Onni Palayam Sri Rajamari Amman Temple, Coimbatore

Address

Karamadai Road, Pilichi Panchayat,

Onnipalayam, Coimbatore district,

Tamil Nadu – 641 019.

Phone: +91 98422 72280, 97508 42500

Amman

Rajamari Amman

Introduction

Onni Palayam Sri Rajamari amman temple is located in the Onnipalayam village, Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu. Here the Presiding deity is called Sri Rajamari Amman. Karupparayan, the custodian deity of Sri Raja Mari Amman Temple appears at the entrance of the temple with a sickle in the hand wearing a smile in the face. Sri Raja Mari Amman Temple is an ancient temple which is almost 1000 years old. Mother Rajamari Amman protects all her devotees coming to her from any place besides those from Onnipalayam, Onnipalayam Pudur, Karichi Palayam, Chenni Veeram Palayam, and Kallipalayam villages.

Puranic Significance

1000 Years ago, people of Onniam Palayam used to visit Kothamangalam near Satyamangalam and worship Amman in the temple. They saw people of the place enjoying a prosperous life and felt that they would also have a happy life if they had an Amman temple. They placed their prayers at her feet. An elderly man possessed of Amman loudly said, “I am from Kothamangalam to stay in your place. If you build a temple for me, I shall protect the people of the surrounding villages and grant you a prosperous life”. It was a simple palm leaves roofed temple in the beginning where Amman was installed. With the standard of living of people improved, the temple also grew in size in the years that followed. Mother Rajamari Amman is also praised as Kothamangalathukari and Aayiram Kan Mari (Mari with 1000 eyes).

Special pujas are dedicated to Karupparayan during festival days. People believe praying to Karupparayan will help the devotees win foes and traitors. There is a story about Lord Vinayaka in the temple. A gang was planning to rob things from the temple. Lord Vinayaka, knowing their plans, cautioned Mother Amman who foiled their attempts. The angry gang beheaded Vinayaka. Mother Rajamari Amman cursed them to become stones. That Vinayaka is still in the temple named Thalaivetti Pillayar – Behaded Pillayar.

Beliefs

Those seeking wedding boon offer Wedding Festival to Amman. Those affected by small pox and eyesore pray to Amman for remedy. Devotees offer thirukalyam to rajamariyamman.

Special Features

The custodian deity of the temple, Karupparayan is at the entrance of the temple with a smiling face though holding a long sickle.

Festivals

The 15 day long annual festival in the month of Thai (January – February), Poochattu Vizhha is the main celebration in the temple, devotees gathering from 8 villages. Mother Raja Mariamman is the Kuladevatha of these villagers. There is a separate shrine for Badra Kali Amman to whom pujas are dedicated on Fridays at the Rahukalam time – i.e. between10.30 a.m. To 12.00 a.m. Mothers Durga, Parvathi and Mahalakshmi and the Saptha Kannikas are in the prakara shrines. Tuesdays and new moon day pujas are regularly performed in the temple. Fridays in Aadi month – July-August are also festive days in the temple.