Sundareswarar Temple (Petti Kali Amman Temple),
Koranattu Karuppur – The Temple
The East
Facing Temple is a Chola Period Temple with five tiered Rajagopuram. Presiding
Deity is called as Sundareswarar. Lord is housed in the sanctum in the
form of Lingam. Mother is called as Abhirami Ammai. Her shrine is facing south.
The Goddess has four hands. She is holding a Japamala (garland of
beads) in the upper right hand and her upper left hand holds a Lotus flower. The
image shows Abhaya and Varada Mudras (hand pose) in her
lower right and left hands respectively.
Though the temple is dedicated
to Lord Shiva, the temple is famous for Goddess Kali Amman. A big box,
containing a beautiful half portion (hip to head) wooden image of the Goddess
Kali, now being called as Petti kali Amman, with eight hands which was floating
on the river Cauvery, drifted ashore at Thiruppadalavanam. The devotees placed
the box under a thatched roof and later on shifted to Sundareswarar Temple and
placed it on the eastern side of the main shrine.
She was named Sundara Ma Kali
(beautiful great Kali). She has eight hands. The four hands on the right-side
hold Sula (Trident), Aruval (Bill hook), Udukkai (Drum), Kili (Parrot) and the
four hands on the left side hold Pasa (Noose), Kedayam (shield), Mani (Bell),
Kapala (Skull). She has fiery eyes and two fangs. Her graceful reddish face
attracts thousands of devotees from all parts of the country. She is bedecked
with (unguent) civet and sacred ash at the time of worship.
As per tradition the priest
does not return back the saffron powder (kum kum), Lemon (Elumicchai), and
flowers offered to the Goddess by the devotees. One should worship the Goddess
by performing Pallaya pooja before unlocking (opening) the box. Once in a year,
during Utharayana Kala (period of the Sun’s progress towards the north for six
months from Thai month) the terrific, Goddess is taken in procession in a
palanquin. Sthala Vriksham is Pathiri tree and Theertham is Brahma
Theertham.
