visalakshi and Madurai Meenakshi thereby nullifying family related problems and fostering unity within the family members.

Arut Koodam:

The divine Arut Koodam is situated in the North-Western corner of the Siddhar Peedam. At Arut Koodam, the devotees perform Paadha Pooja to His Holiness for getting His Divine Blessings and Guidance to get rid of their personal problems.

Atharvana Badrakali Temple:

This is a small temple is situated opposite to the Omsakthi Podium of the Siddhar Peedam. People who have been affected and crippled by the negative forces of Witchcraft and Black Magic will be cured if they worship the powerful Goddess of this temple.

Special Features

·      With a view to show divine miracles, supernatural and spiritual powers and to talk to common man, the Adhi Parasakthi had appeared in the form of Arul thiru, Bangaru Adigalar at Melmaruvathur.

·     Melmaruvathur is the adobe of 21 Siddhas who are said to be in Jeeva Samathi here.

·    All people irrespective of caste, creed, community or religion, can go inside sanctum sanctorum and worship the goddess.

·        Ladies also can go inside sanctorum for worshipping and perform pooja.

·        During Aadipooram, Adigalar is doing Angaprathatchanam in the temple.

·        During 1st day of Navarathri, Adigalar lights the holy Agandam.

·        For the welfare and betterment of the family and wipe out sins, lights are lit in the lime fruits at Naga Peetam.

·    In this temple. Angaprathatchanam is considered to be the best way of showing Divinity for one’s welfare.

·    Angaprathatchanam during Aadipooram and worshipping holy Agandam in Navarathri are considered best for Papa Vimochanam.

·     During Aadipooram people themselves, can do Ablution (Abishekam) to Swayambu with milk.

·    People are allowed to do Poojas according to their religious practice in this temple.

·   Agama, shilpa Rules are not followed in this Peetam. What Adigalar dictates is Veda and practice and a Divine Administration is held in this temple.

·    Tamil Mantras, velvis and kalasa, Vilakku Poojas are conducted periodically.

·       There is a separate sanctum for Atharvana Badrakali who expels all evil activities and removes all enchantment.

·        All-religious practices exist in books brought in to practice in this temple.

·   Poor feeling, supplying clothing and industrial Equipments to down trodden, free marriages to poor, help to widows, giving aids, wheel chairs, tricycles to disabled etc. are being done on important festivals towards socio economic service to the community.

·      Spiritual conferences are held for world peace, thus getting wealth from those who possess and distribute it to those who need it.

·    Sakthi Peetams and Mandrams are started throughout the world to spread spirituality and also to do social works. There are Sakthi Peetams all over world and over 5000 Mandrams in India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Nigeria, America, Zambia, France, etc.

·        All of these are mainly based on Adigalar’s Arulvakku only.

·     Arul Vaakku is the prime capital; Adigalar is the prime sustainer for this organization.

·        In this place, whoever does meditations 108 times with proper fasting & carry Irumudi 9 times are not affected with bad evils.

Temple Opening Time

The temple is open from 3.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and from 3.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.

Festivals

·        Thaipoosam - January

·        His Holiness’ Birthday - 3 March

·        Telugu New Year’s Day - April

·        Tamil New Year’s Day - April

·        Chitra Pournami - April

·        Adi Pooram - August

·        Navarathri - October

·        All Full Moon Days and New Moon days throughout the Calendar Year

Poojas

Timings	Poojas
3:00 AM	Opening of the Sanctum Sanctorum
3:00 AM - 4:00 AM	Abishekam to the Suyambu and the Presiding Deity
4:00 AM - 5.30 AM	Alangaram
5:30 AM	Maha Deeparathanai & Public Darshan Starts
8:00 PM	Temple will be opened till 8:00 PM for Public Darshan

The timings given are approximate. It may vary on certain special occasions. On Sundays, Tuesdays, Fridays, New moon days, full moon days, and Siddhar Peedam festival days, there will be no break in Darshan Timings.

The Daily Routine

The people who serve in the Siddhar Peetam are normally the devotees clad in red dress. They come from outstations, render services and return home. To serve at the sanctum sanctorum, each one of the weekly worshipping centers (Mandrams) is allotted a day and informed sufficiently early. Accordingly, all Mandrams compete with one another in rendering the best service. Every day Abhishekam at the sanctum sanctorum takes place at 4:00 am. After this, idol of the Mother is decorated followed by aradhana. The Mother's blessed Prasadam (proceeding of the prayer) is then offered to the devotees. Every day around 11:00 AM free food is distributed to all visiting devotees. Besides, on the new moon and full moon days, Adigalar is given a special welcome and the free food distribution is done on a large scale.

Prayers

Devotees throng the temple for all prosperity in life. Devotees offer Shakti Mala garlands, carry Irumudi as followed in the Ayyappan prayer model and they do the Anga Pradakshina – rolling around the prakara.

Contact

Sri Melmaruvathur Adhi Parasakthi Temple,

Melmaruvathur, Kancheepuram District

Phone: +91 – 44 – 27529217

Connectivity

Melmaruvathur is 92 km far from Chennai on the Tiruchi National Highway and falls 25km before the Tindivanam. It's a straight single road from Chennai and is well connected through train and buses. Nearest Railway Station is located at Melmaruvathur and Nearest Airport is located at Chennai.