Vannarpettai Theepachi Amman Temple - Thirunelveli

Address

Vannarpettai Theepachi Amman Temple – Thirunelveli

Vannarpettai,

Thirunelveli district,

Tamil Nadu– 627 003

Phone: +91 – 462 – 250 0344 / 250 0744

Amman

Theepachi Amman

Introduction

Theepachi Amman Temple is located very near to the Bus Stand in Vannarpettai in Thirunelveli Town in Thirunelveli District of Tamilnadu. The temple has all the attributes of the story of Kannagi, the celebrated woman of Tamilnadu who proved the power of her chastity before the Pandya king in Madurai. The temple is located very near to the Vannarpettai bus stop on the Thirunelveli – Palayamkottai road.

Puranic Significance

India has the reputation of being the home of women praised for their chastity of highest degree. They willingly and unhesitatingly accompanied their husbands in death. Tamil Nadu celebrates them as their Goddess. Temples are built for them as the one for Kannagi. Theepachi Amman in Thirunelveli belongs to this noble community. Akkammal residing in Ettayapuram was a staunch believer. After marriage, the couple loved each other heart and soul that they could not live without the other. While she was working in the field one day, she told the shepherds that she would be receiving a message which they did not take seriously. Meantime, her relatives arrived at the place and asked her to return home with them without giving any reason. Akkammal calmly told them that they were urging her to return home as her husband died by then. They were shocked as it was true. Returning home, she did not cry or weep as ordinary women but stood resolutely to the surprise of kith and kin. She simply said that she was in her husband by soul and would accompany him in his last journey. Relatives could not stop her. Even the ruler of Ettayapuram could not change her mind. She wanted the cremation of her husband on the banks of Tambiraparani. She also had a dip in the river and joined the pyre and shed her mortal coil along with her husband. Lakshmi, a friend of Akkammal since child hood also joined them in death as she could not bear the separation. Praising Akkammal’s chastity, people built a temple for her then. As Akkammal sprang into the fire (Thee Paichal in Tamil), she was praised as Thee Paintha Ambal which later changed as Theepachi Amman.

Beliefs

Women pray seeking a good life partner. Devotees perform special pujas and offer vastras to the deity. People believe that worshipping the Goddess on the last Tuesday and last Friday in the month of Aadi (July-August) would bring them immense benefits.

Special Features

Theepachi Amman is the presiding in this Temple. Along with the presiding deity, her husband also is nearby in the sanctum sanctorum. There is also a shrine for her friend Lakshmi along with her husband and children. Those devoted to Theepachi Amman pray to her on Shivarathri day and others attached to Lakshmi Ambal prey on Panguni Uthiram. Couples desiring to be together throughout life, pray to this deity. The temple has all the attributes of the story of Kannagi, the celebrated woman of Tamilnadu who proved the power of her chastity before the Pandya king in Madurai. The temple is said to be more than 1000 years old.