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Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Samayapuram Mariamman Temple, Samayapuram – Prayers

Samayapuram Mariamman Temple, Samayapuram – Prayers
It is believed by the devotees that the Goddess has enormous powers over curing illnesses and hence, it is a ritual to buy small metallic replicas, made with silver or steel, of various body parts that need to be cured, and these are deposited in the donation box. Devotees also offer Mavilakku, a sweet dish made of jaggery, rice flour and ghee. Offerings of raw salt is also made to the Goddess by the rural devotees. Every Sunday, Tuesday and Friday, hundreds of devotees throng the temple and perform Poojas.
Local beliefs associate this deity with cures for diseases such as small pox and chicken pox. Mother Mariamman undergoes a fast for the welfare of mankind for 28 days from the last Sunday of Masi month-February-March. During these days no cooked preparation is offered as Nivedhana but only some flour, orange, grapes and green coconut. For completing this fasting, abishek is offered to Amman only with flowers – Poo in Tamil and this event is known as Poo Choridal.
Those suffering from measles for a long time, come here and stay till they are cured, light Maavilakku (a lamp made of flour and Jaggery paste with ghee) and return back with their soul and mind left in the temple.  They only physically go back. The Goddess fulfils any aspiration of the devotee. The disabled and those with impaired vision pray to Mother Mariamman for reliefs. Devotees also pray for agricultural yields and business development.
Tonsuring, Archanas, Abishek are largely followed. Ear boring is undertaken here. Devotees pull the golden chariot, carry fire pots, punch their faces, roll round the temple, offer cradles made of sugarcane, light lamps made of flour and ghee for 15 days during Thaipoosam festival in January-February, offer paddy, donate grains, sheep, cocks as prayer commitments. They also feed the poor.
Thali the Mangal Sutra offered by women are the majority of the offerings in the Hundi of the temple. Diseases are cured without surgery in many cases. Many devotees visit this temple from Karnataka, as Mariamman resembles the Chamundeeswari of Mysore. It is the faith of the people that Mariamman will protect them though they are far away from her in other places of the world.