Aayiram Kaliyamman Temple, Thirumalairayanpattinam (T.R Pattinam), Karaikal, Puducherry

Aayiram Kaliyamman Temple, Thirumalairayanpattinam (T.R Pattinam), Karaikal, Puducherry

Aayiram Kaliyamman Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Goddess Kali located at Thirumalairayanpattinam (T.R Pattinam) Commune in Karaikal District of Union Territory of Puducherry. The Temple is renowned for housing a wooden statue of the goddess. This town is believed to be named after the king Thirumalai Rayan who ruled Thirumalairayanpattinam during ancient days and also the river named out of that king name Tirumalarajanar River which drains into the Bay of Bengal a few kilometers north of the town.

Legends

According to legend, it is believed that the box containing the parts of the body of the goddess was founded by a devotee of Senguntha Mudaliar community on the sea coast of Thirumalai Rajan Pattinam. Later, the goddess arrived in his dreams and commanded him to worship her. On opening the wooden box, devotees found the statue of the goddess along with a palm leaf, which has a script describing that the daily pooja should be done with 1000 items. Perhaps a person who was not able to do this ritual accordingly got rid of the idol. Even after collection from the sea, since such an observance of Pooja with 1000 items could not be conducted daily, the pious people of the locality decided to have the pooja conducted once in 5 years. Accordingly, even today during the Tamil month of Vaikasi, the festival is conducted for 3 days. After the festival, the idol is dismantled part by part and kept back in the box to be opened after another 5 years only.

The Temple

Aayiram Kaliyamman Temple is an ancient temple dedicated to Goddess Kali is renowned for housing a wooden statue of the goddess. Every part of her body is kept individually in a wooden box. The temple will be kept open throughout the year but the original idol will not be available for darshan.

Temple Opening Time

The Temple remains open from 7.00 A.M to 12.30 PM and 4.00 PM to 9.00 PM.

Festivals

This festival is conducted every five years and attracts devotees from all over India and abroad. The importance of the event is that the image of the deity, which is kept inside a big box, is opened for darshan and puja is done. Thousand numbers of each variety of fruit is offered to the deity as the box is opened. Temple will be open whole day during the festival. 

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 1 Km from Tirumalarajanpattinam Bus Stop and 2 Kms from Tirumalarajanpattinam Railway Station. Thirumalairayanpattinam (T.R Pattinam) is located at about 8 Kms from Karaikal, 6 Kms from Neravy, 6 Kms from Thittacheri, 12 Kms from Narimanam, 7 Kms from Nagore, 14 Kms from Nagapattinam, 16 Kms from Thiruppugalur, 14 Kms from Thirunallar, 16 Kms from Nedungadu, 12 Kms from Kottucherry, 21 Kms from Tharangampadi, 29 Kms from Thirukkadaiyur, 44 Kms from Mayiladuthurai, 72 Kms from Chidambaram, 118 Kms from Cuddalore, 136 Kms from Puducherry, 147 Kms from Trichy and 291 Kms from Chennai.

Location