Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Nellukadai Mariyamman Temple, Nagapattinam – Legends

Nellukadai Mariyamman Temple, Nagapattinam – Legends

As per legend, a rice trader named Periya Nagathammal in this town was known for her honesty and integrity. One day, a young lady in yellow saree, came to her shop and wanted to buy some rice. The trader went inside to bring rice for her. While fetching the rice, the trader was thinking about the alluring face of the lady and desired to see her face once again. She brought the rice from inside for her and found her missing.

She was disappointed in missing the lady and went to bed for sleep. The same lady appeared in her dream. The trader was very happy to see her again and asked her about whereabouts. The young lady revealed that she was none other than Mariyamman. Further, she said that she was present in an ant hill below the neem tree in the nearby place. Mariyamman ordered her to build a temple for her in that place.

The trader was thrilled and explained her strange dream to the locals. The trader along with locals went to the anthill and found the idol of Mariyamman in the anthill. As ordered, she built a temple for Mariyamman with the help of the locals in that place. As the temple was associated with the rice trader, the temple came to be called Nellukadai (rice shop) Mariamman temple.