Karaikudi Koppudai Amman Temple
Karaikudi Koppudai Amman Koil is an devi temple located in Karaikudi, Sivagangai district of Tamilnadu . Goddess Koppudai Amman has been established as the source and goddess of this temple. This place is ancient and Koppudai Amman Temple is famous among South Indian devotees.
The murti of Devi is made from Panchaloha.Devi wears a crown like burning fire with four arms. The hands hold trident, rope and skull. One hand is in Abhaya posture. The temple was visited by Adi Shankaracharya and he is believed to have installed Sri Chakra in the temple. Amman blesses devotees
with prosperity, knowledge and peace.
The Koppudai Nayaki in this temple graces here as the presiding deity as well as procession deity. This is a special feature about the temple. The guardian deity of the temple is Karuppannna Swami on his vehicle, horse. The Ugra devatas are also present facing north. The Koppudai Nayaki Amman gracing on Srichakra is believed to have immense power.
Legend
There is also a village deity (Grama Devatha) story for this place. This temple has a subsidiary temple in the Senjai Kadu region nearby known as Kattamman temple. Koppudai Amman is but the younger sister of Kattamman. Koppudai Amman had no children but Kattamman had seven childrens.
It is said that when Koppudai Amman comes to visit her elder sister’s children, she would make porridge and other food items to give to the children and Kattamma would hide the children, thinking that her sister, who was barren, should not see her children. The local history of this temple also says that her younger sister Koppudai Amman stoned the children her sister hid and then came to Karaikudi in anger and became a deity.
10 day Sevvai Perum Thiruvizha is grandly celebrated in the temple.
Poochoridhal festival, Purattasi Navarathri,Aadi,
Margazhi Tiruppalli Yezhutchi and Panguni Darabishekam are the other festivals observed in the temple. Devotee crowd in the temple would be huge on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
People suffering from defects like skin diseases, childlessness, and many problems in married life come here. Those suffering from ill health come here and offer prayers. It is believed that all the grievances of those who come here with full faith are resolved.