Arulmigu Mathura Kaliamman temple at Siruvachur, 50 km from Trichy and 8 km from Perambalur, dates back to more than a thousand years. Many devotees visit this temple on Mondays and Fridays to worship the powerful deity and seek ‘Her blessings’. Tradition says Chelliamman was the local deity in Siruvachur. Through his devotion to the deity, an evil magician won her favor. Chelliamman was pleased with his devotion and granted him any boon he desired. The cruel sorcerer wished that the deity should be his servant and obey all his commands. She could not do anything but obey all his evil commands because she was bound by her own boon.
Kannagi, the embodiment of virtue and chastity, was visiting Siruvachur at this time. She was the devoted wife of a merchant named Kovalan. They led a blissful life until Kovalan, in the course of his travels, met a beautiful dancer named Madhavi. Kovalan, enamored by her grace, began to live with her and spent all his wealth on her. The relationship lasted for over a year, during which he had a daughter named Manimegalai through her. After his resources were exhausted, Kovalan realized his folly and returned to his devoted wife Kannagi. The couple traveled to Madurai to earn a living.
Due to a lack of funds, Kovalan tried to sell one of his wife’s precious anklets. Kovalan’s anklets were similar to the queen of Madurai’s, so the king charged him with theft and promptly executed him without trial. As Kannagi heard this, she rushed to the king’s court and accused him of taking an innocent man’s life by his hasty and unjust will. In a fit of rage, she threw the other anklet to the ground. By the power of her chastity, the entire city of Madurai was engulfed in flames.
Kannagi then left Madurai and went towards Siruvachur. At the deserted temple, she spent the night. Then something strange happened. The temple deity Chelliamman came out of the sanctum and asked Kannagi not to stay there because she might be killed by the cruel magician. Kannagi heard Chelliamman’s story. Kannagi was deeply moved and offered to help Chelliamman shake off the evil. Kannagi entered the sanctum with Chelliamman and waited there. At midnight, the magician arrived and called out to Chelliamman. Kannagi invoked the blessing of her family deity Kali. Having received Kali’s blessing, Kannagi leaped out of the sacred chamber, fought the magician, and vanquished and beheaded him. Chelliamman was thus liberated from her bond.
In gratitude, Chelliamman prayed to Kannagi to stay at the temple permanently to bless and protect all devotees who seek refuge from suffering. She said that she would retreat and live in the nearby Periyasami hills. On condition that she stay with Chelliamman for all days other than Mondays and Fridays, Kanagi agreed. At Siruvachur temple, Kannagi was worshipped as Mathura Kaliamman because she came from Madurai and invoked the blessings of Goddess Kali to slay the magician. Mathura Kaliamman is worshipped by thousands on Mondays and Fridays. Aarthi is lifted to Periyasami hills during Puja in order to offer prayers to Chelliamman and then Mathura Kaliamman. The magician’s samadhi is located in front of the sanctum as per his dying wish. While entering the sanctum, devotees stamp over the samadhi as wished for by the magician. By the divine grace of the deity, the priests at the temple are said to be the descendants of the magician but free of his evil proclivities.
The deity at the temple was consecrated by Adi Sankara. The revered saint Sri Sadasiva Brahmendral installed a powerful Srichakram in this temple. Moreover, he is the kuladeivam of Kanchi Mahahaswami Shri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi.
Sri Madhurakaliamman Suprabhatam | Ranjani – Gayatri
In a domain often characterized as elitist, esoteric, and not easily accessible to the masses, this brilliant sister duo of Ranjani and Gayatri have found a way over the years to satisfy and stimulate the cognoscenti and at the same time delight and thrill the lay audience. To achieve the magnetic status of a rock star and be viable as serious and profound practitioners of the art form is not easy in the field of Carnatic music, but these sisters have done just that with great distinction and felicity.
Ranjani and Gayatri are world-renowned versatile musicians whose thirty years of professional accomplishments include studio recordings, television, radio, concerts, festivals and lecture demonstrations. They have performed as soloists, violin duos, accompanists, vocal duos, composers, educators and ambassadors of Indian Classical Music. As top-class Indian classical musicians, Ranjani and Gayatri are conservators of their genre’s unique beauty and preserve ancient tradition as they continue to innovate within it.
Important Festival
Chithirai Car Festival : The Poochorithal festival is started after Chithirai Ammavasai 1st Tuesday and then after the 8th-day Kappu Kattuthal festival and then after 10th-day Big car festival, which is considered the most famous festival in the district.
The Special Temple Opening days in Tamil months are Chithirai Tamil New year; Aadi for Aadi 18th day; Purattasi for Navarathri 10 days; Iyppasi for Deepavali; Karthigai for Karthigai Deepam, Margazhi for Margazhi Pirappu, Vaikunda Ekadesi, English New year(January 1st ); Thai Thaippongal, Thaipoosam; Masi Sivarathri.
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