Samayapuram Amman Temple
The beautiful temple is located about 20 km from the main city of Trichy. The Goddess worshipped here, Goddess Mariamman is believed to be the goddess of power.
Mariamman is also believed to bring health and prosperity to its devotees. A strong belief is that this deity cures smallpox as well as chickenpox. This temple has individual shrines for processional images of Mariamman and Moolavar. The place is especially known for the annual festival of Thai Poosam, which is celebrated with a lot of fanfare.
The idol of the goddess is made up of sand and clay, and therefore, the main idol is not subject to Abhishek's aims (sacred washing), which is done at almost all other Hindu temples. Instead, the "Abishekam" is done to the small stone statue in front of the idol, as a mark of respect. There is also a famous ritual of buying small metallic replicas of the idol and keeping them at home, whenever a family member falls sick and then donating it to the donation box when the illness is cured.
History of Samayapuram Amman Temple
The origin of this temple is still now a mystery, the name Samayapurathu Amman refers that, The ‘Goddess of help at perfect timing’. People believe that Amman will help them at the right moment and time.
The legend has it that, Renukadevi the wife of Sage Jamadagni, went to the river to fetch water. She was blessed with the power to create pots out of river sand. As she was fetching water, the Gandharva the most handsome god passed across the sky and Renuka Devi got a glimpse of his beautiful face and fell for him for just a moment.
This incident came to the knowledge of Sage Jamadangi, he was very furious and ordered his son Parasuraman to behead his mother Renuka Devi's head. Under duress, Parasuram beheads his mother, pleased by his act Sage Jamadangi offers Parasuraman a boon. Parasurama using his boon demanded his mother back. And thus Renuka was brought back to life but her anger toward Jamadagi formed a great power inside her and transformed her into Goddess Mariamman. From that day onwards she was worshipped by all the women folks.
Yet another story is that Renuka Devi jumped into the funeral fire of her husband, Lord Shiva rescued her by pouring down the rain. Though she was saved, she was left with few fire wounds. So she applied sandal paste, drank turmeric water, and dressed in neem leaves. Later these things became the icons of Mariamman.
In Tamil, Mari means rain, as Renuka Devi was rescued by the rain she was named Mari Amman, and the things she used to heal her wounds became weapons. Mariamman is very powerful, vigorous, and pious, she heals all heat diseases, smallpox, measles, and chickenpox.
Mariamman is the folk deity of Tamilnadu and can be found everywhere. There are several incarnations of Mariamman, one such powerful incarnation is the Samayapurathu Mariamman.
Architecture of Samayapuram Amman Temple
Sri Mariyamman Temple is dedicated to Samayapurathal or Mariamman, an incarnation of Goddess Shakti. The main deity in the sanctum is made of sand and clay and hence there are no Abhishek aims conducted to the main deity, but instead, the Abishekam is done to the small stone statue in front of it.
