Her idol is coated with Punnugu, an oily and aromatic paste made from the secretion of the civet cat. The Goddess is seen in this temple in a considerate and mesmerizing form. Significance of Punnainallur Mariamman Temple The Theertham associated with the temple is the Vella Kulam. The Mandapam holds different forms of Shakti that include Gaja Lakshmi, Sowbhagya Lakshmi, Veera Lakshmi, Santhana Lakshmi, Dhana Lakshmi, Dhanya Lakshmi, Vidya Lakshmi, and Karunya Lakshmi. The left of the main sanctum has a shrine for Pechchi Amman, a form of Mother Parvati (Rajarajeshwari) and also a village Goddess. There is an image of the Sage Sadashiva Brahmendrar inside the main temple. The temple houses other deities, including Vinayakar and his brother Subramanya in their shrines. There are also Naga deities (snake Gods) and a Vasantha Mandapam. The Bali Peetam (platform for food offerings) and the Dwajasthambam (flagstaff) can be seen in the first prakaram. The main entrance to the temple features a recently built seven-tiered Rajagopuram (temple tower). In later years, the rulers constructed a third prakaram and outer walls. King Sarabhoji II Bhonsle constructed the Maha Mandapam, the Narthana Mandapam, the front temple tower, and the second prakaram between 1798 A.D. In the initial part of the eighteenth century, it is believed King Thulaja (1729-1735) constructed a small temple with a single prakaram (corridor) for Goddess Ambika, where the anthill was located. The kings of Thanjavur took a deep interest and were involved in the construction of the temple by adding gopurams, mandapams, and other structures, including entrances to the temple. It represents the ideals of the Chola dynasty and echoes the culture of the Tamil civilization of South India.
The temple is a pure example of the Dravidian style of architecture. Architecture of Punnainallur Mariamman Temple The Mariamman temple is maintained by the descendants of the royal family of Thanjavur. She visited the temple and offered worship to the Goddess Mariamman and regained her vision. Once, the daughter of King Thulaja of Thanjavur lost her eyesight due to an illness. The Maratha rulers worshipped at this temple, and King Thulaja and King Serfoji used to offer worship to the Goddess here. King Venkoji Chatrapathi built the Punnainallur Mariamman temple on this anthill. The Amman was in the form of the anthill.Ī great saint Sadashiva Brahmendrar Swamy shaped the Puttru into the form of Mariamman and installed a powerful Sri Chakra here. The Maratha king rushed to the spot and saw a Puttru (white anthill). En route, he took rest under the shade of a tree when Goddess Mariamman appeared in his dream and said he could find her in a forest of Punnai trees, around three miles away from Thanjavur. In 1680, he decided to visit the Goddess Samayapuram Mariamman in Tiruchirapalli.
Maratha King Venkoji Maharaja Chatrapathi (1676-1688) was an ardent devotee of Goddess Mariamman. The Goddess is called Punnainallur Mariamman. It is believed that Shiva established the Ashta Shaktis (eight powers) in eight directions, and the one located in the east is the presiding deity of the temple. The deity is self-manifested.Īccording to the Sthala Purana, Shiva fought a battle with the Asura Tanja of Tanjore (Thanjavur). Goddess Mariamman is a manifestation of Goddess Shakti, and she is also known as Muthu Mariamman as drops of moisture (resembling pearls) appear on the face and forehead of the granite idol during summer months. The temple lies six miles away from the city of Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, and is a famous temple. The temple at Punnainallur is dedicated to Goddess Mariamman.