Kamakshi Amman Temple, Mangadu, Chennai

Kamakshi Amman Temple, Mangadu, Chennai

Prayers

There is a famous six-week worship of the goddess in this Temple. In the first week the devotee goes to the temple with two lime fruits, coconut, thamboola, banana as well as camphor and gives to the priest. After Pooja, the priest returns after worship one lime fruit to the devotee along with Prasadam. Then the devotee should worship the lime fruit given to him/her for a week. After a week, the devotee should go to the temple with three lime fruits. Two lime fruit are returned which he/she should worship for a week.

After six weeks apart from coconut, banana and other pooja materials, the devotee should take along with him/her a flower garland, boiled milk and sugar candy(Kalkandu), Pure edible camphor (Pachai karpooram) and honey. At that time the priest would not give back any lime fruit. The milk given back should be distributed to the devotees inside the temple then itself. It is believed that whatever the devotee desires would be fulfilled.

Devotees believe that going on the same day every week but due to circumstances it may not be possible, so going one day weekly should be aimed at. Male devotees who want to get a job or promotion are advised to go on every Tuesdays. Girls who want to get married are advised to go either on Tuesdays/Fridays /Sundays. They are also advised to tie a yellow thread in the designated place outside the temple. Ladies wanting to have children are advised to go on Fridays. They are also advised to tie a baby cradle or a cloth with a stone inside it on the tree outside the temple.

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

Festival

Festivals celebrated in this Temple are;

• Tamil New Year and Chithra Pournami during Chithirai Month
• Vaikasi Visagam
• Ani Thirumanjanam
• Adi Pooram
• Navarathri and Niraimani Katchi during Purattasi Month
• Aippasi Annabishekam
• Karthigai Deepam
• Margazhi Arudhra Dharshan
• English New Year (Jan 1)
• Thai Pongal
• Thai Poosam
• Masi Magam and Sivarathiri during Masi Month
• Telugu New Year
• Panguni Uthiram

Nava Kalasa Homam and Pushpanjali:

This Special Homam and Abhishekam will be performed on all the Full moon day (Pournami). 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:

Niraimani Darshan is another event celebrated in the temple on the Purattasi full moon day in September-October. Artha Mandapam, Thapas Mandapam and the front Mandapam 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. Brahmi, one of the Saptha Mathas is the driver (Sarathy) of the car. Nava Kannikas the nine virgins are around the car-Rath.

Architecture

Legend / Local stories

Mother Kamakshi penance on Lord Shiva:

Once Parvathi Devi closed the eyes of Shiva for fun which resulted in total darkness of the whole universe. Shiva was displeased by her act and she had to come down to earth and do penance to join Shiva once again. Here She penanced standing on tip of her left leg on fire and so she is known as Tapas Kamakshi. At the same time, Shukra was also doing penance to get back his eye sight when he intervened to stop Mahabali from the offering of three feet of land to Lord Vamana, the dwarf. 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 given to his devotee first. Then, Lord Shiva asked Kamakshi to end her penance and go to Kancheepuram (Kamakshi came to Kanchi, made a Shiva Linga of mud and started her pooja once again. She was then married to Shiva at Kanchipuram where she is known as Kalyana Kamakshi).

While going in an anxiety, she did not put down the Yagna fire and so all the living beings around were suffering due to the heat generated. When Aadhi Shankara was passing through, he installed a Srichakra called Artha Meru made of 8 herbs and reduced the heat. Still people feared with the Kamakshi idol in penance and so the later Sankaracharya’s shifted this idol to the side of the temple and installed another Kamakshi in Santha Roopam, called Aadhi Kamakshi, with Sugarcane stick in one hand and Parrot in the other.

Mangadu:

The term Mangadu means “Mango Forests or Mango Grooves” and as the term implies this must have been a thickly wooded Mango groove in times of yore.

Mother fondness for Milk:

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.

Photo Gallery

How to Reach:

The Temple is located at about 250 meters from Mangadu Bus Stop, 7 Kms from Gerugambakkam, 6 Kms from Porur, 7 Kms from Porur Junction, 4 Kms from Poonamallee, 5 Kms from Kundrathur, 16 Kms from Meenambakkam Metro Station, 14 Kms from Guindy Railway Station, 16 Kms from Meenambakkam Railway Station, 15 Kms from Tirusulam Railway Station, 22 Kms from Chennai Central Railway Station, 18 Kms from Tambaram Railway Station, 19 Kms from Egmore Railway Station, 17 Kms from Chennai Airport and 21 Kms from Chennai.

Mangadu is located off the Chennai Bangalore highway on the way from Poonamallee to Kunrathur. While going from Chennai city on Mount Poonamallee road, one must take left from Kumananchaavadi junction to reach Mangadu. This temple is located very close to Mangadu Bus Stop. Frequent Bus services available from Poonamallee, Porur, Tambaram, and Pallavaram.

Bus Routes:

• From Egmore: M53E, M53P
• From Central: M53E, 17B, M53P, 54M
• From Koyambedu: M17BCT

Contact Details

Contact

Kamakshi Amman Temple,
Mangadu,
Chennai – 600 122
Phone: +91 44 2627 2053 / 2649 5883 / 26790053 / 26791883
Email: [email protected] / [email protected]