Bhavani Amman Temples in Tamil Nadu

Bhavani Amman Temples in Tamil Nadu

The power and prowess of Lordess has never been underestimated and particularly during the month of Aadi, which has been exclusively dedicated to the worship of Shakthi as has been time and again reemphasized in this weblog. In this post, we would cover in depth about Bhavani temples in and around Chennai.

Even today people in Tamil Nadu consider that an attack of small pox or a chicken pox to be as a visit of Goddess Amman. This is triggered off by a series of visits to nearest Amman temples and also after the recovery, visit to other Amman temples. The most significant of the Amman temple near Chennai is Periyapalayam. It lies somewhere in the Chennai - Thirupathi highway on the route of Tada. It is near to Arani in Tiruvellore district near Chennai. Do not confuse this with Arani in Vellore district.

The most significant of this temple shrine are:

1. There are thousands of devotees who visit this shrine during the month of Aadi and stay for a week to offer thier prayers. This festival is normally celebrated during Saturdays and Sundays. You can see makeshift residences on the Arani river banks during the month of Aadi.
2. There are different types of offerings to the Lordess. Typically meat is offered to the Lordess (form of Parvathi), Lord Shiva's spouse. Thousands of chickens are slaughtered during the event.
3. Devotees, irrespective of male or female or kid, also tonsure thier head and have them shaven to please the Goddess.
4. Virgins wrap themselves in neem leaves before circumambulating the temple. This, they believe, that would please the Lordess and bless them with marriage wishes.
5. The devotees, who assemble together from far-flung places stay together, cook a special food made of of rice called Pongal and eat it as Lordess' Prasadam.
6. Lordess Bhavani has a sparkling diamond in Her nostril that even overwhelms the brightness of the widespread sea and oceans.
7. The temple is dedicated to utmost divinity and devotion and there is no place for just for tourist visits. Hence it is an appeal to everyone to visit Her temple with pious devotion, shedding ego of any kind and without intentions of tourist spot visits.

The temple assumes real significance in that Lordess Parvathi penanced here to Lord Shiva to win Him as Her spouse. With the penance turning futile, she vowed to remain virgin and hence the temple is dedicated to Her in the form of Devi Kanya (a virgin Goddess).

Check out Bhavani Amman Temple website over here for more details.

Periyapalayaththamman Temples in Chennai

There is also a temple dedicated to Periyapalayaththamman near Adyar Telephone exchange. People who could not find time travelling to Periyapalayam can consider taking a pilgrimage at least to the temple in thier vicinity.

Readers If you know of other Periyapalaththamman temples, please share with others by posting as comments for the benefit of other readers.