Sri Veeramathi Amman Temple / ஸ்ரீ வீரமாத்தி அம்மன் கோயில், a History, Talguni, Erode District, Tamil Nadu.

14, March 2014.

After my darshan of Sri Veeramathi  Amman, our Kula Deivam at Talguni near Kolappalur, Gobichettipalayam, I intend to add the history of our Kula Deivam.  Till the end of the 20^th century, our village people believed that Sri Murugan was our Kula Deivam and used to go to the temple near Getticheviyur ( Thoranavavi ) on Gobichettipalayam to Tiruப்pur bus route. Then a section of our people argued that a male god cannot be our  Kula Deivam and must be a Female.  Some of our caste people traced and found out the present Sri Veeramathi Amman mentioned above address.  After that, our people started worshiping  Sri Veeramathi Amman, as Kula Deivam. When I inquired, our community elders could not help trace the history.  In the meantime, many people inquired about Sri Veeramathi Amman and its history. This kindles me further to do a research on this subject.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FEMALE GODDESS

1. GODDESS BECOMES GODDESS

Normally we used to worship two types of female gods.  One type is the concerts of female gods, who came to earth to safeguard human beings from evils. They are normally, Sri Kaliamman, Sri Mariamman, Sri Selliamman, Etc,.

2. HUMANS BECOME GODDESS

The other type of female goddess is the Females who live on the earth & sacrifice themselves, through Sati and live as goddess / Kula Deivam in the minds of their sons, grandsons, great-grandsons, etc,.  This has been followed for generations. They worship them as a goddess with regular poojas, annual festivals., etc. Also, any important functions in their family will be celebrated after worshiping their Kula Deivam. FEMALE GODDESS BECOMES AS KULA DEIVAM in three ways and they are.

1. SATI.

The widow who lost her husband ends her life by jumping into her husband’s funeral pyre. ( Voluntarily  - But in many cases, it is not so, they were forcibly to do SATI ).  This practice was adopted from the start of human civilization, maybe from Vedha ugam. Later it was modified in different ways. 

 THEEPANJAMMAN AT PUNNAMMAI

THEEPANJAMMAN TEMPLE NEAR CHEYYUR

2. BURIAL.

The widows create fire separately and jump into the fire which scarifies their lives. In South India the dead husbands are not cremated, instead they are buried. In this case, the widows are also buried along with their husbands alive. Later the same was modified. The widows are asked to lie down along with their husbands and rituals are only conducted, without being buried along with their husbands.

3. LIVES REST OF THE LIFE AS WIDOWS.

The widows will live single, even though they are very young. They are not permitted to join any of the functions, will not have the kumkums on their forehead, wear white saris, and will not wear any jewels.  It is still believed that the purpose of travel will not be fruitful if widows with white saris either cross their way or come in their front.

For the remembrance/ monuments of the widows, who sacrificed their lives the people followed different methods.

1. SATI KAL or NADU KAL.

A stone with inscriptions of those who had undergone the SATI is installed in a place where everybody can be seen. Also, they may be installed at the burial/cremation ground.  In north India, palm prints of the widows  (maybe many numbers whose husbands are killed in battles ) are chiseled on stones.  The SATI stones are also installed in a place where the three roads join. In some places of Tamil Nadu, the stones with inscriptions of their names are placed in a common place of the village and the villagers used to do poojas in a particular month like Aadi in Tamil Month.

2. SUMAITHANGI KAL

Sumaithangi Kal was also installed in remembrance of the lady who died during delivery or during pregnancy. This was mainly installed near the village/ shops/ Madams/ Ponds/ to unload their head loads and take rest. After rest the head loads can be picked up by them without much effort and without others' help.  Since I was from a remote Village in Erode Dist of Tamil Nadu, still I remember my good old days.  During my younger days, my mother and Villagers used to travel by walking for a distance of 4 KM  to Kunnathur to purchase weekly provisions and vegetables from the weekly market ( Sandhai ), which assembled every Monday. There was no bus at that time. There was a "Sumai Thangi stone" installed in my Village long back, which is not there now.

On the north side of Tamil Nadu, there are temples with the goddess named Theepanjamman. This temple was constructed in remembrance of the widows. The Sati was abolished through Laws by the Britishers in India. Even though it is a punishable act, instances are happening in India here and there.

CONCLUSION OF OUR KULA DEIVAM SRI VEERAMATHI AMMAN’s HISTORY

Our Kula Deivam Sri Veeramathi Amman also must be a brave mother who sacrificed for our ancestral father.  Our forefathers might have installed a NADUKAL. Later our, latter ancestors might have given the shape of the present  Sri Veeramathi Amman.  But one thing is certain the temple has been visited by our ancestors whose footprints are lying in the temples and their souls must circumambulate Sri Veeramathi Amman, to get blessings of Sri Veeramathi Amman and give blessings to us when we go to the temple. There are many Sri Veeramathi Amman Temples in Coimbatore, Erode, and Salem districts of Kongu Nadu for different castes and sections of people.

  

ANNUAL FESTIVAL: CLICK HERE FOR ( 2012 ), &  ( 2013 ) 

 SrI Veeramathi Amman - our Kula Deivam

2012 annual festival  - Santhana Kappu alankaram

To see the Maavilakku procession please CLICK HERE

2013 - Annual festival Santhana kappu alangaram

The contents of the above articles are subject to change depending on the facts whenever we receive from the readers. For Further Reading Please Click the following Links.

FOR NADU KAL PLEASE CLICK HERE

FOR SATI PLEASE CLICK HERE

For the details of the  Annual Festival: CLICK HERE  

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---