Sri Mariamman Temple is located in Valangaiman, a town in the Thiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu.It is a famous pilgrimage site known for its powerful Goddess Mariamman, believed to cure diseases and bless devotees with prosperity.
Sri Mariamman Temple is believed to be centuries old. The temple’s origin is connected to Goddess Mariamman, who is worshipped as a powerful guardian deity protecting people from diseases like smallpox and chickenpox. Over time, the temple gained immense popularity, with devotees visiting to seek relief from illnesses, prosperity, and divine protection.
The temple follows the Dravidian style of architecture, with a grand Rajagopuram (entrance tower) adorned with intricate sculptures of gods, goddesses, and mythological figures. The sanctum (garbhagriha) houses the main deity, Sri Mariamman, in a majestic and fierce form. The temple also has a spacious mandapam (hall) for rituals and a sacred pond where devotees take a dip before prayers. The colorful pillars and traditional carvings make the temple an architectural marvel.
About 200 years ago, in a street in Valangaiman Varadharajanpettai, a farmer named Kathagounder lived with his wife, Govindammal. Both were devoted to God. While Kathagounder worked on his farm, Govindammal prepared and sold eatables in nearby villages, especially in Pungancheri, southeast of Valangaiman.
One Friday, Govindammal went to Pungancheri for business. After earning a good amount of money and paddy, she went to a tank for a bath. There, she saw a Brahmin couple with their child heading toward the Adaikkalam Katha Ayyanar Temple. After her bath, she heard a child crying near the temple.
Rushing to the spot, she found a baby girl crying alone. She called the neighbors, and people from the street gathered. They searched for the child’s parents but found no one. When Govindammal picked up the baby, the child immediately stopped crying and smiled beautifully. Everyone was charmed by the child’s beauty and wanted to raise her. Finally, the village leader (Nattamai) was chosen to care for the child. Govindammal, disappointed, returned home and didn’t go to Pungancheri for three days.
Suddenly, Pungancheri faced a disaster—fowls, sheep, and cattle died, and many people suffered from smallpox. The temple child also contracted smallpox. Amidst the chaos, a furious man declared that the child should be given to Govindammal to restore the village’s well-being.
The villagers immediately handed the child to Govindammal. She named her Sithala and raised her with love. However, on the third day, the child succumbed to smallpox. Grief-stricken, Govindammal and her husband performed her funeral behind their house. Some believed that the child had lived with them for seven and a half years, performing miracles before passing away.
Later, villagers crossing Govindammal’s backyard after bathing in the Kudamurutti river realized that the child was none other than Goddess Mariamman in human form. They built the Sithala Devi Mahamariamman Temple, worshipping her as Mother Parasakthi. This marks the historical origin of the Valangaiman Mahamariamman Temple.
This is the only temple in India dedicated to Goddess Sithala Devi, also known as Padaikatti Mariamman, who protects people from smallpox and other diseases.
Goddess Padaikatti Mariamman is believed to have great power and blesses her devotees. A unique ritual is followed here, where devotees commit prayer using a Padai—a traditionally used structure to carry the dead body.
