Mandaikadu Bhagavathy Amman Temple –
Festivals
The
Kodai festival at Mandaikadu is a major celebration in the region and as in
Sabarimala people flock here, especially women. To accommodate the large
populations special buses run between Nagercoil and nearby towns at the time,
there are also chain services operated from Thiruvananthapuram. The idol here
is unique and is earthy. The worship is also unique as it is not forbidden to
cook and eat non-vegetarian foods, as in most other major Hindu temples, during
the festival.
One can
see meat being cooked during these days around the temple. This festival falls
in the month of March – April of the English calendar. During the festival, the
Tamilnadu Tourism Department arranges photographic exhibition and other
programs. This festival draws huge crowds of around 10 lakh people. Mandaikadu
Kodai Festival is celebrated on last Tuesday in the Tamil month of “Masi” every
year. Festival will start ten days prior to this Tuesday.ie, Sunday with flag
hoisting in flag mast of the temple.
At the
time of flag hoisting, priest along with devotees will go for holy bath in the
morning and will return with a pot of holy water. The holy water will be
sprayed all over the temple premises and cleaned. Then only the festival will
start. Throughout the 10 days every day at 8.30 pm after the poojas are over,
the goddess will be taken in procession around the temple streets.
Valiya Padukkai:
It is
the sixth day festival held on Friday within the Kodai festival. Even though
poojas done for all 10 days. Pooja done at 8.30 pm in this sixth day has more
importance and speciality. Lot of devotees will take part in this occasion.
Odukku Pooja:
Odukku
Pooja will be held on the tenth day night at 1am. This is the last pooja of Mandaikadu
Kodai festival.
Ettam Kodai:
Once the
Kodai festival is over, coming eighth day Tuesday will be called as Ettam
Kodai. In the Ancient days, people around the nearby village peoples took part
in this occasion. But nowadays people from all over district and nearby Kerala
state coming in large numbers to celebrate this festival. Special bus services
are operated from nearby towns for the devotee’s transportation.
Bharani Kodai:
In the Tamil
month of Panguni, Panguni star will occur on one day and that day will be
celebrated as Bharani Kodai. Peoples around the Mandaikadu area believe that
goddess Mandaikadu Amman born in this day.
Apart
from the above festival, Pournami (Poornima), Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays are
important days in this temple.