Samayapuram Mariamman Temple, Samayapuram – Religious
Significance
Samayapuram
is a significant symbol of the native culture in rural Tamil Nadu and there a
number of unique practices concerning the Mariamman temples. Samayapuram has
been used a model to describe rural folklore in a number of research works on
sociology and religion. During festivals, it is not unusual to find people
doing extreme things to make their bodies suffer as an act of sacrifice
including, walking over a red-hot bed of charcoal and holding hot mud-vessel in
bare hands.
Mariamman
temples also typically involve Samiyattam wherein through a devotee
(usually a female) Goddess Mariamman chooses to talk to help and bless the
gathered devotees. The personality of the Goddess as well as the tremendous
strain put on the body by the channeling (both physically and emotionally),
maybe interpreted by non-believers as hysteria or hyper-excitement.
The
legacy of Samayapuram is well spread beyond Tamil Nadu and even after centuries
of emigrating from India, many people in Sri
Lanka, Singapore, South
Africa and Fiji still maintain their loyalties to the temple and
try to create similar temples and environment in their new country, raising
both a cause of concern and an appreciation of diversity. There is also a
Samayapuram Mariamman Temple in Tanjong Rambutan at Malaysia.
There is
also a shrine for Goddess Sri Samayapuram Mariamman at the Sri Veera Muthu
Muneeswarar Temple which is located at Yishun Industrial Park, Singapore.
During the month of Aadi, the annual Kuzh Valarpu festival is conducted with
much grandeur by the Sri Samayapuram Mariamman Pillaigal at Jurong West, Singapore.
