Udumalaipettai Mariamman Temple- Coimbatore

Address

Udumalaipettai (Udumalpet),

Coimbatore District,

Tamil Nadu – 642126.

Amman

Mariamman

Introduction

The Sri Mariamman Temple in Udumalpet, Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, is a revered temple dedicated to Goddess Shakti, specifically Mariamman. The primary deity of the Sri Mariamman Temple is Mariamman, a form of Goddess Shakti. Mariamman is believed to have the power to remove the grievances and illnesses of her devotees. She is often associated with the protection against diseases, particularly smallpox and chickenpox.

Puranic Significance

The temple has a history of about 700 years, making it a significant and ancient religious site.

Mangalya Puja: A special ritual known as Mangalya Puja is performed at the temple every year on the occasion of Markazhi Thiruvathirai. During this event, 108 couples participate in the puja, which is a significant and auspicious ceremony.
Stories and Legends:
- One legend suggests that Mariamman was the wife of the Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar, who faced outcast status. It is said that she suffered from smallpox and wandered from house to house seeking food. She fanned herself with neem leaves to keep flies away from her sores and eventually recovered. People began to worship her as the goddess of smallpox. This story also explains the practice of hanging neem leaves above the main entryways of South Indian homes to ward off smallpox. However, the credibility of this legend is debated, as Thiruvalluvar’s teachings promoted love for all.
- Another story involves Nagavali, the wife of Rishi Piruhu, one of the nine Rishis. When the Trimurti (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva) visited her, she turned them into children, unaware of their divine identity. In response, the gods cursed her, causing her beauty to fade and her face to become marked with smallpox-like scars. Her husband rejected her, and she was destined to be born as a demon in her next life, bringing about the spread of a disease that made people resemble her. She became known as Mari, meaning “changed.”

Beliefs

Devotees visit this temple to seek fulfillment of the following:- To get prosperity of life, Eye Disease, Ammai Disease, Marriage ban, Pudthira Dosham, Naga Dosham.

Special Features

Significance of Mariamman: Local goddesses like Mariamman have played an important role in the religious landscape of South India, often protecting villages and representing different castes of worshipers. The Vijayanagar period encouraged folk religion, which later influenced more literate forms of worship. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of Tamil self-consciousness, and deities like Mariamman have become more integrated into the larger social order.
Worship Practices: The main idol of Mariamman in the temple is made of sand and clay, similar to traditional Mariamman deities. Unlike many other deities, there are no abhishekams (sacred washing) conducted for the main deity. Instead, the “abishekam” is performed on a small stone statue located in front of the main idol.
Role of Mariamman: Mariamman is a goddess associated with both inflicting diseases and protecting the village from them. She can be fierce, inexorable, and challenging to appease. She is specifically known for her role in diseases such as smallpox and chickenpox. The goddess is considered ambivalent, capable of causing diseases and defending against them.

Festivals

Mariamman is invoked three times a year to rejuvenate village soil and protect the community against diseases and death. When diseases or disasters strike, special worship or festivals are conducted to appease the goddess. Blood offerings of animals are sometimes made during Mariamman festivals, though not always.