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Sunday, April 1, 2018

Ellaiamman Temple, Vettuvanam, Vellore

Ellaiamman Temple, Vettuvanam, Vellore
Ellaiamman Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Goddess Renukadevi located at Vettuvanam in Vellore District of Tamilnadu. This Temple is considered as one of the Sakthi Peetams. This has a legend connection with the Renuka Devi Amman temple at Padavedu and Gangai Amman temple at Gudiyatham. The Temple is situated on the slopes of Javadhu Hills and on the banks of River Palar. It is said that Ellaiamman of Vettuvanam and Padavedu Ellaiamman are the same. Melaivithur and Vithagapuri are the other names of Vettuvanam.



Legends
This place has an important legend behind. This is the place where Renuka Devi's head was cut off by Parasurama at the behest of his father Sage Jamathgini. Padavedu Renugambal is very popular but this is the place the actual incident took place. Lord Siva and Goddess Parvathi Devi incarnated as the great Saint Jamathgini and his wife Renukadevi and lived on this world. Visu, Viswas, Viswarupan, Paranjothi and Parasuraman were their five sons. Parasurama was their last son.


It was a daily duty for Renukadevi to make a pot out of fresh mud and fetch water for Saint Jamadhgani's Pooja. One day, she saw the reflection of a Kantharva in the water. She stood mesmerized by his beauty for a split of a second. The mud pot dissolved in the river. She tried again and again but in vain. She realized her mistake and told her husband that an animal chased her and so she couldn’t bring water. But the saint who guessed the real happenings, called out for his first four sons and asked them to cut off their mother's head.


They all refused and saint cursed them and called his last son Parasurama to do the duty. Parasurama asked for two boons from his Father and he obliged. He chased her mother who ran for life and she hid behind a Arundhati girl, who was cutting woods and begged for mercy. Parasurama warned the girl, but she did not oblige. In the heights of anger Parasurama chopped both heads together. In great distress, he took the heads to his father. According to his granted boons. he brought his brother and mother back to life.


But in confusion, he fixed his mother’s head on the Arundhati girl body. Henceforth the deity was named Mariamman and the place was called as Vettuvanam. A farmer who cultivated the land accidentally dropped the spade on the deity. Blood poured out like a river. A divine voice from the sky said, " I am Ellaiamman" and a temple was constructed in the place. Though the time and year cannot be judged precisely, it said that in 1961, this temple was one among the 2500 temples in Tamil Nadu.


History
This temple was newly constructed after demolishing the old temple by Sivarasu Venkatraman Family (Katpadi & London) and the work completed in 2008 (Kumbabishekam done on 3rd Dec 2008)
·        Year 1981 - Compound wall was constructed.
·        Year 1972 - Mandapam was constructed.
·        Year 1973 - Snake Goddess Mandapam was constructed.
·        Year 1984-1988 - Kumbabishekam was performed.
·        Year 2003 - Kumbabishekam was performed again.
The Temple
Raja Gopuram is east facing. It has Seven Kalasam on top. Historical happenings of this temple are depicted as statue on the main gopuram. Epics like Ramayana, Saivapuranam are depicted in a simple but beautiful manner. There is an another smaller Gopuram and it has three Kalasas. Presiding Deity Ellaiamman is facing the east.



There is a big mandapam of a seating capacity of 100 persons. Utsava statue of Goddess is situated there. To its right the snake Goddess is situated. The five-headed snake Goddess grants all the wishes of the devotees. Mostly all the deities in this temple are east facing but some are west facing.


Neem is considered the devotional tree of this place. It is 100 years old. Devotees suffering from small pox, Measles used to rub the paste Neem leaf and turmeric on their whole day. There is a well in the premises that never gets dry in the toughest of the summers. People believe that the water has miraculous properties.


A pond is situated just opposite to the temple. Strong stone steps are bordering the pond on all four sides. These are more secured by strong iron gates on all four sides. Every year Float festival has been celebrated for three days. Devotees from nearby and far off places visit the temple on these days and enjoy the dreaded diseases disappear while you bath in the pond.


Pooja Details
Here Poojas are performed under Kamika Agamam method. There are two Poojas conducted here. They are;
1.    Kalasanthi Pooja
2.    Sayaraksha Pooja
Festivals
10 days Adi Peruvizha includes Car Procession, Daily Vahana procession, Theppam, Laksha Deepam is the most famous festival celebrated here. Navarathri, Deepavali, Pongal, English New Year and Tamil New Year are the other festivals celebrated here with much fanfare.
Prayers
It is said that childless couples tie circles of threads with the wish of a baby. Unmarried devotees tie the sacred yellow thread around the tree and wish for suitable life partners.
Contact
Ellaiamman Temple
Vettuvanam, Pallikonda - Via
Vellore District – 635 809
Phone: +91 4171 240200
Connectivity
The Temple is located at about 3 Kms from Pallikonda, 2 Kms from Pallikonda Bus Stop, 7 Kms from Melalathur, 12 Kms from Gudiyattam, 27 Kms from Ambur, 45 Kms from Vaniyambadi and 25 Kms from Vellore. The Temple is situated on Chennai – Bangalore Highways. Nearest Railway Stations are located at Melalathur (8 Kms) and Gudiyatham (7 Kms). Nearest Airport is located at Chennai (151 Kms).
Location