Akasha Mariyamman Temple, Nachiyar
Koil – Legends
Once, there lived a community
called Kavarai Chettiars in Thirunaraiyur. They were traditional bangle traders,
though natives of Tirunaraiyur, they used to travel to other places for selling
bangles. Once they came to Samayapuram during Chithira festival for selling
bangles. They sold all the bangles and stayed there for a night. Samayapuram
Mari Amman appeared in the dream of an old trader in deep sleep as a pretty
little girl and asked him to give her bangles.
He had very less bangles as all
the bangles were sold and some of them were broken while trying to put into the
hands of the ladies. Hence, old man invited the little girl to come to his
village. But the little girl was all smiling and looked at the face of the old
man. He was all sad that he could not give bangles to the little girl. He
thought Mother Mari Amma was testing him. He asked the girl who she was. She
did not reply but went towards the temple and disappeared.
The old man woke up suddenly and
he saw that all the bangles had broken and were lying by his side and he
saw that all other villagers had small pox all over the bodies. The
old man again prayed to Amman and begged her pardon if they committed anything
wrong. The priest of the temple came to the bangle trader holding the Aarati
plate with sacred ash and Kumkum. The priest said that Amman had told him what
happened the previous night.
She also directed him to pay the
trader the gold coins at her feet to cover the price of the bangles broken by
her the previous night. Adding, the priest said that Amman had left her effect
on other traders with small pox which would immediately disappear, when the
priest put on the Kumkum and sacred ash Prasad on them. To their surprise, all
traders woke up with fresh health. The traders had a bath in the river nearby
and proceeded to pray to Amman.
Samayapuram Mother appeared on
the sky and granted darshan and blessed them. Further, she stated that she will
visit their village for the sake of their bangles. It is believed Samayapuram
Mariyamman comes there through the sky every year (May-June) and
stays here for twelve days during the spring. The traders
returned to Thirunaraiyur and built this Temple for Samayapurathu Amman and
named as Akasha Mariyamman Temple.