Arulmigu Mariamman Temple, Samayapuram
Samayapuram, about 15–20 km north of Tiruchirappalli on the Trichy–Chennai highway · Goddess Mariamman (Mahamayi, Aayiram Kannudaiyal, Sheethala Devi), a form of Shakti
Tamil Nadu's great Amman temple, where the goddess herself keeps a 28-day fast for her devotees.
Samayapuram Mariamman is one of the most visited goddess temples in Tamil Nadu and among the state's richest temples. The main image of the goddess is made not of stone but of clay and sand mixed with herbs, so no abhishekam is done to it; instead the small stone image in front is bathed. Mariamman is prayed to for protection from fevers, smallpox and other illnesses, for children, harvests and family troubles, and devotees fulfil vows with tonsuring, fire pots, sugarcane cradles, flour lamps (mavilakku) and silver or clay replicas of body parts. Crowds peak on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays and during Poochorithal, Thaipoosam and the Chithirai chariot festival.
Timings
- Temple open: 5:30 AM – 9:00 PM (official HR&CE page)
- Festival days: Darshan times change during festivals
- Margazhi month: Opens earlier, about 4:30 AM (Incredible India)
Darshan types and costs
- General (free) darshan – Free
- Special darshan – ₹100
Sevas and costs
- Archanai (with kumkumam prasadam) – ₹5 (During darshan hours)
- Monthly archanai for one year – ₹150 (Once a month for 12 months)
- Abhishekam (one kalam) – ₹1,000 (At one of the pooja times, as allotted)
- Oru Kaala Poojai – ₹5,000 (One of the six daily poojas)
- Golden Chariot Kattalai – ₹25,000 (Evenings, on available dates)
- Ear-boring ceremony (kaadhu kuthu) – ₹10 ticket (Any day)
- Tonsuring (mudi kaanikkai) – Check at the Mudi Mandapam (Daily)
- Vasthiram (sari/cloth) offering – ₹10 ticket (Any day)
- Thulabharam – Check at the counter (items extra) (Any day)
- Poochorithal and Pachai Pattini Viratham – Free (From the last Sunday of Masi for about 28 days (Feb–Apr))
- Chithirai Ther Thiruvizha – Free (13 days from the first Tuesday of Chithirai (Apr–May); ther on day 10)
How to book darshan
Special darshan, archanai, abhishekam, temple pooja and golden chariot can be booked on the HR&CE online services page, or at the temple counters and office.
HR&CE online services – Samayapuram
Dress code
Traditional, modest dress. Many devotees wear yellow or red, the goddess's colours, especially when keeping vows.
Best time to visit
Weekday mornings outside festival time for an easier darshan. Come for Poochorithal (Masi–Panguni) or the Chithirai ther for the festival atmosphere, with heavy crowds.
How to reach
- air: Tiruchirappalli International Airport is about 30 km away (HR&CE page).
- rail: Tiruchirappalli Junction is about 20 km away (HR&CE page).
- road: On the Trichy–Chennai national highway, about 15–20 km from Trichy. Town buses run from Chatram and Central bus stands; on the four-lane highway take the service lane to the temple. All vehicles stop at the temple bus stand, about 1 km away, during festivals.
Festivals
- Poochorithal and the 28-day fast – From the last Sunday of Masi (Feb–Mar), about 28 days
- Chithirai Ther Thiruvizha – 13 days from the first Tuesday of Chithirai (Apr–May)
- Vaikasi Panchaprakaram – May – June
- Thaipoosam – Thai (Jan – Feb), 11 days
- Navaratri – Sep – Oct