Ooty Sri Mariamman Temple, Nilgiris

Address

Ooty Sri Mariamman Temple, Ooty – 643 001, Nilgiris District Phone: +91 423 244 2754

Diety

Amman: Sri Mariamman

Introduction

The Mariamman Temple in Ooty, Tamil Nadu, is a place of worship dedicated to the Goddess Mariamman, who is associated with rain and considered a form of the goddess Kali.

Location: The temple is located in Ooty Town in the Ooty Taluk of the Nilgiris District in Tamil Nadu, India.

Deity: The presiding deities in the temple are Maha Mariamman and Maha Kaliamman. The temple is dedicated to both Goddess Mariamman and Goddess Kaliamman, making it unique as it is one of the few places where both goddesses are worshipped together.

Legends and History:

The temple is believed to be around 1000 years old.
According to legend, two sisters with a divine appearance arrived in the region. People, not realizing their divine nature, asked them to stay under a tree. However, a flash of light appeared near the tree, and the sisters disappeared. This event made it clear that the sisters were divine beings, and a temple was built in their honor, dedicated to Goddesses Kaliamman and Mariamman. This temple is known for being the only place where both goddesses are worshipped together.

Worship and Practices:

The temple has a significant presence of Navagrahas (nine planets) along with their consorts.
The Goddess is seen as representing three powers: Itcha Sakti, Gnana Sakti, and Kriya Sakti, each symbolized by different forms, namely Mari, Kali, and Katteri.

Festivals:

The temple hosts various festivals throughout the year. The most prominent and elaborate is the 28-day car festival that takes place during the entire month of February. During this festival, the deity is carried in procession in different forms, including Durga, Kamakshi, Parvathi, Meenakshi, Rajarajeswari, Heddhai Amman, and Bhagavathi. This festival draws a large crowd, sometimes numbering in the lakhs.
On special occasions during the festival, devotees perform unique acts of devotion, such as walking barefoot over burning coals, which signifies their deep devotion to the goddess.
On the festival day, devotees also create oil lamps from grounded rice and offer them to the goddess as a form of worship.

Other Practices:

During the car procession, it is a common practice for devotees to throw salt on the deity as a symbol of their hope that their hardships will dissolve, similar to how salt disappears in water.
The temple sees significant gatherings of devotees on days of religious importance, including new moon days, Fridays in the month of Aadi (July-August), and Navaratri days in Purattasi (September-October).

The Mariamman Temple in Ooty is not only a place of worship but also an important cultural and religious center in the region. The unique combination of both Mariamman and Kaliamman worship sets it apart, and the grand 28-day festival in February is a major event that attracts devotees from near and far.