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