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Tamilnadu Anna Kamatchi Amman Temple
This holy temple is situated near Trichy; some 30 kilometres away in a village called Omandur. Anna Kamatchi Amman temple is known for its peculiarity considering Hindu temples; while most of the temples use sculptures in form to worship the deities, this renowned temple uses the light emitted from oil lamps inside the temple to denote the gods and goddesses.
Although 'Anna Kamatchi Amman' is the chief goddess of worship and this temple is devoted to her, people coming to the temple also worship other deities like 'Masi Perianna Swamy' and 'Yegambareswarar'. There also are open grounds for the worship of any other god or goddess, known as pathivugal.
Although many festivals are organised in the temple, it is famous for the days of Shivarathri. Maha Shivarathri is organised at the Anna Kamatchi Amman temple in a very grand way. Thousands flock in from far reaches of the country; men, women and children come here for the festival and to take the blessings of the gods during these days. Hundreds of priests are appointed for the days of Shivarathri and they take their places when the temple opens to the public each day. Rituals and several practices are carried out during the festival to please the gods and drive spirits away from people who are considered to be possessed.
Omandur is located towards the north of Trichy and is under the Manachanellur Taluk. And the nearest railways station is at Trichy. People speak Tamil as their local language, however at times of festivals like the Mahashivarathri, one can easily find people who speak hindi as people come from around the country and even a few tourist guides flock towards the area at the time.
History
Although much history is not known about the Anna Kamatchi Amman temple, but it took some time to gain recognition. The idea of representing Gods as light is what set it apart from hundreds of other Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu.
Trichy is also known for its temples and many other major religious sites exist around the area; this fact gave way for a lot of worshippers to come to Omandur and that is how it is believed to have made its place in the religious hearts of the people.
How to Reach
By Train
For getting to Omandur, one must reach Trichy first. There are no trains running directly to Omandur. So the basic route that can be taken to reach this place is to take the tarin to Trichy and then hire a cab or take the bus to Omandur. If one plans to visit during the festive season like the Maha Shivarathri, getting a bus or cab is not hard. Special bus services are given for the days and a lot of tourists flock in so cab companies also operate in the region.
Two of the daily bus services from Trichy are as below:
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27C- Tamil Nadu state corporation bus at 8.00AM
- 27C- Tamil Nadu state corporation bus at 9.15AM
By Air
One can catch a flight from most metro cities in India to Trichy Airport. From Trichy Airport one has to follow the same directions to Omandur; i.e. drive; either by cab or by bus.
Important Shrines
Besides the main deity being worshipped, there are two main gods who are worshipped in this temple; 'Masi Perianna Swamy' and 'Yegambareswarar' are worshipped in separate areas in the temple premises.
Significance of temple
The chief significance of this temple is the practice of worshipping the deities in guise of light and not as idols or statues as is the case with most other Hindu temples across the country.
Also, the temple is known for Maha Shivaratri that is organised on a very grand scale with thousands of people coming from across the country. The practice of priests performing rituals on the people who are said to be possessed by evil spirits during these days is also a renowned fact. People come from far flung areas to Omandur to be present on the days of Shivarathri.
Weather & Time to Visit
Being in the tropics, there isn't much variation in temperature; although April-May seem the hottest; the festive season is during February and that is quite a good time to visit Tamil Nadu as well as Omandur for a trip to this famous temple.
Tips for Devotees
The best time to visit this holy temple is during the season of Maha Shivarathri, as it brings in a lot of people to the village and it is easier to commute to and from Omandur during the time.
The temple is open Monday-Friday and pujas are held from 11Am to 3PM.
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