Mutharamman Kulasekharapatnam

Mutharamman, Kulasekharapatnam

Other Temples - Thoothukudi

Goddess

Mutharamman, facing north

God

Gnanamoorthiswarar along with goddess

Other Deities

Vinayaka, Pachaiamman, Bhairava

Mutharamman Kulasekharapatnam is a small north-facing temple where the main deity of the Goddess is installed along with the God Gnanamoorthiswarar, both in a seated posture. The theertham here is considered important by devotees as it is the sea where all river waters including the Ganges and Cauvery enter. The presence of Ashta (eight) Kali temples in Kulasekharapatnam is also considered significant. They are Veerakaliamman, Bhadrakaliamman, Karunkaliamman, Muppudariamman, Mutharamman, Uchinimakaliamman, Moondrumuga Amman and Vandimaritha Amman. The primary temple among them is the Mutharamman Kulasekharapatnam temple.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Gangai Kadal Theertham (Sea adjoining the temple)

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – No information

History

The town had been in existence as a major port town around 1st Century CE as is evident from historical references. The town was renamed after Maravarman Kulasekharapandyan I (1268-1301). Marco Polo (1254 – 1324 CE) describes the Pandyan port city of Kulasekharapatnam as a city that all the ships that come from the west, as from Hormos, Kis, Aden, and all Arabia, touch, laden with horses and other things for sale bringing a great concourse of people and a great business is done in this city. The temple is said to be about 300 years old, the deities of the original temple were formless and it was only in 1934 that idols were installed.

Legend

Maravarman Kulasekharapandyan I is believed to have had a vision of the goddess here. The goddess here at Mutharamman Kulasekharapatnam is considered a manifestation of Mahishasura Mardhini and the 10 days Dussehra Festival is celebrated elaborately here. This area has been a major trading port in the ancient days and pearls used to abound here. The goddess was presented with a Pearl (Muthu in Tamil) garland (Hara) and hence her name became Mutharamman.

The form of the idol and the sculptor were undecided in the 1930s when the goddess appeared in the dream of the priest and also in that of a sculptor called Subbaiya Achari in Myladi to engage him for the job. When the temple authorities went to order the idol, the sculptor said he had already created the Idol in anticipation of their arrival. Another legend regarding the Temple Bell is that the goddess appeared in the dream of a local merchant called Subbaiya Pillai and told him that he would receive a bag of money in a sack of Pulses and he should make a Bell for the temple. The money was found and surprisingly the amount quoted by the blacksmith and that in the bag were exactly the same. The Bell weighing about 58 kilograms was installed in 1927.

Directions

Mutharamman Kulasekharapatnam is in the center of town and reachable easily. Direction boards and paid parking are available. Kulasekharapatnam is about 13 kilometers south of Tiruchendur on the East Coast Road.

Stay and Food

None locally. The closest is Tiruchendur where there are many hotels, lodges, and restaurants for a comfortable stay and good food. Tiruchendur is about 40 kilometers south of Thoothukudi and 55 kilometers southeast of Tirunelveli. It is a well-connected coastal town.

Other Temples

Tamilnadu Temples