Teppakulam Mariamman Temple
Teppakulam Mariamman Temple
Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam owing to its nearness to the Vandiyur village and Mariamman temple, the Teppakulam is one of Madurai’s most well-liked tourist hubs. A man-made water tank, the Teppakulam is the largest in South India and is as big as the Meenakshi Amman Temple in its area and is surrounded by well laid out roads on all four sides. Built by King Thirumalai Nayak, the teppakulam is fed by water through ingenious underground channels from the Vaigai River.
The grand venue of the very popular ‘Float Festival’ held during January-February every year, Mariamman Teppakulam is a beautiful square tank spread out over 16 acres, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) east of Meenakshi Temple. The tank sets the scene for the colorful Float Festival to celebrate the birth anniversary of King Thirumalai Nayak who built it. The area of the tank and the island tent with a garden in the centre, is almost equal to that of the Meenakshi Temple, making it the largest temple tank in South India. The lake is fed by the Vaigai River through underground channels.
Mythology has it that earth was dug out to make bricks for the upcoming Thirumalai Nayak Palace in the 17th century, and later the king ordered to convert the excavated depression into a lake with a false island in the middle of it and devoted it to Lord Ganesha. Soon he initiated a custom of taking the divine idols for a boat ride on the waters of the lake on his birthday.
On the day of the Float Festival, the idols of Meenakshi and Sundereshwar are carried from the main temple in a grand parade to the big lake called Teppakolam, and then drawn to the shrine built in the middle of the small island. The celebrations take place on a full moon night when the deities are placed on a float called ‘Teppam’ decked with flowers, illuminated with hundreds of light, and taken around the tank to the rhythm of traditional music. You will find a little temple on the northern side of the tank dedicated to Mariamman, a popular village deity of Tamil Nadu.
History
Mariamman Teppakulam and King Thirumalai Nayakkar: Mariamman Teppakulam was artificially created by King Thirumalai Nayakkar. History says that during the construction of the Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace, this Teppakulam land was dug out for making bricks and other construction materials. While digging, the building workmen unearth a beautiful Vinayaka (Elephant-faced God) idol from the tank area. The sanctity of the place and the auspiciousness of the idol prompted King Thirumalai to transform the dug-out place into a huge water tank with a Vinayaka or Ganesha temple in the center. He made actions for the tank to be supplied by water from river Vaigai and organized the Float festival during the Tamil month of Thai (Jan/Feb).
Float Festival at Mariamman Teppakulam: Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam is famous for its Float Festival or Teppothsavam which is celebrated during the month of January or February. The Float Festival, commemorating the birthday of King Thirumalai Nayak (the day of Thai Poosa), is a colorful and charming festival that attracts about one lakh tourists every year. On the day of the festival, the idols of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar are taken in a grand parade round the water tank in a tinted float called ‘Teppa’.
The festival originates in the 17th century with King Thirumalai’s decision to change the water tank into a legendary temple tank. The Float festival starts with the procession of deities Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar – from the Meenakshi Amman Temple. At dawn, the deities start out with great pomp, escorted by temple elephants, musicians, horses, thousands of devotees and other regal paraphernalia. Decked in gold and diamonds, the deities sail through the streets of Madurai from Meenakshi Temple to Teppakulam in golden palanquins.
On the way, at the banks of the tank, at about 3 km from the Teppakulam, the deity are rested in a ready ‘mandapam’ for darshan or worship by devotees. The idols are then taken in palanquins prepared using garlands, silks, lanterns and ornaments to the center of the lake. The palanquins are placed on a rich golden raft to carry the deities to the Vinayaka Temple in the center. Hundreds of devotees manage the ropes of the raft from the bank and center of the tank. Slowly, the Float (the great raft) with the deities is taken round and round the center temple. Moving at a stable pace, the Float finally reaches the Vinayaka temple at the center, where myriads of devotees come to worship Lord Sundareswarar, Goddess Meenakshi and their son Lord Ganesha.
At the time of the Float festival, the city of Madurai is bathed in countless colours, lights and rich decors. The festival is marked by fireworks display, followed by a dramatic enactment of scenes from legends and miracles related to the deities. From oil lamps to fluorescent lights, the teppakulam wears a blaze of lights in the full moon night of Thai Poosa (the day of the festival). Once the festival is over, the deities are taken in grand procession back to the main temple. Visitors travel in boats and rafts to visit and worship the Vinayaka temple in the centre.
