Mandaikadu Sri Bhagavathi Amman Temple

Mandaikadu Sri Bhagavathi Amman temple is very old and famous temple in Kanyakumari district. This temple is also commonly called as “Women’s Sabarimala”. Devotees worship Bhagavathi Amman for fulfillment of their expectations. The 15 feet tall anthill is the Bhagavathi Amman. Since this temple is Sabarimala for women, they visit the temple with the Irumudi (a bundle containing pooja items for the Goddess) as men go to Sabarimala.

Bhagavathi Amman Temple, Mandaikadu

Festival:
In Mandaikadu Bhagavathi Amman temple, every year there is a 10 days grand festival is celebrated in the tamil month of Masi (Mar-Apr), which draws huge crowd gathering more that 10 Lakh people and devotees.
Location and Transportation:
Mandaikadu Sri Bhagavathi Amman temple is situated in small village Mandaikadu, on the state high way from Nagercoil to Colachel. Mandaikadu temple is situated 23 KMs from Nagercoil, 70KMs from Trivandrum and 100 KMs from Tirunelveli. Nearest railway station is Eraniel (railway route from Nagercoil to Trivandrum) and nearest airport is Trivandrum. Devotees find difficulties for the transportation during this 10 days festival because of crowd. During this festival time, Tamilnadu public transportation has arranged special buses from different places to this temple. From Nagercoil you can reach Mandaikadu via Konam, Rajakamangalam, Ganapathi puram and Allankottai villages.
Pooja Timings:
Morning : 5.00 AM
Noon : 12.30 PM
Evening : 6.30 PM
Night : 8.30 PM
Special pooja’s performed on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday

Sri Kumaraswami Temple – Velimalai

Presiding deity	Kumaraswami Also known as Subramania
Height	10 feet
Goddess	Valli
Procession deity	Manavalakumaran
Holy tree	Vengai
Holy spring	Teppakulam
Place	Kumarakoil
Scriptural name	Velvimalai
District	Kanyakumari

Prayer:
Velimalai Murugan is all blessigful to his devotees granting them their needs in marriage, wise children, business growth, education, mental and physical strength etc. Those trekking the mount to have the darshan of the lord get their needs fulfilled.
Prayer commitments:
Head shaving (Mottai), offering coins to one’s equal weight, decorating the deity with sandal paste, abishek in Panchamirtham, lighting ghee lamps, carrying Kavadi and milk pots are the commitments undertaken by the devotees. The rich offer liberal donations for temple maintenance and renovations.

Speciality:
In this ancient temple, the presiding deity Kumaraswami’s shrine is in the North East with his consort Valli. The idol is 10 feet tall, with long ears. It appears that the idols belong to Buddhist period. The stone also does not belong to some ordinary variety but is too strong in its homogeneity. The temple is at the border of Kerala state and noted for its reputation.
Reputation:
It is said that the wedding of Lord Muruga (Kumaraswami) and Valli took place here. A very famous temple touching the Kerala border. The Kanji (rice porridge) offered in the temple is believed to cure diseases. It is here Valli played with her friends and it is known as Kuravar Padukalam. The idol belongs to the Buddha period. Valli is on the left side. It is here Nambirajan (Valli’s father) lived. Lord Muruga was here in the form of Vengai tree to meet Valli.
General Information:
Velimalai is 4 km from Thakkalai and 12 kms from Nagercoil. There are lodges in Nagercoil for the pilgrims’ convenience. Adequate bus facilities are available from Nagercoil. Velimalai can be reached on the Thakkalai route.
Nearest railway stations are Iranial and Nagercoil, Airports are Thiruvananthapuram and Madurai. The temple Executive Officer of Kumaraswami Temple may be contacted on telephone o4651-250706. Fax 232270.
Festivals:
10 day Vaikasi Visakam (May-June) festival attracting over 15,000 devotees, Pushpabishekam on last Friday in Avani (August-September), 7 day Panguni (March-April) wedding festival and days considered important for Lord Muruga, Pongal, Deepavali, New Year days are festive days in the temple.
History:
Six places in Tamilnadu are revered as Aaru Padai Veedu of Lord Muruga. Velimalai is considered as the 7th. The place is now in Kerala. This is the place where Nambirajan, Valli’s father lived. Muruga-Valli wedding also took place here. Lord Muruga appears so majestically in 10 feet tall idol form. A very famous Muruga Temple in the region.

 

Sri Bhagavathi Amman Temple – Mandaikadu

Presiding deity:      Bhagavathi Amman
Reputation:      A Sabarimala of Women
Speciality:      Tall ant-hill
Holy tree:      Neem tree
Worshipping:      Firing crackers
Offering:      Puttamudhu pudding
Place:      Mandaikadu
Scriptural name:      Mandhaikadu
District:      Kanyakumari

 

Prayer:
Those aspiring for marriage alliance to be concluded and children visit the temple for fulfillment of their expectations. Those suffering from severe headache and effects evil impacts and the handicapped pray to Bhagavathi Amman for reliefs.
Prayer commitments:
Devotees offer silk cloths and Mangalsutra to the goddess. The handicapped offer limbs made of silver for cures. people also offer cradles in the temple for getting children. Crackers are fired to relief from the impact of evil looks and effects. Some use to have the food placed on the floor and eat it. This is known as Mansoru Eating.
Speciality:
The temple is built after the Kerala tradition in a very simple style. The roof of the temple has orange colour tiles, an anthill touching the roof. At the upper end is the face of Goddess Bhagavathi. People cook a pudding here with rice flour, sugar, jaggery called Mandaiappam and offer it to the Goddess for relief from headache and none is disappointed, it is widely said.

Reputation:
Mandaikadu Bhagavathi Amman Temple is known as a Sabarimala for Women. The 15 feet tall anthill is the Bhagavathi amman. Women visit the temple with the Irumudi (a bundle containing puja items for the Goddess) as men go to Sabarimala. Here is the Srichakra at the ground of the anthill. The temple was demolished and reconstructed for more than three times. Puja is performed only in the morning in the temple.
General information:
Mandaikadu is 75 Kms from Thiruvananthapuram and 95 from Tirunelveli. There is facility in the temple for staying. Charge Rs. 25 and Rs. 50. Lodges are available in Nagercoil also, charges ranging from Rs. 150 to Rs. 400. Bus facilities are available to Nagercoil from almost all parts of Tamilnadu. Devotes can reach Mandaikadu by road. Nearest railway stations are Iranial and Nagercoil. Narest airports are Thiruvananthapuram and Madurai.
Festivals:
10 day Masi festival (March-April) draws a huge crowd numbering 10 lakh. On Poornima day too. The crowd would be huge during the Tuesdays and Fridays of the Tamil month.
History:
His Holiness Sri Sankaracharya was performing Srichakra Puja with his Kerala disciples here. One day the Chakra did not turn back after the puja was over as usual. The Acharya stayed here itself and attained Samadhi. It is on this spot where the Srichakra existed, the anthill began to grow. Children playing this side and hitting the anthill were injured. Marthanda Varma, the king of Kerala came to know of these developments and built a temple and performed pujas regularly. Gradually, the temple assumed significance among the devotees. Today is a famous temple blessing the devotees.