|
|
Karaikal Ammaiyar temple is located in Barathiar Street, in
the center of Karaikal. Malaiperumal Pillai constructed it in the year
1929. The main Goddess is Punithavati, also known as "Karaikal
Ammaiyar". There is also a sanctum for Vinayaka (also spelt as
Vinayak) inside this temple.
The Festival
The Mangani Tirunal festival (the festival of the mango fruit) is
observed in the month of Aani (June-July) on Pournami (full-moon) day. The
belief is that Karaikal Ammaiyar gave Annam (food) to Bhikshatanar (Shiva)
during his tour round the world begging alms, with curd rice and mangoes.
To commemorate this incident, curd rice with mango is distributed on this
festival day, in a big hall adjacent to the temple.
Legend Connected With The Temple
Karaikal Ammaiyar was the wife of a rich merchant of Karaikal named
Paramadatta, endowed with heavenly gifts. Her own name was Punitavatiyar
(the pure lady). She was very devout and especially careful to entertain
all devotees of Lord Shiva that came to her door. One day, her husband
received from some persons who had come to him on business, a present of
two mangoes of a very superior kind, which he sent home to his wife. Soon
after-wards, a holy devotee arrived at the house as a mendicant guest.
She had nothing ready to offer him except some boiled rice. She offered
him boiled rice and as there was no other side dish, she gave him one of
the mangoes. At noon, her husband returned and took his meal with the
other mango. He was so pleased with the mango that he told his wife to
give him the second mango of the two that he gave to her, His wife was
perplexed, as she had already given the other mango to the mendicant.
Immediately she offered fervent prayers to God, who never deserts those
who serve Him. God heard her prayers and straightaway a mango was found in
her hands. She served it to her husband.
As the mango was a divine gift, it was of wonderful sweetness. Tasting
it, her husband asked her how she got the mango. At first she hesitated,
but at last revealed what had happened.
Her husband did not give much credence to her words and asked her to get
another mango in the same way. She went away and prayed to God and
immediately she found another fruit, still lovelier, in her hands. When
she carried this to her husband he took it in astonishment. But, behold!
It forthwith vanished.
Utterly confounded by these wonderful happenings, he came to the
conclusion that his wife was a supernatural being whom he dared not touch
with carnal thoughts, and resolved to go away from her.
Her husband did not reveal his decision to anybody, but quietly equipped
a ship in which he put in a great part of his wealth, and then, on an
auspicious day, worshipping the God of the sea, with sailors and a skilful
captain, set sail to another country, where he accumulated a fortune, and
after some time, came back to India to another city in the Pandyan land.
There he married a merchant's daughter and lived in great luxury. A
daughter was born to him. To her, he gave the name of the wife with whom
he dared not live, but had great reverence.
His friends in Karaikal, who resolved to compel him to receive his first
wife again, knew his return and prosperity. Accordingly they proceeded to
the new residence of the merchant, taking his saintly wife in a litter.
When her husband heard that his first wife was staying in a grove outside
the town, he proceeded with his second wife and daughter, to the place
where his first wife was camping.
Reaching there, the husband at once prostrated with profoundest reverence
before her and said that he was her slave and that he was happy and
prosperous through her benediction.
His first wife Punitavatiyar became confounded by the salutation and
worship and took refuge among her kinswomen, who all cried out, "why
is this mad man worshipping his own wife?"
To this Paramadatta replied that his wife is not an ordinary lady, but a
supernatural being. So, he ceased to look upon her as his wife and
worshipped her as their tutelary deity and also dedicated his daughter to
her.
From Beauty To Demoness
Punitavatiyar pondered over the matter and prayed within herself to Lord
Shiva to take away her beauty that she cherished up till now for the sake
of her husband and give her the form and features of one of the
demon-hosts ('Bhutaganas') who are attendants of Lord Shiva.
That very instant, by the grace of God her flesh dried up and she became
a demoness, one of Lord Shiva's hosts. Then the Gods rained flowers on
her. Heavenly minstrels sang her praises and her relatives, in fear and
awe, paid her adoration and departed. So, she had now become a demoness
and her abode was the wild jungle of Alangadu (forest of Banyan trees).
Through inspiration from God, she sang several sacred hymns, which are
preserved to the present day. Alangadu is 40 miles from Thanjavur.
Afterwards, she got an irresistible desire to see the sacred hill of
Kailas. With inconceivable speed she fled northwards till she arrived at
the foot of the mountain and realizing that it was not right to climb the
heavenly mountain with her feet, she threw herself down and measured the
distance with her head. Uma, the consort of Lord Shiva, beheld her thus
ascending and enquired her husband about the demoness.
To this, Lord Shiva replied that the mighty demon-form was the Mother,
who obtained this form by her prayers. When she drew near, Lord Shiva
addressed her with the words of love calling her by the name of Mother ("Ammaiyar"),
which she forever bears. As soon as she heard the word, she fell at his
feet worshipping and ejaculating, "Father!"
She worshipped Lord Shiva to grant her a boon that she should no more be
born on earth and if she did, then she should be born as a devotee of the
Lord who in any form, at any time, will not forget The Lord and that when
the Lord performs the sacred mystic dance, she should stand beneath the
Lord's feet and sing in His praise.
Lord Shiva granted her the boon and asked her to stay at Alangadu. Then,
the sacred Mother of Karaikal returned, measuring the distance still on
her head, to holy Alangadu where she beheld her God's sacred dance and
sang her renowned lyrics in His praise.
Air: Nearest airport is in
Trichy (Trichirapalli). Various
airlines connect Trichy with Chennai, Sharjah, Kuwait and Colombo.
Rail:Nearest railway stations next to Karaikal are in
Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai
(Mayavaram).
Road: Karaikal is well connected by road with all the major towns
in Tamil Nadu State.
Accommodation is available at the moderate class and small budgeted hotels in Karaikal.