Uraiyur : Vekkaliamman temple

place : Uraiyur

goddess : Vekkaliamman

How to reach?

Trichy city has facility for both Railways and Airways. Buses are available from morning to evening frequently to Uraiyur. A little walk from bus stand by asking the directions, will be easier to go to the temple. Direction boards are available on the road. 

Temple website

click here to go to temple website

About the temple

Uraiyur was the capital to Chola Kingdom. Hence, the place is famous for centuries. The temple has only one main shrine for goddess vekkaliamman. There are shrines for Lord Ganesha, Kasi vishwanathar and Visalakshi, Karthikeya, Sani bhagawan, Utsava moorthy of Vekkaliamman. 

The temple has a gold chariot which comes in procession every single day at 7pm in the evening. Even though the temple is built with high ceiling, there is no roof directly above the shrine of goddess. This is a specialty of  the temple. The roof would get damaged every time it is built. Many a times people tried to build a roof very unsuccessfully. The temple is well organized for auspicious days when the number of visitors are high. Temple has a prasadam stall where traditional snacks and food are available. Free drinking water facility is also available near the entrance of the temple. The maintenance responsibility is with the TN government. People willing to make a specific wish should write their wish in a paper(provided by office) and tie it inside the temple. The temple office is available inside the temple to guide you. 

History

In every city in the olden days, a kaval deivam(Guardian angel) temple would also be built. Uraiyur Vekkaliamman temple is one such temple. The chola kings would pay visit to the temple before wars or any important work to seek the blessing of the goddess. 

Sand rain

Once a sadhu lived near malaikottai thayumaswamy temple. He is known as Sarama munivar. He loved to worship lord Shiva with flower garlands. For specially worshipping the god, he bought flower seeds of sevvandhi from deva logam and grew the flower plants. Every single day he would adorn Thayumanaswamy with a garland having this sevvanthi poo. A flower businessman wanted to get closer to king. He secretly took the flowers sarama munivar grew specially for thayuaswamy to please the king. The king even after knowing that, the flowers came from sarama munivar's garden and also grown specifically for the god, ordered the theif to bring it to him everyday. Sarama munivar started noticing that the number of flowers are growing very less everyday. One day, the munivar decided to hide in the garden. As expected the flower business man came to steal the flowers. The munivar caught him red handed and took him to the king. The king, who should give justice, behaved indifferently towards Sarama munivar. Being a sadhu, Sarama munivar went to none other than Thayumanaswamy and told the full episode. Seeing the sadness in Sadhu caused by the king and flower businessman, god, who has been facing east until then, turned towards west. As soon as he turned, Sand rain started in the city. Unable to bear the sand rain, whoever had life ran to Uraiyur Vekkaliamman temple, considering her as the guardian angel. As the people cried to her, Goddess pacified Thayumanaswamy. The sand rain stopped but the city and houses were buried 20 feet below the sand. The people became sad and took sky for their roof. Being a mother, Vekkaliamman decided to not have a roof until everyone gets a home. Atleast a few people sleep in the open and true to her word, even today the goddess adopted sky for her roof. That is the reason passed to generations, as to why there is no roof above the shrine of the goddess.

Hope you want to come to woraiyur after reading this!!

See you all soon in another temple!!!