Tamil Nadu   

She is worshipped in Kerala too

Mondaikadu Bagavathi Amman Temple is one of the most popular pilgrimage centres in Kanyakumari district.

It is equally popular among the residents of Kerala as well. Mondiakadu is a coastal village, about 15 km from the Padmanabhapuram temple, the capital of erstwhile Travancore State.

The Bagavathi Amman temple embodies features of Kerala architecture in its gabbled roof and carved wooden pillars. It is believed that the area surrounding the temple was once a jungle known as `Manthaikadu pastoral jungle.'

The local shepherds had sometime found a `siddhar,' well versed in Asthma Siddha, performing puja to a Srichakram under a neem tree.

He used to impress them with the display of his "powers." His favourite act was to ask the shepherds to dig a hole in the ground and bury him. He would then re-appear from somewhere else. But, one morning he did not re-appear and the villagers presumed that he attained `mukthi.' They also noticed a mound at the spot where the `siddhar' used to perform pujas. The temple had been built around this spot.

Devotees from all corners of Kerala travel to the temple by foot after observing 41 days of religious austerity. They would also carry `iru mudikattu' like the devotees of Lord Ayyappa.

The annual 10-day festival commences with the hosting of the temple flag in March. Thousands of devotees from Tamil Nadu and Kerala witness the ceremonies on next Tuesday night, called `Oduku Puja' and Friday night called `Valia Padukku'.

The Srichakram can still be seen at the temple.

However animal sacrifice, which formed an important part of the festival, was abolished during the period of the King of erstwhile Travancore State, Chithrai Thirunal.

P.S. Suresh Kumar

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