Sri Kamakshi Amman – Mangadu, Chennai

 

 

 

 

Sri Kamakshi Amman

      Siva and Devi were sporting in their garden in the Mount Kailash. Devi in her playful mood closed the eyes of Lord Siva. Immediately the whole creation fell into eternal darkness. Goddess craved Siva's pardon. Lord Siva directed Goddess to the earth for performing severe penance. Goddess came and started her severe penance on the Panchagni in Mangadu. Goddess performed penance on the Panchagni, resting the left leg on the Panchagni,folding the right leg. Her left hand is raised above her head, holding a jabmala. This can be seen in this Mangadu Temple as Tapas Kamakshiamman.

Sri Ardhameru Sri Chakra

      When Goddess Left the place without extinguishing the fire the whole area suffered from the unbearable heat for a long time. Sri AdiSankara of Kaladi came here and installed SRI ARDHAMERU CHAKRAM and extinguished the fire. SRI CHAKRAM in Mangadu is very rare in India.

Elaborate Version -

Sukracharayar, the guru of the asuras was performing yagna on earth. Shiva appeared before him and blessed him. Since he could leave the yagna and appear before Kamakshi he communicated to her through a Asarreri vakku to proceed to Kanchipuram and that he will marry her there. Kamakshi obeyed the words of Shiva and proceeded to Kanchi and made a sand Shivalingam and propitiated the lord. Shiva blessed his devotees and entered into a wedlock with Kamakshi on the auspicious Panguni Uthiram day. She is called as Kalyana Kamakshi here.

Since the goddess hurriedly left for Kanchi she forgot to put out the fire in Agni kundam at Mangadu. This created havoc in the surrounding areas. The lands became dry and parched and the water in the lakes started depleting. The dry area became a source of concern to the people living there. They started wailing as they were suffering.

God did not want his devotees to suffer. A spiritual preceptor and exponent of Advaita philosophy –Adi Shankara was on a holy tour of India. And he happened to pass this area. He was shocked beyond words to see the sad state of affairs. People came to him and sought his help to set revive its old state. They prayed to him to solve this problem. Is he not a deiva piravi?

Shankaracharya was able to find out the cause for the calamity through his ganana drishti. In order to bring the area back to normalcy he consecrated a unique Ashta kantham-( 8 mooligai)-Ardha meru-SriChakra in this place. This Srichakra yantra is called the Raja Yantra. The lowest part is in the shape of a tortoise-Kurma.with three steps on top of it and there are 16 Lotus petals and a Srichakra yantra embedded on it. In order to signify 43 Devatas there are 43 triangles. Since Adi Shankarar had made it out of Ashta kantham Abishekam is not done but sandalwood paste, javaathu, and Poonugu is applied on it. Kumkuma archana is done to Ashtakantham. Artha meru srichakra is very important here. Abishekam is done to Pancha loka kamakshi.

Since Adi Shankara consecrated Srichakra it was able to quench the fire –Agni in this place. In spite of it devotees feared to go inside the temple and worship the goddess. The icon of Thava Kamakshi was the reason for the fear. For several hundred years the temple had very few visitors. But now it is bursting at its seams. And devotees make a beeline irrespective of the time.

The pontiff of Kanchi mutt Parmacharyar found that the icon of Thava kamakshi was the reason for the fear of the devotees and removed the icon of thava kamakshi from the moola sthanam and shifted it to an adjoining place to the left side inside temple premises. Then he consecrated another icon of Kamakshi with a parrot on one hand and a sugar cane in the other hand. She is Santham personified and she is called Santha kamakshi. The mangadu moolasthana amman is called Adhi kamakshi. The icon is made of panchaloka.

     The Ardhameru Sri Chakram is the chief divinity in this temple. Kumkum Archana is performed and no abhishekam for Sri Chakram, since it is made up of herbals. Sri Adhi Kamakshiamman (in Panchalogam) has been installed in the sanctum by Sri Kanchi Paramacharya Swamigal.

Maha Kumbabishegam

First Maha Kumbabhishegam was performed on 8th July of 1987 with a newly built seven storied Rajagopuram and again on 3rd June of 2001. Both were performed in the presence of His Holiness Sri Jeyendra Saraswathi Swamigal and Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal.

Devotees can propitiate Goddess Kamakshi by visiting her temple consecutively for six weeks, this is called –Aaru vaara vazhipadu.

We should choose one particular day of the week and worship the Goddess on the same day for 6 consecutive weeks. Men and women who are in search of employment opportunities should choose Tuesdays to worship the deity. They should visit the temple on 6 consecutive Tuesdays and propitiate Kamakshi.

We should choose either Tuesdays or Fridays or Sundays to worship the Goddess. What is special about the three days? In many families girls do not find a suitable life partner and thus their wedding is delayed. Maidens visiting the temple should tie a yellow cloth with a turmeric piece to tree at the entrance of the temple. It is believed by following this ritual and praying to the Goddess, the girl is sure of finding a virtuous husband.

For those who are childless worshipping the Goddess on Fridays is helpful. There is a special ritual which is followed in the temple. The couple should tie a tiny cradle with a small baby idol in front of the sanctum sanctorum of the Goddess. This can be done on the first or last Friday. Thus praying to the Goddess on Fridays for 6 weeks is recommended for Progeny.

We have read about the particular days of the week that is recommended for a certain purpose. Let us glimpse at the method of worship.

On the chosen day of the first week the devotees should propitiate the Goddess with Thamboolam – Vettrilai pakku, coconut, fruits, flowers camphor and two lemons. After performing archana to the Goddess and praying fervently to Artha meru srichkara Aadhi Kamakshi, we should proceed to the sanctum sanctorum of Tapas Kamakshi and inform the priest about our prarathana and then he would give us a lemon which is precious.

This lemon should be placed in the pooja room of our house with piety. When we visit the temple the following week. We should by another fresh lemon in addition to the lemon in the pooja and offer it to the Goddess. Even this time the lemon obtained from the sanctum of tapas Kamakshi should be placed in the house for worship. The same procedure should be followed for six weeks without break. After completing six weeks of worship on the seventh week we should visit the temple on the same day like the previous weeks with Tamboolam and milk. But lemon should not be obtained from the priest.

Even today, no abhishekams are performed to the Sri Chakra as it contains rare herbs. Only Kumkuma Archana is performed that too only to the Sri Chakra and not the idol, as the powers of Sri Kamakshi Amman has been instilled in the Chakra by Sri Aadhi Sankaracharya.

The idol Sri Aadhi Kamakshiamman made of Panchaloha (5 metals) was installed by Sri Kanchi Paramacharya Swami in the later years.

A special neivedhyam –offering should be prepared at home. One or two liters of milk should be condensed and sugar candy honey, elaichi powder should be mixed in the milk to enhance its taste..After offering this to Kamakshi it should be distributed to every one irrespective of age. Since Kamakshi is fond of milk it is given to all the devotees. The Goddess showers her grace abundantly on her devotees. Is she not our Mother?

There is an interesting story about her fondness for milk. When Kamakshi was in deep penance in Mangadu with no one around only the cows were her food givers. The cowherds used to graze the cattle near the place where Kamakshi was meditating. The divine intervention is discernible at this juncture. At least one cow used to feed her milk every day. For many years this was her staple food. Thus she grew fond of milk and it is offered to appease her.

The temple is thronged with devotees on English and Tamil new years day .

Mangadu is a paradise on earth during Navarathri. It reaches a crescendo on Navarathri Fridays when women surge to have a holy communion with the goddess.

Mangadu is 20 kms from Chennai on the Chennai Bangalore high way near Poonamalle.

 

Festival:

The temple celebrates many festivals as 10 day Chithirai festival in April-May with a sea of devotees seeking the grace of Mother Kamakshi. Other festivals include Tamil and English New Year days, Pongal falling almost on January 14, Navarathri in September-October, Masi Magam and Shivrathri in February-March. Devotee crowd is ever huge on every festival day.

Temple's Speciality:

This is the holy place where Mother Kamakshi performed severe penance standing on one leg amidst fire before Her wedding with Lord Ekambareswarar in Kancheepuram. Sri Chakra occupies all importance in the temple. Abishek is offered to the panchaloka – an alloy of five metals – idol of Mother Kamakshi and archana to Sri Chakra.

General Information:
 

The region was a forest of Mango trees once, hence named Mangadu.  Maa in Tamil means Mango.  A little away from Mangadu is the temple of Lord Velleeswarar.  Velli is the name of planet Venus-Shukra.  As in the Kanjanur Shukrapureeswarar temple, this temple is of Shukra importance.  Mother Kamakshi is the important deity in Mangadu and Kancheepuram.  Similarly, Velleeswarar is the main deity in this temple.  Only the feet of Mother are installed here.
Lord Ganapathi is holding paddy stalks and mango in His hands.  These are offered as nivedhana to Lord Vinayaka in the faith that farm yields would be in plenty.  Another Vinayaka in the Goshta appears with an umbrella and a mango.

Prayers

A six week worship is in practice in the temple.  Devotees choose any day in a week to begin the worship with lime fruit and continue the same for six weeks on the same day of the week to realize their wish.  Unmarried girls pray to Mother with a yellow thread in the belief that they too will get a suitable match as Mother performed penance here and got wedded to Lord in Kancheepuram.  This prayer applies to men also.
Those seeking child boon pray to Mother with a cradle so that they would have to arrange a cradle in their houses too for the child blessed by Mother Kamakshi.  Many are experiencing the fruits of the six week worship.  People also pray for promotions in job and for relief from diseases.

Thanks giving:

Devotees perform milk abishek to Artha Meru Chakra and offer vastras. They also follow the traditional abishek and archanas, arrange feeding etc.

Greatness Of Temple:

The Artha Meru Chakra in the temple was installed by Acharya Sankara having 43 Trikonas-triangles.  This is made of eight herbals called Astagandham.  Hence no abishek is offered the Chakra.  The pujas for the chakra is performed with sandal and other cosmetic powders and archana with kumkum.  On the Vijayadasami day,  last day of Navarathri, this Chakra is covered with gold, while on other days, it is with a silver cover.
Sri Chakra occupies great importance in the temple.  This Artha Meru Sri Chakra is revered as Raja (Royal status) Yantra.  The base is of Koorma (tortoise) design. There are three steps above the base. It is further built with 16 Lotus petals and 8 petals of Lotus still above.  The Sri Chakra is drawn on this peeta-seat.  No Sri Chakra is as big as the one in Mangadu.  It is dressed with a 9 yard sari.
The penance undertaken by Mother Kamakshi is of a highest order which none could imagine.  She made five Agni Kundas – fire pits.  She stood near the central pit keeping Her left toe touching the fire, placed the right leg on the left thigh.  She kept Her left hand near Her naval part, held the right hand with a japa mala above Her head.  Her beautiful eyes were closed to have the hands of Lord.  She undertook this peanace in this holy Mangadu.  This scene is beautifully sculptured in the temple.
Devotees have four Ambikas for darshan in the temple. 1) As Sri Chakra, 2) Adhi Kamakshi made of Panchaloka metals, 3) Kamakshi doing penance amidst the five Agni Kundas and 4) the small Lamp burning near Adi Kamakshi revered as Ambika Herself.  The darshan of all Ambicas can be had simultaneously from the mandap.  Ambika in the sanctum sanctorum is holding a parrot in the right hand and the crescent moon on the head.
It is noteworthy that the tradition of felicitating a person for his/her winning an exam with distinction or any tough competition with the success of standing on a single leg began from the penance posture of Mother Kamakshi.  The condition of penance was not made easy or relaxed even for the consort of Lord. 
Mangadu has an added importance.  When Emperor Mahabali offered three feet of land to Lord Vamana the dwarf, knowing the design of the Lord, planet Venus-Shukra intervened to stop Mahabali from the offering.  He blocked the Jal Patra the water bowl.  Lord Vamana used a darba grass to remove the block and thus made Venus blind in one eye.  To get back his eyes, Shukra-Venus also performed penance on Lord Shiva in this place when Kamakshi also was on a penance.  Lord Shiva appeared before Shukra the devotee first and granted his eye back.  Priority was to a devotee.             
When Lord Shiva came to this place to acknowledge the penance of Mother, Lord Vishnu too came here with gifts to His sister the bride.  When Lord Shiva and Mother Kamakshi left for Kancheepuram, Lord Vishnu too was to accompany them.  But Maharshi Markandeya begged Perumal to stay in the place.  Obliging the Rishi, Perumal stayed here as Vaikunta Perumal with His discus and a ring in a finger showing his coming with gifts for His Sister.    He is praised as Seer Perumal – Gift Perumal.
A Homa-Nava Kalasa Homa with nine brass pots-Kalasas is conducted in the temple on full moon days.  Nine forms of Shakti are personified in these Kalasas.  Pushpanjali is offered to Sri Chakra. 
Niraimani Darshan is another event celebrated in the temple on the Purattasi full moon day in September-October.  Artha Mandap, Thapas Mandap and the front Mandap are decorated with sweets, fruits, vegetables and grains showing all prosperity.  Devotees believe that this Niraimani Darshan would bring all prosperity to the family.  
Three Mothers in the temple bless and please the devotees in their daily procession in a golden car in evenings daily.  Brahmmi, one of the Saptha Mathas is the driver (Sarathi) of the car.  Nava Kannikas the nine virgins are around the car-rath.  There is also a Kuthuvilakku perennially burning in the Mahamandap.  Left of this is the shrine of Mother Thapas Kamakshi.

Temple History:

Legend associated with this temple is that once in the heavenly abode Sri Parvathi closed the Lord Shiva's eyes just for fun. When she closed the Lord’s eyes the world plunged into darkness and all the beings suffered. The Lord got angry and asked her to get out of the place and suggested that she can join him only after doing severe penance . Accordingly she came to earth and saw a large mangrove (mango forest) and thought that it is the apt place for her to do the penance. She chose a place in the middle of the mangrove and started her tapas in the middle of Panchagni . Panchagni means fire on all four sides and above the head hot rays of sun . The Devi stood on one leg as her right leg folded and her right hand above her head holding the rudraksha beads. Siva pleased with her penance, came down and gave darshan to Devi and married her at Ekambareswar temple in Kancheepuram.

There is a temple for Lord Shiva near the Kamakshi Amman temple which is known as Valleswarar temple. There is a temple for Lord Vishnu also known as Vasikunta Perumal Temple near by this Amman temple.
The heat of the Panchagni and that of the penance of Devi did not subside and hence the people had great sufferings . When once Adi Sankacharya visited this place he realized the situation and installed an Ardhameru Sri Chakra in a small temple and instilled the power prevailing there in it. He gave the necessary instructions of poojas to the Ardhameru Sri Chakra which is very rare of its kind and not seen anywhere else.

Even today the poojas and abhishekams are done to the Sri Chakra. There is an idol of Tapa Kamakshi ( the Devi in her posture of Tapas) on the right side of the main shrine.
Significant vratam performed in this temple is six weeks vrat. You can choose any day of the week for this six week vrat . Suppose you start the vrat on Monday you should reach the temple on Monday with two lelons . One will be kept in the temple and the other will be given to the person who perform vrat. He/she should keep the lemon at home and come to the temple next Monday with the lemon along with two fresh ones. Like this one should visit the temple for six weeks . On the sixth Monday they will perform archana and provide you with prasadams. It is believed that those who perform this six weeks the Devi will fulfill their wishes.