The great Sastha had played midwife

The great  Sastha   had  played  midwife to a suffering woman here in this temple-Sadaiyudayar   Sastha

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

THE TEMPLE of Sri Porchadaichi and Sri Sadaiyudaiyar Sastha is situated among paddy fields surrounded by hills on the old Koprathope Road that connects Kalakkadu and Papanasam and Kizha Ambur villages skirting the Western Ghats.The temple is near a village called  Parayan Paapankulam   It is not a temple built according to the Agama sastras. There is no flag mast or prakarams Or money box    The gods consecrated at this temple are  , SRiSadaiudayar , Sri Rajarajeswari  , Sri Durgai and Sri Bhadrakali  are not worshipped at night Every year during the Fridays of Thai(Makaram ) month, morning worship and night   worship and milk abishekam takes place.Also the subsidiary deities are worshipped that night, But suppose the first day of   Thai  month  comes on a Friday pooja  is not performed on that day . On Thai month Fridays  Annadhanam  is done by the temple trust  This trust also provides Accommodation to devotees coming from outside in Kallidai Kurichi  provided   they are informed( Sri A.Sankararaman  9788936516).  On normal days   if pooja is to be performed   priests  R.Ramachandran(9360616422)  or S.Kumar ( 04634-253844)   have to be contacted   Please  note   that  No  lady of any age is allowed entry in to  this temple And it has a moving  tale behind its origin.

A brahmin from Kizha Ambur was taking his pregnant daughter home for delivery. Dusk fell as they appraoched Pappankulam, a slight drizzle started and so did the girl's labour pain. The father desperately prayed to Sastha and looked around for help. Finding a hut nearby he approached it hoping to find a woman.

There was none and he returned crestfallen. But to his delight and relief he found that his daughter had delivered a boy and a dark skinned woman had played midwife. The girl did not know the woman's identity.

Sure that it was none other than Sastha who had appeared as a Harijan woman to save his daughter's life, the brahmin profusely thanked Him and offered whatever he had with him — raw rice and coconut that the girl was taking home from her husband's place.

He heard a voice that said that it was the deity, Sri SadaiUdayar of the temple located nearby, that had helped the girl and that she would give birth to eight sons all of whom would serve the Lord of that temple. The oracle came true and the tribe, known as ettu pillai kootathar, became staunch devotees of the Lord.

Sri Sastha of the temple is seen as an endearing child, in a standing posture. The members of the family, spread across the country, visit the temple now and then to offer worship. In the olden days Sri Sastha, Sri Raja Rajeswari and the other deities were housed in thatched sheds. Hence the temple, even after its development, is referred to as kudisai.

The offering continues to be raw rice and coconut (kapparisi). Cooked food is not allowed. Only a learned priest from the family does the puja — once in a day and that  too in the morning. Devotees do not visit the temple after 5 p.m. During Thai  month all the members of the family (adimai as they are referred to) gather and offer worship in the night on all Fridays. Before the festivities, the Harijans in the neighbourhood are invited to Ambur and showered with gifts.

The members performed Kumbabhishekam in 1933 and 1969. Now they have made arrangements to conduct kumbabhishekam on June 30. For details contact K. Narayanan 04634-287337 and Uma Shankar 0462-2554487

Sri Sastha of the temple is seen as an endearing child,in a standing posture. Sri Sadaiudaiyar is Bala jadathari ( a small boy with matted hairlocks)Sastha with a dhandam in his hands. If you would watch the photo closely, he is with Sri RajaRajeswari (Ponnunchadachi- golden haired goddess) and Icha and Kriya Sakthi (BadraKali). A temple was built in that place with the other deities like Chinna Madan, Periya Madan and Nalla Madan.Sadavudayar had assured that the decedents of the family of that woman should worship Him and he will take care of every one in the family.

Interestingly, the elephant of Sastha is in front of the Ganapathy in the templeThe members of the family, spread across the country visit the temple now and then to offer worship.In the olden days Sri Sastha,SriRajaRajeswari and the other deities were housed in thatched sheds. All the family members and the people from 7 villages including Kalakkad, Ambasamudram, Kallidaikuruchi ,Ambur, Alwarkurchi will participate in the pooja. This pooja will be performed in all Thai Fridays and in the daytime of all days

For abhshekam and Pooja  

Please Contact :

P.S.Easwaran

Trustee, Swamy Sadaiudayar Temple,

153/80, Sathyamoorthy Street, Tirunelveli Town - 627006.

Ph : 0462-2334803, email : pseaswaran1935@gmail.com

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Shri.K.NARAYANAN

Treasurer & Trustee

Swamy Sadaiudayar Seva Trust,

29, S.P.Sannathi Street, Veeravanalloor,

Tirunelveli Dt - 627426.

Ph : 04634-287337