Temple History :
In the past, Kanchi Sankaracharya visited Kerala with his disciples, where he performed worship with the Sri Chakram. Every day, he would offer prayers at the spot where the Sri Chakram was placed in his humble abode. One day, however, the Sri Chakram mysteriously disappeared and could not be found, even after searching the area thoroughly.
It is believed that at this very spot, Siddha practices took place, and the Sri Chakram merged into the earth, symbolizing a divine spiritual event. Over time, a bush began to grow over the place where the Sri Chakram had been. Interestingly, when children played around this area, it is said that they would be stopped from doing so, with signs of blood appearing as a warning.
The incident was brought to the attention of the Kerala King Marthanda Varma, who, intrigued by the miraculous events, built a small hut at the site and began worshiping the divine presence there. As the years passed, the Amman Temple at this sacred location grew in significance, attracting numerous devotees and becoming a revered shrine. Over time, the temple’s fame spread, and it became known as one of the most important places of worship, drawing large numbers of pilgrims from far and wide.
Temple Special:
The most astonishing aspect of this temple is the anthill that has grown to a height of 15 feet, reaching the roof of the temple. This is considered to be the embodiment of the goddess Bhagvathi Amman herself.
Mandaikadu Bhagavathi Amman Temple Festivals:
Mandaikadu Bhagavathi Amman Temple celebrates various festivals throughout the year. The most important of these is the Masi Perunthiruvizha.
Masi Perunthiruvizha:
- This is a 10-day festival.
- It is expected that around 1 million devotees will gather for this festival.
- This is considered the most important festival of the temple.
Monthly Festivals:
- Thousands of devotees gather at the temple every month on the day of the full moon.
- Apart from this, a large number of devotees visit the temple on the last Tuesdays and Fridays of every Tamil month to have darshan of the Goddess.
Apart from these festivals, devotees visit the temple on other days of the year as well and worship the Goddess.
Location and Accessibility :
Address: Mandaikadu, Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu, PIN: 629 152 (Please note that PIN codes can sometimes vary slightly; it’s always best to confirm with a local source if needed).
Nearest City: The temple is approximately 23 km from Nagercoil.
Transport: Mandaikadu is accessible by road. Buses and private vehicles regularly ply the route from Nagercoil. Nagercoil has the nearest railway station, making the temple accessible by train travel to Nagercoil and then a short road trip.