Arulmigu Sri Mariamman Temple, Samayapuram Don't miss

Описание: 1. Arulmigu Sri Mariamman Temple, Samayapuram is an ancient Hindu temple in Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu, India.
2. The main deity, Samayapurathal or Mariamman, a form of supreme mother goddess Durga or Maha Kali or Aadi Shakthi.
3. The main deity is made of sand, clay with extractions of herbs.
4. Considered as most powerful Goddess, and hence unlike many other Hindu deities
5. There are no abhishekams (sacred bathing) conducted to the main deity.
6. "abishekam" is done to the small stone statue in front of it.
7. Believed that the Goddess has enormous powers over curing illnesses.
8. it is a ritual to buy small metallic replicas, made with silver or steel, of various body parts that need to be cured,
9. These are deposited in the donation box.
10. Devotees also offer mavilakku , a sweet dish made of jaggery, rice flour and ghee.
11. Offerings of raw salt is also made to the Goddess by the rural devotees.
12. Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays, the holy days for Mariamman
13. Samayapuram is the second most wealthy (in terms of cash flows) temple in Tamil Nadu after Palani.
14. In the early 18th century, King Vijayaraya Chakkaravarthi built the present day form of the temple.
15. locals worship the Goddess for many centuries before building the current temple.
16. During that period (around the 17th century CE), Trichi was ruled by the Vijayanagar kings and the area was used as an army base.
17. It is believed that they made a commitment to build the temple if they win the war and after attaining success they built a shrine for the Goddess.[4]
18. Samayapuram is a significant symbol of the native culture in rural Tamil Nadu
19. Samayapuram has been used a model to describe rural folklore in a number of research works on sociology and religion.
20. The legacy of Samayapuram is well spread beyond Tamil Nadu
21. Many people in Sri Lanka, Singapore, South Africa and Fiji still maintain their loyalties to the temple
22. They try to create similar temples and environment in their new country.
23. There is also a Samayapuram Mariamman Temple in Tanjong Rambutan at Malaysia.
24. There is also a shrine for Goddess Sri Samayapuram Mariamman at the Sri Veeramuthu Muneeswarar Temple which is located at Yishun Industrial Park and Veeramakaliamman Temple, Serangoon Road, Singapore.
25. During the month of Aadi, the annual Kozh Valarpu festival is conducted with much grandeur by the Sri Samayapuram Mariamman Pillaigal at Jurong West,Singapore.
26. An annual Samayapuram Sri Mariamman puja takes place at Jurong West Street 71, prior to the annual fire walking festival by Anbalahan and Family
27. Mariamman temples also typically involve Samiyattam wherein through a devotee (usually a female) Goddess Mariamman chooses to talk to help and bless the gathered devotees.
28. During festivals, it is not unusual to find people doing extreme things to make their bodies suffer as an act of sacrifice including, walking over a red-hot bed of charcoal and holding hot mud-vessel in bare hands.
29. Samayapuram is located 15 km from Tiruchirappalli on the National Highway (NH-45) which is now a 4-lane road from Chennai to Tiruchirappalli.
30. At Samayapuram, the Chithirai Chariot Festival is celebrated for a period of 13 days. The Festival Starts on the 1st Tuesday of the month "Chithirai" (April).
31. The 'Ther' (Ther = chariot) procession during the Chariot Festival is on the 10th day of the Festival.
32. The 'ther' with Goddess Samayapuram Mariamman will be pulled around the Temple by devotees. It is a Maha Festival --- Grand Festival, which attracts Lakhs of Devotees.