is there a possibility some one can tell give a brief history of the Ammaiar temple in karaikal.?

Question

i am a desendent of the founder of the temple and would like to visit the temple on my next trip to india.

Answer 1

Only very few weblinks for Karaikal Ammeiyar is available. Whenever you visit India you can go there and find more details...

KARAIKKAL AMMEIYAR (which means the mother from Karaikkal), one of the few females amongst the sixty three Nayanmars, is one of the greatest figures of early Tamil literature. Her birth name was Punitavati, and she was born at Karaikkal, South India, and lived during the 6th century, and was a great devotee of Shiva.

Karaikal Ammaiyar temple is located in Barathiar Street, in the center of Karaikal. Malaiperumal Pillai constructed it in the year 1929. The main Goddess is Punithavati, also known as "Karaikal Ammaiyar". There is also a sanctum for Vinayaka (also spelt as Vinayak) inside this temple.

Karaikal Ammaiyar was the wife of a rich merchant of Karaikal named Paramadatta, endowed with heavenly gifts. Her own name was Punitavatiyar (the pure lady). She was very devout and especially careful to entertain all devotees of Lord Shiva that came to her door. One day, her husband received from some persons who had come to him on business, a present of two mangoes of a very superior kind, which he sent home to his wife. Soon after-wards, a holy devotee arrived at the house as a mendicant guest. She had nothing ready to offer him except some boiled rice. She offered him boiled rice and as there was no other side dish, she gave him one of the mangoes. At noon, her husband returned and took his meal with the other mango. He was so pleased with the mango that he told his wife to give him the second mango of the two that he gave to her, His wife was perplexed, as she had already given the other mango to the mendicant. Immediately she offered fervent prayers to God, who never deserts those who serve Him. God heard her prayers and straightaway a mango was found in her hands. She served it to her husband.

As the mango was a divine gift, it was of wonderful sweetness. Tasting it, her husband asked her how she got the mango. At first she hesitated, but at last revealed what had happened.

Her husband did not give much credence to her words and asked her to get another mango in the same way. She went away and prayed to God and immediately she found another fruit, still lovelier, in her hands. When she carried this to her husband he took it in astonishment. But, behold! It forthwith vanished.

Utterly confounded by these wonderful happenings, he came to the conclusion that his wife was a supernatural being whom he dared not touch with carnal thoughts, and resolved to go away from her.

Her husband did not reveal his decision to anybody, but quietly equipped a ship in which he put in a great part of his wealth, and then, on an auspicious day, worshipping the God of the sea, with sailors and a skilful captain, set sail to another country, where he accumulated a fortune, and after some time, came back to India to another city in the Pandyan land. There he married a merchant's daughter and lived in great luxury. A daughter was born to him. To her, he gave the name of the wife with whom he dared not live, but had great reverence.

His friends in Karaikal, who resolved to compel him to receive his first wife again, knew his return and prosperity. Accordingly they proceeded to the new residence of the merchant, taking his saintly wife in a litter.

When her husband heard that his first wife was staying in a grove outside the town, he proceeded with his second wife and daughter, to the place where his first wife was camping.

Reaching there, the husband at once prostrated with profoundest reverence before her and said that he was her slave and that he was happy and prosperous through her benediction.

His first wife Punitavatiyar became confounded by the salutation and worship and took refuge among her kinswomen, who all cried out, "why is this mad man worshipping his own wife?"

To this Paramadatta replied that his wife is not an ordinary lady, but a supernatural being. So, he ceased to look upon her as his wife and worshipped her as their tutelary deity and also dedicated his daughter to her.

Answer 2

History:

Several explanations are offered for the word 'Karaikal'. The imperial Gazetteer gives it the meaning 'fish pass'. According to Julien vinson the town is said to have known as Karaigiri in Sanskrit. However, the name Karaikal is no doubt a combination of two words 'Karai' and 'Kal'. Both the words ‘Karai and 'Kal' have several meanings, of which the more acceptable ones are 'lime mix' and 'canal' respectively. Hence it has been suggested that the name may mean a canal built of lime mix.

However, no trace of such a canal is evident now.In 1738, Dumas, a shrewd calculative prudent man and a lover of peace and above all one who was anxious to extend the French territory in India by smooth means, negotiated with Sahuji of Thanjavur for possession of Karaikal, the fortress of Karakalcheri and 5 village for 40000 chakras. On 14.2.1739 the French took possession of Karaikal town, the fort of Karakalcheri and 8 dependent villages. The King of Thanjavur raised the price for the town of Karaikal and the fort of Karakalcheri to 50000 chakras.

He also demanded a loan of 150000 chakras without interest repayable in 3 years against the hypothecation of Mayavaram lands and an annual rent of 4000 pagodas for 5 villages. The French agreed to all the terms except for the payment of 150000 chakras which was reduced to 10000 chakras while the annual rental was reduce to two or three thousand chakras. The villages so received were Kilaiyur, Melaiyur, Puduthurai, Kovilpathu and Tirumalairayanpattinam. Subsequently 2 villages were ceded to the French. Pratap Singh who succeeded the throne renewed demand for a loan of 100000 chakra and on receipt of the first instalment of 4000 chakras he assigned 8 more villages to the French viz., Codague (Kondagai), Vanjiyur, Arimullimangalam, Niravi, Dharmapuram, Uzhiapathu, Mattakudi (probably Mathalangudi) and Polagam. Then on 12-2-1740 he sold for 60000 chakras these villages which he had assigned only the previous year for 40000 chakras.

The same year he pledged Thirunallar Mahanam for 55350 chakras and also pledged 33 villages for 60000 chakras. By a treaty signed on 12.1.1750 Pratap Singh ceded to the French 81 villages around Karaikal and cancelled the annual rent of 2000 pagodas payable for the villages. This was all the territory the French possessed around Thanjavur when they surrendered to the British in 1761. The territory then passed twice to the British control before it was finally handed over to the French in 1816/1817 under the Treaty of Paris, 1814.

The formation of Karaikal national congress on 13.6.1947 and Students Congress on 31.1.1947 symbolised the first concrete expression of popular desire in Karaikal for freedom from French rule. The French ruled this district till 31st October, 1954 on which date the French flag flying atop the government house at Karaikal was lowered with due military honors before a large gathering of officials and non-officials. Thus the de facto transfer of power took place on 1st November 1954 followed by de jure transfer on 16th August 1962.

Answer 3

http://www.karaikal.com/karaikalammaiyar.htm

This website gives full background of the temple and the saint. The temple is well maintained to this date. Karaikal itself is a nice french style village. Enjoy your visit.

Answer 4

use this site..

http://www.karaikal.com/karaikalammaiyar.htm