65-413: The Punnai Nallur Mariamman Temple , temple of goddess Mariamman , is a Hindu temple located at Punnainallur near Thanjavur in the state of Tamil Nadu , India . Situated on the outskirts of Thanjavur, Punnainallur popularly known as Thanjavur Mariamman Kovil has derived considerable importance from time immemorial in both legend and history. The temple attracts thousands of devotees from all parts of
130-534: A bent throwing stick or "false boomerang" which could be thrown up to 100 yards (91 m). Writing in 1957, Louis Dumont noted that despite the weapon's frequent mention in literature, it had disappeared amongst the Piramalai Kallar . The Kallar were traditionally a non-vegetarian people, though a 1970s survey of Tamil Nadu indicated that 30% of Kallar surveyed, though non-vegetarian, refrained from eating fish after puberty. Meat, though present in
195-803: A consequence of jungle clearances, state-building and ideological shifts. British sources often characterized the Kallars, and the related castes, as "soldiers out of work." Many Kallars had been warriors as well as peasants for the last few centuries. Kallar chieftaincies, organized into networks of nadus , controlled the region north and west of Madurai. The Nayaks attempted to pacify or subjugate them by titling Kallar chieftains, with limited success. These nadus were well outside Nayaka control, and folk songs told of fields that could not be harvested and raids by Kallar parties, who were considered sovereign and independent, in Madurai city. This situation persisted past
260-483: A heir to the throne. The story goes that King Venkoji Maharaja Chatrapathi once went on a pilgrimage to the southern parts of the country. On his return journey from Rameswaram, the King had the opportunity to stay, with his retinue, at Samayapuram Mariamman Kovil near Tiruchirapalli. The King had a dream that night, when a young girl, styling herself as Mariamman, asked the King to construct a ‘‘pucca’’ temple for Her as she
325-506: A small structure of the temple was built. Serfoji II (1798 CE–1832 CE) built mahamandapa, narthana mandapa, gopura , the second inner prakara and conducted the Kumbhabhishekham . Later Kumbhabhishekhams were held on 1950 CE and 6 June 1987. Mariamman Mariamman , often abbreviated to Amman , is a Hindu goddess of weather , predominantly venerated in the rural areas of South India . Her festivals are held during
390-664: A special tribulation of having one of the sacred weapons, dagger, trident, or spear, inserted through their cheeks or tongues. Through this worship each individual achieves self-realization and awareness of others through samsara and moksha. In this self-realization a bonding with the goddess occurs, which is the underlining reason for the worship. Mulaikottu is a village festival celebrated in southern Tamil Nadu, particularly in villages of Madurai , Sivagangai , Dindugul , Ramanathapuram , Thoothukudi and Thirunelveli districts. By doing so they believe that they can get her blessing and sufficient rain for better cultivation. This festival
455-418: A united social caste on the basis of parallel professions, though their locations and heritages are wholly separate from one another. Kallar is a Tamil word meaning thief . Their history has included periods of banditry. Kallars themselves use titles such as "landlord", Other proposed etymological origins include "black skinned", "hero", and " toddy -tappers". The anthropologist Susan Bayly notes that
520-487: Is Mani Muktha Nadhi (Vadavar River). The presiding deity of this shrine, Goddess Mariamman, is represented by anidol made of sand over anani-hill and covered with a silver kavacham. Sundays are considered to be the most auspicious days for worshipping the Goddess, when a large number of devotees, mostly women and children pay their homage. Poojas are performed four times daily. Once in five years anointment with Thailam (oil)
585-580: Is a village gifted to the temple by Thuljaji Raja. Thanjavur kings endowed enormous landed gifts for the maintenance of this temple. As the Thanjavur Maharajas and Queens have to go through hazardous routes for dharsan, an underground passage (* Surangam") was constructed from their Palace to this shrine. . The entrance of the surangam stands as a monument even now, behind the temple. Another story isthat ап European by name, Mr. Wilson had an ailing eye. Through his ardent devotion to this deity he
650-854: Is also the regional form of hindu goddess Parvati. Her consort is lord Shiva. At samayapuram, she is the sister of Ranganathaswamy. She is also worshipped in Karnataka as Marikambe, who is a manifestation of Adi-Parashakti or Mahadevi. Mariamman's worship originated in the traditions of Dravidian folk religion . She is the main Tamil mother goddess, predominantly venerated in the rural areas of South India . Mariamman has since been associated with Hindu goddesses like Parvati , Kali , Durga , Rukmini , Sita , Draupadi , as well as with her northern Indian counterpart Shitala , her eastern Indian counterpart, Olai Chandi, and her western Indian counterpart of Mogal mata. The word Mari (pronunciation: /mɒri/) has
715-564: Is another very popular temple dedicated to Mariamman in Matale , Sri Lanka [REDACTED] Media related to Mariamman at Wikimedia Commons Kallar (caste) Kallar (or Kallan , formerly spelled as Colleries ) is one of the three related castes of southern India which constitute the Mukkulathor confederacy. The Kallar, along with the Maravar and Agamudayar , constitute
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#1732802099528780-471: Is called Ammadi (The person who depicted as Amman). The amandi takes the karagam and gave to temple. All paris are brought into the Amman temple from the houses on the tenth day of thandal. The paris remain in the Amman temple for one night and on the next day (the last day, eleventh day, Wednesday), and after a pooja, the paries will be issued back to their respective member. The Ammadi again takes karagam and
845-419: Is deeply venerated inthe locality and the devotees see a divine grace in her. Many are those who consider themselves blessed. by this popular Goddess. 1800 AD in reference, The Mariamman festival is still more largely attended attracting, annually a crowd of some 20,000 Visitors. Even Brahmans do not scorn to propitiate the devils and village deities especially when they are ill. An intelligent Brahman expressed
910-644: Is deified and named as Mariamman, and becomes the goddess of the pariahs. In northern India, Shitala is worshipped in a similar way, predominantly by the Rajput/Kshatriya community. Shitala has a legend and plays a similar role in protecting villages from diseases. Mariamman cures all so-called "heat-based" diseases like pox and rashes . During the summer months in South India (March to June), people walk miles carrying pots of water mixed with turmeric and neem leaves to ward off illnesses like
975-416: Is generally celebrated in between Any Tamil month of panguni to Purattasi. The festival lasts for 11 days. (Sunday of first week to Wednesday of second week). On the auspicious beginning of the village festival, a village meeting will be convened to sort out the best suitable date for the celebration of Mulaikottu. Before fixing any date, the pradhana and secretary of the village gather some information from
1040-399: Is generally portrayed in the sitting or standing position, often holding a trident ( trisula ) in one hand and a bowl ( kapala ) in the other. One of her hands may display a mudra , usually the abhaya mudra, to ward off fear. She may be represented with two demeanours—one displaying her pleasant nature, and the other her terrifying aspect, with fangs and a wild mane of hair. The origin of
1105-405: Is performed. Abhishegam is performed daily thrice to Durgai whose sanctum is located to the right of the presiding deity, facing north. Many are the stories that account for the existence of this Goddess Mariamman and the temple. A story goes that a Chola King, Keerthi Cholan, had no issue to succeed him. Being an ardent and regular devotee of this Goddess, he was gifted with a son, Theva Cholan, as
1170-688: Is said to have made the Moola Murthi of the Goddess Maariamman from the mud from the ant-hill where snakes had resided. Salem Kottai Sri Periya Mariamman temple which is located in the heart of the city, the Aadi festival celebrated for 22 days. The Erode Mariamman temple festival is a grand one in Tamil Nadu . The worship of three Mariamman goddesses named Small, Medium and Large Mariamman (residing at three separate localities within
1235-705: Is situated in the state of Karnataka , in the town of Kaup, seven kilometres from the famous temple town of Udipi . There is also a famous and highly regarded Mariamman temple in Urwa , a residential area of the city of Mangalore , where through the power of the goddess many miracles have been reported to occur. The temple is known familiarly as Urwa Marigudi. There are many Mariamman temples outside India, in Mauritius , Malaysia , Singapore , Thailand , Fiji , Fiji Maha Shakti Mata Temple Nadi and Suva, Guyana , Vietnam , Trinidad and Tobago , Germany and South Africa ,
1300-500: Is the location of another famous Mariamman temple. Legend says that Mariamman appeared to the King Venkoji Maharaja Chatrapati (1676–1688) of Thanjavur in his dreams and told him she was in a forest of Punnai trees three miles distant from Thanjavur. The King rushed to the spot and recovered an idol of Mariamman from the jungle. On the king's orders a temple was constructed there, the idol installed, and
1365-415: Is the second day of thandal called Pari parapputhal . Next Tuesday, the main function is held on the day called mulaikottu . On the next day of thandal, the temple committee distribute the grains to every house for setting up of pari. The pari is a clay pot with a wide mouth and narrow base with a hole in the bottom. This utensil is specially made for this purpose and sold at the market. The villagers visit
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#17328020995281430-643: The Girmityas to around the world, where similar traditions to those in Mainland Tamil Nadu are practiced. Often times, Mariamman is syncretized with Kali. Most temples to Mariamman are simple village shrines , where both male and female priests perform sacred rituals. In many rural shrines, the goddess is represented by a granite stone with a sharp tip, like a spear head. This stone is often adorned with garlands made of limes and with red flowers. These shrines often have an anthill that could be
1495-537: The Government of Tamil Nadu . This temple located in Punnai Nallur, which is popularly known as Mariamman Kovil, Thanjavur and it is 5 km from Thanjavur Old Bus stand. Punnainallur lies at a distance of about five kilometres east of Thanjavur and is easily accessible by bus. Town buses ply between Thanjavur and Punnainallur at regular intervals. During the reign of Tulaja of Thanjavur (1727 CE–1735 CE)
1560-668: The Samayapuram Mariamman Temple in Samayapuram , the Hindu system of worship is still seen today for the worship of Mariyamman, which involves a ten-day festival organized by temple authorities during the second week in April. Some continue to use an old village custom of worship by offering chickens and goats to the deity, though the animals are no longer sacrificed but sold after being offered. The main worship of
1625-727: The Vanniyar community, an agrarian class, Draupadi , the common wife of the Pandavas , is said to be an incarnation of the goddess Shakti . Draupadi, despite being Shakti, lived like a normal woman, suppressing her supernatural powers. While they were in exile, when the Pandavas were asleep at night, she would travel to the villages of Vanniyar in the form of a fierce looking Goddess. Vanniyars would offer her prayers and barley, which pleased her. In time, she would be called Mariamman (the mother of rain and curing diseases), and became popular in
1690-495: The measles and chicken pox . In this way the goddess Mariamman is very similar to the North Indian goddess Shitaladevi . Devotees also pray to Mariamman for familial welfare such as fertility, healthy progeny or a good spouse. The most favoured offering is " pongal ", a mix of rice and green gram , cooked mostly in the temple complex, or shrine itself, in terracotta pots using firewood. Some festivals in honour of
1755-756: The mulaiparis are also taken from the temple. Finally, the amman Karagam and mulaiparis are submerged into the village pond. It is also celebrated in Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple on the Tamil month of Aadi. Her worship has been brought over across the Tamil Diaspora in places such as the Caribbean (See: Caribbean Shaktism ), South Africa , Mauritius , Singapore , Vietnam , and Fiji where festivities and temples are often done and built in her name. Her trance-worship has been brought via
1820-491: The Kallar diet, was not frequently eaten but restricted to Saturday nights and festival days. Even so, this small amount of meat was sufficient to affect perceptions of Kallar social status. The Kallars traditionally practised a Tamil martial art variously known as Adimurai , chinna adi and varna ati . In recent years, since 1958, these have been referred to as Southern-style Kalaripayattu , although they are distinct from
1885-419: The Kallar watchmen still had the power of violence over the cultivators who paid them. Around the beginning of the 20th century, the cultivators, of many communities, near Madurai staged an anti-Kallar movement against the community's authority. The reasons for the movement are complex: partly the abuse of authority shown by Kallar watchmen, partly agrarian distress , and part-personal feud. The agitations took
1950-493: The Mariamman temple and sing folk songs known as mari pattu and dance folk dances such as mulaikottu ( similar to kummi), Amman oyil. It is followed everyday from thandal Sunday (First day) to next Sunday (eighth day). The ninth day called thangal , means camping. On this day the temple is closed and folk poojas and dances are prohibited. The Amman karagam is made in village water body and the person who fasts in those 10 days
2015-629: The Sangam Tamil origin meaning "Rain", and the Dravidian root term Amman means "Mother". She was worshipped by the ancient Tamils as the bringer of rain and thus also the bringer of prosperity, since the abundance of their crops was dependent largely upon adequate rainfall. The cult of the mother goddess is treated as an indication of a society which venerated femininity. The temples of the Sangam days, mainly of Madurai, seem to have had priestesses to
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2080-544: The Thirumalaipathimandapam. There are in the temple paintings of the different forms of Ashta Sakthi viz., Gajalakshmi, Veera Lakshmi, Sowbhagya Lakshmi, Santhana Lakshmi, Dhana Lakshmi, Dhanya Lakshmi, Vidhya Lakshmi and Karunya Lakshmi. The Sukravaramandapam in the Amman Sannadhi has beautifully carved pillars. The Sthala Viruksham of the temple is “Vembu” (i.e., Neem Tree) and the sacred Theertham
2145-477: The Vanniyar villages. According to the narrative of the higher varnas , there was once a pariah boy who impersonated a Brahmin suitor in order to marry a Brahmin girl. This lie is discovered by the girl when she discerns the jargon and non-vegetarian habits of her in-laws. In order to ritually purify herself from the pollution of being married to a low-born pariah, the girl self-immolates . This Brahmin girl
2210-694: The Velachery Main Road. In 2012, the singer Harini composed a song about the Samayapuram Mariamman deity which was featured on the album Om Nava Sakthi Jaya Jaya Sakthi . The song narrates the power of Shakti as Samayapuram Amman and equates the Peruvalai River with Punya Theertham, as do the people in that area. Madurai is home to the Theppakulam sri Mariamman Temple, a noted focus of devotion, primarily to
2275-580: The city) is combined in a festival every April. It features the Thiruvizha, along with all the other devotions to deities, and ends at the Kaveri river with the purificatory immersion of the Kambam (the effigy of Mariamman's husband Shiva) in the flowing waters of the river. The Karur Mariamman temple festival, which is celebrated at the end of May each year, is another notable festival held in honour of
2340-492: The deity, which also appear predominantly as goddesses. In Sangam literature , there is an elaborate description of the rites performed by the Kuravar priestesses in the shrine Palamutircholai. Mariamman is usually pictured as a beautiful young woman with a red-hued face, wearing a red dress. Sometimes she is portrayed with many arms—representing her many powers—but in most representations she has only two or four. Mariamman
2405-485: The district throughout the year. Thanks to the munificence of its devotees, the temple has been given a facelift in the recent past. The temple, facing east, has three prakarams. It occupies an area of about one acre, It has a 90 feet high Rajagopuram, which is comparatively of recent origin. There are several mandapams here viz., the Arthamandapam, Mahamandapam, Narthanamandapam, Dwajamandapam, Alankaramandapam and
2470-602: The downfall of the Nayakas and the advent of Yusuf Khan, until the mid-18th century. Starting in 1755, the Presidency armies of the East India Company engaged in several campaigns against the Kallars of Melur , but decades later Kallar raiding parties still posed a significant threat. In 1801, they networked with palegars of Tamil and Telugu regions to spearhead a series of revolts against British control. By
2535-553: The dream, King Thuljaji went to Mariamman Sannadhi with his daughter and prayed for the restoration of her eye sight. While receiving the Deepa Aratbanai she had a shock and a tendency of losing something from her eyes and immediately she was able to gain her eye sight. Being overwhelmed by this incident, the King decided to renovate this temple. He deputed priest (gurukkal) for pooja. Usually in all Mariamman Temples, Poojaris are appointed for Pooja and other functions. The king
2600-436: The family's origin, since the family deities are usually located within the vicinity of the village to which the family originally belonged. Traditional The worshipping methods are often accompanied by various kinds of folk dancing. Offerings such as pongal and koozh that are cooked using earthen pots are also made during the festive season. Rituals such as fire walking and mouth or nose piercing are also practised. At
2665-412: The form of violence against the Kallars, including arson, and forcing them out of the villages. In 1918, the community was placed on the list of Criminal Tribes. The Thondaiman dynasty of the erstwhile Pudukkottai state hailed from the Kallar community. Among the traditional customs of the Kallar noted by colonial officials was the use of the "collery stick" ( Tamil : valai tādi , kallartādi ),
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2730-538: The goddess Mariamman in terms of a consistent and coherent legend has not been standardised, but several myths of the mother goddess exist in several regional traditions that are spread orally throughout South India . According to a regional Hindu legend, there was once a beautiful woman named Nagavalli, wife to a rishi named Piruhu. When the rishi was away, the Trimurti , the deities of Brahma , Vishnu , and Shiva , visited her, seeking to decide for themselves if she
2795-456: The goddess Mariamman involve night-time processions of devotees carrying oil lamps. Mariamman is the family deity for many in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. It is a custom initially to worship the family deity on occasions such as weddings. The worship of a 'family deity' ( kuladevata ), considered most important in any Hindu festival, continues down the generations, providing a clue to
2860-560: The goddess but also to the Maruthuvachi (= doctor/ midwife ). Periyachi Amman (or Pechi Amman), who was deified for her skill and heroism. The temple possesses a large theppakulam. Here the Panguni festival is the main event of the religious calendar. The devotees of The goddess Mariamman observe the "poo choridhal" flower festival, and in the month of Aadi many women honour her with fasting and prayer. Another famous Mariamman temple
2925-525: The goddess in Tamil Nadu. Other important temples of Mariamman in Tamil Nadu are in the towns of Veerapandi, Theni , Anbil (near Trichy), Narthamalai , Thiruverkadu , Salem , Virudhunagar and Sivakasi , Vellore . In Chennai (Madras), a famous Mariamman temple is the Putthu Mariamman: the eponymous Putthu (ant-hill) being located across the road from the temple on the opposite side of
2990-564: The goddess occurs on the road a mile or two from the temple. A hurried walk and dance carry hundreds of thousands of worshippers along the road to the temple. Many in the crowd have fasted, shaved their heads, and wear bright yellow clothes which are sacred to the goddess. Women and children may carry a pot on their heads decorated with the goddess's favourite leaves, of the margosa tree. Young men and women, carrying similar pots, are followed by drummers and dance more wildly. Larger men and women carry pots of charcoal fire. Some put themselves through
3055-448: The late 18th century, the Kallars were working as kavalkarars , or watchmen, in hundreds of villages throughout southern Tamil Nadu, especially the region west of Madurai. These kavalkarars were given maniyam , rent-free land, to ensure they did their job correctly. These kaval maniyams were commonly held by palaiyakarars who used land, and shares of the crops, to maintain a small militia. A common allegation made by colonial officials
3120-545: The late summer/early autumn season of Ādi throughout Tamil Nadu and the Deccan region, the largest being the Ādi Thiruviḻa . Her worship mainly focuses on bringing rains and curing diseases like cholera, smallpox, and chicken pox. Mariamman is worshipped in accordance with local traditions such as Pidari or the Gramadevatai . She is considered as a guardian deity (kaval deivam) by many South Indian village-dwellers. She
3185-414: The market and purchase number of paris as they wanted to set up in their home. The first step to set them up is to clean paris and their home the second day of thandal. People used to collect goat dung and some hay. The hay is used to block the hole of the pari. A layer of goat dung is spread over the hay and watered to make the dung wet. This is the procedure of setting up of pari. As a next step to this,
3250-458: The name Kallar, as with that of Maravar, was a title bestowed by Tamil palaiyakkarars (warrior-chiefs) on pastoral peasants who acted as their armed retainers. The majority of those poligars, who during the late 17th and 18th centuries controlled much of the Telugu region as well as the Tamil area, had themselves come from the Kallar, Maravar and Vatuka communities. Kallar is synonymous with
3315-398: The place was called Punnainallur. Hence the deity of this temple is known as Punnainallur Mariamman. Mud replicas of different parts of the human body are placed in the temple as offerings by devotees pleading for cure. It is said that the daughter of Tulaja Raja (1729–35) of Thanjavur, who lost her eyesight due to illness, regained it after worshipping at this temple. Shri Sadasiva Brahmendra
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#17328020995283380-2720: The product of efforts of the Tamil diaspora . Some notable temples include the Sri Mariamman temple in Singapore , Sri Mariamman temple in Bangkok , a Mariamman temple in Pretoria , South Africa , as well as one in Sri Mariamman Temple, Medan , Indonesia . There are also many Mariamman temple in every state of Malaysia . Some notable temples include the Queen Street Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, Penang in George Town , Sri Sithala Maha Mariamman Temple, Pekan Getah Tapah, Lorong Kulit Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple in George Town, Sri Rudra Verra Muthu MahaMariamman Temple in Air Itam , Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam in Arau , Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam in Alor Setar , Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Sungai Petani , Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Ipoh , Sri Nagamuthu Mariamman Temple in Taiping , Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Gopeng , Sri MahaMariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur , Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Klang , Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Chukai , Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Port Dickson , Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Kuantan , Sri Veera Sundara Muthu Mariamman in Kulim , Raja Mariamman Temple in Johor Bahru , Sri Maha Muthu Mariamman Temple in Tumpat , Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Kuching , Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Sibu , and Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple, Kampung Chetti , Melaka . There
3445-515: The received nine type of grains from the temple committee, is smoothly spread over the goat dung on the pari. Following this, a pooja will be arranged for praying the goddess to make the pari a successful one. Every house may have more than two paries. These paries taken into a dark and isolated room in their house. For the next seven days they have to grow the seedlings into a plant. Usage of loudspeaker and crackers are completely banned during this period. During evening, all villagers assemble in front of
3510-408: The resting place of a cobra . Milk and eggs are offered to propitiate the snake. Some temples have attained sufficient popularity for Brahmanas to officiate at them. For example, the Samayapuram Mariamman near the shore of river Kaveri in the northern outskirts of Tiruchirapalli , maintains a rich agamic tradition and all rituals are performed by Gurukkalas . Punainallur, near Thanjavur ,
3575-601: The situation by a curious analogy: ‘I attempt to win the favour of the Collector because he may promote me; but I pay black-mail to the Kallans too. Of what good is the Collector's friendship if the Kallans steal my bullocks ? Thanjavur Palace Devasthanam comprises 88 temples, of which this temple is the one. They are maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of
3640-496: The supervision of the East India Company. Reforms in 1816 abolished the responsibility kavalkarars had towards compensation for damaged crops while keeping fees, which British sources claimed led to the kavalkarars charging exorbitant fees. By the end of the 19th century, the watchmen formed a "shadow administration." Although British claims that Kallar watchmen were operating a "protection racket" were exaggerated,
3705-425: The temple tank are some of the practices followed by the devotees. A nominal fee is collected for this purpose. Members of the public give cattle, fowl etc., as votive offerings. An elephant has been given to the temple by a devotee. A Ther (car) costing about Rs. 10,000 has been donated by another devotee. There is a separate shrine for Pechi Amman, where flesh food is offered to the Goddess. Mariamman of Punnainallur
3770-489: The turbulent poligar country really did become castes, their bonds of affinity were shaped in the relatively recent past". Prior to the late 18th century, their exposure to Brahmanic Hinduism , the concept of varna and practices such as endogamy that define the Indian caste system was minimal. Thereafter, the evolution as a caste developed as a result of various influences, including increased interaction with other groups as
3835-561: The villagers regarding any marriage or anyone suffering from chicken pox etc. If anyone is affected by chicken pox, any sudden death occurred or someone's marriage is taking place, under these circumstances the date of mulaikottu will be either postponed or cancelled according to the public opinion at the meeting. The celebration begins with collection of nine different types of grain seeds from every house, called thandal in Tamil. The Thandal will held in Sunday of Valarpirai. The following Tuesday
3900-426: The western Indian term, Koli , having connotations of thievery but also of upland pastoralism. According to Bayly, Kallar should be considered a "title of rural groups in Tamil Nadu with warrior-pastoralist ancestral traditions". Bayly notes that the Kallar and Maravar identities as a caste, rather than as a title, "... were clearly not ancient facts of life in the Tamil Nadu region. Insofar as these people of
3965-609: Was also fortunate enough to meet Sri Sadasiva Brahmendra Swamigal, who was passing through that village. The king immediately narrated this incident to him and requested the Swamiji to stay till Kumbabishegam. Accordingly the saint made a powerful ** yanthram °°, (pectam) to be placed under the idol of the Goddess, and celebrated the Kumbabishegam on a grand scale. Mariambalpuram now called Pandaravadai in Papanasam Taluk
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#17328020995284030-417: Was cured. А saint, Sri Padahacheri Swamigal, was instrumental for the renovation of the temple and an image of the Swamigal could be seen in the Prakaram behind the sanctum sanctorum. Devotees suffering from small-pox take vows such as « Thotti Kattuthal °° (storing water in the sanctum or in the Prakaram in a tube-like structure to signify cooling effect). Giving salt to the temple and mixing jaggery in
4095-589: Was in the vicinity of а forest full of **Punnai" Trees and disappeared. Next morning the King returned to his capital and made speedy arrangements for the installation of this Goddess. The deity of this temple later came to be known as Punnainallur Mariamman. Thuljaji Raja, Son of Venkoji Maharaja, had a daughter, with very poor eye sight. The king was very much worried over her ailment. It is said that he worshipped this Goddess Mariambal who appeared in his dream and asked him to go to PunnainaHur Mariamman Sannadhi with his daughter where she would regain her eye sight. As per
4160-424: Was that these kavalkarars were "abusing" their position and exploiting the peasants whose livelihoods they were supposed to protect. Kallars were often also hired as mercenaries by palaiyakarars , who according to British sources, used them to loot villagers. In 1803, these rights were abolished by the East India Company and the militias were abolished. However, the kaval system was not abolished but placed under
4225-418: Was truly as beautiful and virtuous as she was supposed to be. Nagavalli, not recognising them, and resenting their intrusion, turned them into children with her powers. The deities were infuriated and cursed her, causing her face to become disfigured with smallpox. When Piruhu returned, he drove her away, informing her that she would be born on earth, causing her affliction to human beings as well. According to
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