QWLDesiree: Bio - done

2026-03-25T21:57:46Z

Bio - done

New page

{{short description|Hindu temple in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{Expand Tamil|date=March 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox temple
| name = Tiruverkadu Devi Karumariamman Temple
| image = Side view of the Rajagopuram of Tiruverkadu Temple 05.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Tiruverkadu Devi Karumariamman Temple
| map_type =
| map_caption =
| coordinates =
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Chennai]]
| location = [[Tiruverkadu]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = [[Karumariamman]]
| architecture =
| creator =
| website =
}}

'''Tiruverkadu Devi Karumariamman Temple''' is a [[Hindu temple]] in [[Tiruverkadu]], a suburb of [[Chennai]], in [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. The temple is maintained and administered by the [[Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department]] of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].<ref>[http://www.tnhrce.org/hrce_act_1959.html Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959]</ref>

== Etymology ==
[[File:Karumariamman.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Goddess [[Karumariamman]] is believed to be the principal and guardian goddess of Thiruverkadu.|alt=Gateway tower with multiple storeys]]
The neighbourhood had remained a dense [[neem]] forest since the ancient times. This resulted in the locality being called ''Velakadu'', meaning "jungle of neem". The presence of a [[snake pit]] where goddess Karumari (an incarnation of [[Parvathi]]) is believed to be residing in the form of snake eventually gave the name ''Thiruverkadadu'', with ''thiru'' being the Tamil equivalent of the honorific Hindu term "Sri".<ref name="FNewsTemple">{{cite news
| last = Tejas
| first =
| title = திருவேற்காடு கருமாரி அம்மன் கோயில் [Thiruverkadu Karumari Amman Temple]
| newspaper = FNews Now
| location = Chennai
| pages =
| language = ta
| publisher = FNewsNow.com
| date = 9 August 2024
| url = https://www.fnewsnow.com/news/spiritual/thiruverkadu-karumari-amman-temple
| access-date = 24 February 2025}}</ref>

== Legend ==
[[File:Devikarumari Amman temple Thiruverkadu3.JPG|thumb|The holy tank of the temple]]
[[File:Main gopuram of Tiruverkadu Temple.jpg|thumb|Rajagopuram of the temple]]
[[File:Tiruverkkadu devikarumariamman temple2.jpg|thumb|Front mandapa]]
During the [[Dwapara Yuga]], tyrant king [[Kamsa]], who ruled the northern part of the [[Indian subcontinent]], gave his sister [[Devaki]] to [[Vasudeva]] in marriage. When he was sending the couple to Vasudeva's home, an oracle spoke from the sky informing Kamsa that the eighth child to be born to his sister would eventually kill him. On hearing this, Kamsa became furious and imprisoned Devaki and Vasudeva. Whenever a child was born to his sister, Kamsa would kill the newborn, and he succeeded in killing seven children. In Devaki's eighth pregnancy, [[Vishnu]] took his [[Dashavatara|ninth avatar]] in the form of [[Krishna]]. At the same time, Vishnu's sister goddess Parvathi appeared in the form of Maya in the womb of [[Nanda Baba|Nanda Gopa]]'s wife [[Yashoda]], who was also pregnant in the village of [[Ayarpadi]]. When Devaki gave birth the male child Krishna and Yashoda to the female child Maya, Vasudeva swapped the infants with divine help. When Kamsa was informed of the birth of a girl child to Devaki, he decided to kill the girl child anyway. When he was about to strangle the child, the divine child jumped into the sky and hinted that her brother would come from a shepherd's hut in Ayarpadi and kill him at the age of eight. Furious and confused, Kamsa uttered "Karumari" (meaning “the one who swapped the womb”).<ref name="FNewsTemple"/>

Karumari took on a fierce and terrifying form to subdue the demons and appeared in dark blue hue, planting a trident in front of her. Her fury was unbearable to the demons who eventually subdued. To pacify his sister, Vishnu appeared in front of the fierce Karumari and implored her to show her head alone and hide her body, hinting that her compassionate glance is enough to save the world. Karumari did so and additionally took a beautiful form for the devotees who came to worship her.<ref name="FNewsTemple"/> The fierce form of Karumari, whom Vishnu appeased came to be known as "Narani" (meaning the female form of [[Narayana]]) and "Krishnamari" (since she swapped womb with Krishna), and the beautiful form came to be known as "Sivai" (meaning the female form of [[Shiva]]).<ref name="FNewsTemple"/>

When [[Agastya|Sage Agastya]] saw the goddess in this state with a double form, he sang in praise of her in high [[Tamil language|Tamil]] verses. The goddess appeared to Sage Agastya on a full moon day in the Tamil month of ''Thai'' which fell on a Sunday. This day of ''Pushya'' [[nakshatra]] (''poosam'' in Tamil) is considered the incarnation day of goddess Karumari.<ref name="FNewsTemple"/> Karumari said to Agastya that she was waiting for him to come and worship her and that she will take on the form of a snake and live in the forest, only to appear again in [[Kali Yuga]] to restore peace with ashes, when she will have a temple and a holy pond to reside with all her entourage of deities. In Kali Yuga, the goddess was found to be residing in an anthill under a neem tree in the “Velakadu” locality and a temple was built there, with a holy pond located directly opposite the temple. The idols of the goddess have been installed in the place where the anthill once stood. The anthill now remains in the north-eastern corner of the temple, with a [[trident]] adorned with [[turmeric]] and [[Kumkuma|saffron]] installed on the spot.<ref name="FNewsTemple"/>

== Deity ==
[[File:Entrance of Tiruverkadu Temple.jpg|thumb|Main entrance of the temple]]
[[File:Street around the Tiruverkadu Temple 06.jpg|thumb|Street around the temple]]
The deity of the temple is [[Karumariamman]]. Its idol is in the sanctum sanctorum in a graceful form with all Parasakthi features. There is also a shrine for Karumariamman idol with the idol made of wood. She is called Wooden Idol Amman.<ref name="dm"> [https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=17/ Sri Devi Karumariamman Temple]</ref>
[[File:Middle corridor of Tiruverkadu Temple 01.jpg|thumb|Middle corridor of the temple]]

== Significance ==
[[File:Dwajasthambam of Tiruverkadu Temple.jpg|thumb|Dwajaskhambam (sacred pole) at the temple]]
There was an anthill. People worshipped as Goddess. She appeared in the dream of a devotee and asked him to build a temple for Her. When the anthill was about to be destroyed they saw the Goddess in swayambu form. As she was not in the womb of a mother, she is called as one not from the womb (Karuvil Illatha Karumari).<ref name="dm"/>

==Tank==
There is a tank outside the temple. It is known as sacred ash tank.<ref name="dm"/>

==Sunday==
Sunday is celebrated as the day of Karumari. One can happily witness the scene of sun rays falling on the head of Devikarumari twice a year.<ref>[http://www.thiruverkadukarumari.tnhrce.in/history-blessed-karumariamman.html Arulmigu Devi Karumri Amman Temple, Thiruverkadu]</ref>

==Future expansions==
In August 2023, the Ministry for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments announced two projects worth around {{INR}} 800 million, one of which is building three new gopurams (towers) as part of the temple's consecration (kumbabishekam), expected to be completed within two years. One of the gopurams will have five tiers and two will have three tiers each.<ref>{{cite news
| last =
| first =
| title = Devi Karumariamman temple in Thiruverkadu to get 3 new gopurams
| newspaper = The Hindu
| location = Chennai
| pages =
| language =
| publisher = Kasturi & Sons
| date = 22 August 2023
| url = https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/devi-karumariamman-temple-in-thiruverkadu-to-get-3-new-gopurams/article67224004.ece
| access-date = 24 February 2025}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{coord|13.072|80.124|type:landmark_region:IN|display=title}}
{{Places of worship in Chennai}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Chennai]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Tiruvallur district]]
[[Category:Mariamman temples in Tamil Nadu]]

Tiruverkadu Devi Karumariamman Temple - Revision history

QWLDesiree: Bio - done