The “ther” festival of the Muthumariamman Temple or Arulmigu Sri Muthumariamman Thevasthanam temple in Matale, will be held tomorrow, March 6.
In Hinduism, especially Shakhtism (a theological tradition), Shakti means energy. Ability strength, effort, capability is the primordial energy. Female represents the dynamic force which is taught to move through the universe.
She is thought of as creative, sustaining, as well as destructive at times. Referred to as auspicious source and energy, Shakthi is sometimes personified as the creator goddess, and is known Adi shakthi mariamman, mariamman temple in Matale.
The Shakti goddess has been syncretised with the Amman. In Matale upcountry tradition, devotes believe that Mariyamma is the bringer of rain, protector of the people and the village, the punisher of evil people, the cure of diseases, and the welfare of the people and village. Muthumariamman Temple or Arulmigu Sri Muthumariamman Thevasthanam is a Hindu temple in Matale. The prefix “Muthu” literally means “pearl’ “Mari” means rain and “Amman” means mother in Tamil. The temple is dedicated to Mariyamman, the goodness of rain and fertility.
The land was originally part of a paddy field and was gifted by the owner in 1852. The current temple was built in 1874 funded by many devotes.
The temple was originally a small statue under a tree prayed by the Hindu people and has been developed by the people in Matale.
One of the most visually dominated features of the temple is its 32.9m (108’) high Gopuram (Raja Koburam) decorated tower above the main Northern gateway (vadakku vaayil) to the temple. The Rajakoburam is one of the largest Gopurams in Sri Lanka. The 1,008 statues of Hindu deities are the work of a South Indian sculptor.
The main religious festivals including the chariot festivals at the temple are celebrated during February or March annually.
The temple has five ordinate chariots which are used to convey statues of Hindu deities around the city on “Ther” Ganesha, Shiva, Mahadevi, Marugan and Chandesvari are the five prominent statues of Hindu deities which are carried by devotees in the chariot festival.