The temple of Sri Porsadyachi and
Sri Sadaiyudayar Sastha is situated among paddy fields surrounded by hills on
the western Ghats. Green fields on three sides and a
mountains in the distance and a wonderful breeze almost all the time. A calm
and quiet temple with very few visitors. .It is not a temple built according to
Agama Sasthras.There is no flag ma or prakarams.In Thai Velli and Panguni Uttiram utsavam is performed or
festival celebratedand it has a moving tale behind its origin.
This Temple is My Mother-in-law's
maternal family deity. She always told us the story of this temple. In this temple ladies's
are not allowed to go and worship. So I didn't visit this temple yet.My husband
went to this temple last week and performed worship after so long years and told me this
story once again. Some hundreds of years ago, one pregnant woman from Kalakkad
(village in Tirunelveli Dist) was coming with her father to Ambasamudram (town
near Tirunelveli) for her delivery. On the way when she crosses the place
called Papankulam near Kallidaikuruchi, it was almost dark, and she got
terrible delivery pain. Both of them don't know what to do and there was nobody
near to help them. The father desperately prayed to Sastha and looked around
for help.Finding a hut nearby he apporoached it hoping to find a woman.There
was none and he returned.
But to his 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. Lord Sastha in the form of
Nursing Lady attended her to have a safe delivery.. Sure that it was none other
than Sashta who appeared as a Harijan woman to save his daughter’s life, the
Brahmin profusely thanked Him and offered whatver he had with him-raw rice and
coconut that the girl was taking home from her husband’s place.He heard a voice
that it was the Deity ,Sri Sadaiyudayar of the temple nearby ,that 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. 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.Hence the temple ,even after its development is referred as
“kudusai”. The offering continues to be raw rice and jaggery/vellam kapparisi cooked
food is not allowed .Only a learned priest from the family does the Puja-once
in a day and that in the morning .Devotees do not visit the temple after 5 p.m.
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. My husband and his brothers visit this
temple once in a year and perform abhishekam & Pooja.
