Pidaari Karukaathamman Temple, Mamallapuram

Pidaari Karukaathamman 

Pidaari Karukkathamman Temple is on the Tirukazhukunram Main Road, just when you enter Mamallapuram. The amman as her name signifies, grants the boon of childbirth to issueless couples.Several devotees throng the temple on Full Moon and Fridays. It was around 5.30 pm when we reached this temple. The small, ancient temple with just one sannadhi is now being extended. New sannadhis are being built for Ganesha, Subramanya and Navagrahas. The mandapam in front of the sannadhi has been moved forward along with the ancient Bali Peedam and Dwara paalakas.

Ancient Bali Peetam

The amman looks magnificient with braided hair - "Jadamudi". The eyes are glowing even from a distance and seem to penetrate the hearts of those who have come in search of fulfillment of their desires. It is believed that the Amman looks ferocious for six months and calm for the other six months.

Extension work being carried out at the temple

Devotees who come to pray for a child, bring flowers, coconut and lemon, and offer to the goddess. They tie pebbles ( surprisingly the pebbles that lay scattered in the temple, are almost shaped like a tucked up infant!) in yellow cloth, shaping it like a cradle, which the Poojari places on the lap of the amman and returns to the devotees, on to the several "Etti" trees (Nux vomica trees) that surround the temple. The lemon is placed on the Goddess' shoulders and returned to the woman who takes it home and consumes the juice as prasadam. This ritual is repeated for three full moon days. We could see several women who had been blessed with children, having come to offer gratitude, and were adorning the goddess with sarees, and offering sweet pongal. Several women praying for childbirth, were lined up on their knees, accepting the lemon that the poojari gave along with Veebudhi, Kumkumam and Manjal Kaapu in the pallav of their sarees. Those girls praying to get married tie turmeric sticks on yellow thread on to the Nux vomica trees.

Pebble cradles on the Nux vomica trees around the temple

The beautiful setting of the temple with several stala vrikshas around

The unique feature about this temple is that usually Pidaariamman temples are North facing while this temple faces East. The amman also serves as the "Ellai Theivam" for the town of Mamallapuram. Navarathri is very special here and the amman is decorated in different alangarams each of the nine days.