Muthumaalai Amman Mukkudal

Other Temples, Tirunelveli District

Goddess

Muthumaalai Amman, facing east

Other Deities

Vinayaka, Saraswathi, Mahalakshmi, Durga, Rama with Lakshmana, Seetha and Anjaneya, Bhairava, Muruga with consorts, Navagraha

Muthumaalai Amman Mukkudal is a small east-facing temple situated in a large, beautiful, and shady spot on the northern banks of the Tamiraparani River. On either side of the main sanctum are Ganesha and Muruga with his consorts in separate shrines. In the main sanctum are Muthumaalai Amman, Shiva, and Rama with Lakshmana and Sita, all facing east in separate adjacent shrines. Navagraha is outside. The sanctums have a circumambulatory path around them.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Tamiraparani River

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Mango (Mangifera indica)

History

Muthumaalai Amman Mukkudal is an old temple administered by the Hindu Naadar Community. The temple is a recent construction around an ancient idol found elsewhere.

Legend

The original ancient Amman temple was in a far away location amidst forests. Devotees faced the wrath of bandits on the way and the local Nadar Community decided to bring the soil from there and worship here in its present location. The goddess appeared in the dreams of the priest and disclosed the location of her buried idol in a field some distance away. She also appeared in the dream of the owner of the field and told him to allow the digging of the field. The idol was retrieved and installed in its present location at Muthumaalai Amman Mukkudal.

Directions

Muthumaalai Amman Mukkudal is on the north banks of the Tamiraparani River in Mukkudal. An arch in the highway directs to the temple.

Stay and Food

None locally. Closest is Tirunelveli.

Other Temples

Muthumaalai Amman, Mukkudal