Putlur Angala Parameswari Temple, Thiruvallur

Address

Putlur Angala Parameswari Temple, Ramapuram (Putlur), Thiruvallur District – 602 025 Mobile: +91 94436 39825.

Diety

Amman: Angala Parameswari (Parvathi)

Introduction

Angala Parameswari Temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvathi located at Putlur Village near Thiruvallur Town in Thiruvallur District of Tamilnadu. Presiding Deity is called as Poongavanathamman / Angala Parameswari. The goddess is in the form of a pregnant woman in this temple. As Shiva is found inside the sanctum, instead of Lion, Nandi idol is present in front of the sanctum, which is a rare thing to find in Amman (Goddess) temple. The Temple will be crowded during the full moon days.

Puranic Significance

Lord Shiva and Parvathi were walking from Melmalayanur towards Ramapuram (the place where this temple is located, which subsequently came to be known as Putlur because of the Goddess manifesting herself in the form of a Putru – an anthill). This place was a forest those days full of neem trees. Parvathi tired after the long walk, sat down and asked Lord Shiva to fetch her some water. Lord Shiva went searching for water but could not find any nearby. He had to go to the river Coovum to bring the water. It started raining heavily and the river was getting flooded. So, he had to wait a while for the rain to subside. Tired of waiting for the Lord, and exhausted with hunger and thirst, the Goddess lay down on the floor and an anthill grew over her. She became one and the same with the anthill. Lord Shiva returned shortly after and found that Parvathi had permanently stayed there. So, he too stood beside her and is called Thandavarayan. Probably this is the only Amman temple where you can find a Nandi before the sanctum sanctorum and this is because of the presence of Shiva behind the goddess. One Ponmeni pledged his land to a money lender named Makisuran. He worked in the same land to maintain his family. Unscrupulous Makisuran tortured all the people this way by lending them money and swelled their liabilities with abnormal compound interest rates. He thus swallowed the lands of all. He severely beat Ponmeni due to default in payments and demanded Ponmeni in the presence of villagers to plough the Poongavanam outside the place in a single night on Shivarathri day before sunrise and threatened to do with his life if he failed to do so. Poongavanam is the place of evil spirits. Ponmeni thought it better to fail and die in a day than dying each day. He began tilling the land praying to Mother Karumayee. He saw an old man and an aged woman under a tree. The woman was very thirsty. Ponmeni helped the old man to fetch water. When they returned, they found the woman disappearing. When Ponmeni turned to the old man, he also was not there. When Ponmeni resumed his tilling, he found the plough stuck and the spot began to bleed. A voice assured him of safety and said “I am Angala Parameswari who came in the guise of the aged woman. Now, I am an ant-hill here. Responding to your prayer, I came with Lord Shiva. As my presence had been made known to the world by you, you will be relieved of poverty, continue worshipping me and the Lord.” Within a few minutes the anthill became visible. As the Goddess appeared from Poongavanam, she came to be worshipped as Poongavanathu Amman.

Beliefs

Devotees pray for child boon, those facing problems in wedding proposals and those having family problems, tear a piece from their sari and tie it in the neem tree. Realizing their wishes, they come to the temple, thank the Goddess with pujas. Majority of the devotees pray for child boon. It is also very common for people to stay overnight here on full moon days. A special prayer is conducted at 5 am the next morning for these people who stay awake and pray through the night. It is believed that one has to remove all “drishti” (casting of evil eye) before entering the temple. So, these women circle the lemon thrice around your head, and ask you to crush it under your left foot. This is supposed to remove all drishti from you. On entering the temple, there is a trident (Trishul) on which three of the remaining lemon are pressed on. Majority of the devotees to the temple are women. The temple is filled with turmeric and kumkum smell. Women place a lime fruit at the feet of the Goddess keeping their sari pallu also there with some prayer. If the fruit rolls and falls at the sari piece, it indicates their wish will be fulfilled, it is believed. Devotees will give Thula Baram if their prayers are answered.

Festivals

Shivarathri and Masi Magam crematorium robbery festival in February-March, Aadi Fridays in July-August and New Moon day pujas are celebrated in the temple.