Munugapet Pachaiamman Temple, Thiruvannamalai

Address

Munugapet Village, Cheyyar Taluk,

Thiruvannamalai District,

Tamil Nadu – 604504

Phone: 04182-244441 Mobile: +91 8608999572

Amman

Pachaiamman

Introduction

Munugapet Pachaiamman Temple is 1000 years old temple. This temple situated in Thiruvannamalai district near vazhapanthal Cheyyar circle near Arani. It is a beautiful village surrounded by greenery of fields and small villages. It is located approximately 150 kms from Chennai. This is the 1st Pachaiamman temple and later new temples of goddess constructed in Thiruvannamalai and also one in Thirumullaivoil in Chennai. Pachaiamman temple is a typical Ancient village temple where you cannot find stone idols but only stucco images. Ashta bhandana Mahakumbahbishekam has been done on 04-06-2012. This is the original place called Mukkoodal (Three Rivers meet) a kilometer before the main temple where Goddesses Parvathi did the worshipped Suyambu Lingam (Lord Siva).

Puranic Significance

As per the legend, the goddess Parvathi playfully closed the eyes of Lord Shiva, and due to Shiva’s curse she came down to earth. She wanted to regain her status as wife of Shiva and hence wanted to do penance at Munugapet. She made a plantain tree leaves Pandhal and need of water. So Lord Vinayagar her 1st son and Lord Muruga her second son went to bring water for her pooja. Mean time Parvathi just dig the ground with a hand stick and the ground water gushing out from the ground. Lord Vinayaga in his part brought water and Lord Muruga his share. So all together, three rivers are flowing here. There is still 5 feet Shiva Linga is here in this village where goddess Parvathi did her poojas

During her pooja thousands of devotees gathered to get darshan of the goddess, there was a huge dust covered the entire city of Veeramapuri. Veeramapuri’s king Surapadman sent his brother along with six warriors to drive away the goddess. However, he got stuck with Pachaiamman’s beauty and told his brother about the same. Surapadman was impressed with the beauty of Pachaiamman and proposed for marriage. This enraged the goddess. She took the form of Kali and mounted on a roaring lion. She was accompanied by Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu as Vamuni and Saeimuni and along with Sapta Rishis (saints) who took the form of warriors. All of them killed Surapadman and his soldiers.

Festivals

Chitra Poornima in April-May; Vaikasi Visakam in May-June; Aadi Pooram in July-August; Vinayaka Chathurthi in August-September; Navarathri in September-October; Maha Shivrathri in February-March are the festivals celebrated in the temple.