Sri Vekkali Amman Temple

Sri Vekkali Amman Temple is very famous in Uraiyur.  The temple has a hoary past. History and spirituality are inextricably intertwined with Uraiyur.
The Amman faces north.  It is believed that Gods and Goddess who personify valour and chivalry and facing north will bless the kings with victory in a war.  Thus all the kings used to propitiate Vekkali Amman before proceeding to the battle field.

Saint Sarama had an exotic garden and used to offer the flowers to Lord Thayumanavar and used to adom the deity with garland.  Pranthakan, a florist, was enchanted with the variety of flowers and decide to give it to the king to create a rapport with him.  Pranthakan, without the permission of Sarama Munivar, kept supplying the flowers to the king. The sage found that the flowers were missing in his garden and kept a vigil.  To his utter shock and disbelief he found that pranthakan was the culprit.  The sage told the king that the flowers were meant only for Lord Thyumanavar.  The king turned a deaf ear to his appeal and encouraged Pranthakan to pluck the flowers from the garden.  The sage at once pleaded with Lord Thayumanavar to put an end to this.

The Lord unhappy over the kings behaviour, decided to punish him.  A severe sandstorm hit the place and thousands were rendered homeless.  Not knowing what to do the people surrendered to Vekkali Amman and invoked her blessings.  The Goddess made the king realise his fault.
Though the sandstorm died down, yet people did not have a house to live in.  It is believed that the Goddess also decided to reside in a roofless temple with only the sky as the roof.  She felt sorry for those living on the streets and resolved to stay likewise till such time that they got a house.  This incident has been narrated by a Tamil poet Ottakoothar.

 

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