Arulmigu Sri Kottai Mariamman Temple, Dindigul

Kottai Mariamman Temple is a several hundred year old Saivite Temple at Begampur, Dindigul. The goddess idol was installed here by warriors who belonged to Tipu Sultan army at a Peedam. The Temple was constructed several years later. Devotees carry fire pot, light Maa Vilakku and perform Abhishekam and archana to the goddess as their thanks giving. Devotees believed that the goddess will bless them with child boon and save them from prolonged diseases. Sri Kottai Mariamman Kovil is a 200 year old temple which has an idol of Kottai Mariamman, installed by Tipu Sultan. Other important idols in the temple include Lord Vinayaka, Lord Murugan, Goddess Kali, Goddess Durga and Madurai Veeran. It has been constructed in the shape of a square at the fort of the mountain. The Mariamman idol is said to be installed by the army men of Tippu Sultan at the fort of the mountain. Hence it is called Kottai (Fort) Mariamman temple of Dindigul. The historical name of the Sri Kottai Mariamman temple is called as Dhandeeswaram. There are three special entrances to the temple.  The processions are arranged through the front entrance. The main idol in the sanctum is installed on the floor of the temple and Sakthi is always designed with golden Kavacham during the festival. 

Temple Speciality

The bottom of the idol is deeply installed in this temple than in other places. This is probably the only Mari Amman temple in the state with a small sanctum sanctorum to define the philosophy that however rich one may be, he/she should bend and bow down before God or Goddess to have the darshan.

History

During the 18th century, there was only a small peeta and the idol of the deity.  The army men of Tippu Sultan built a small mutt and installed the idol, which today is the Kottai Mariamman and guardian deity of the people of Dindigul.  There are three special entrances to the temple.  The processions are arranged through the front entrance.  Other entrances are close to the Fort.  The temple celebrates a 20 day festival each year.

Greatness of Temple

It is noteworthy that Dindigul district has all the Vasthu aspects to its advantage.  It is also historically famous.  The fort built three hundred years ago is still afresh and majestic.  It is said that that there was an underground passage to Palani which Tippu Sultan used many a time, according to history.  The temple is behind this serene environment behind the fort., hence the Goddess is named Kottai Mariamman. 

Mariamman graces in a sitting form with 8 hands.  She holds snake, trident, skull and bell in the right hand, bow, a bowl and weapons on the left.

The temple is constructed in the shape of a square. There is a temple for Vetri Vinayaka at the South & Lord Muruga at the North of this temple. There is a Mandapam (Hall) in the center of the ground in which there is a sculpture of a Lion facing the Sannidhi. The Sanctum Sanctorum is small & square shaped. The deity consecrated (Moolavar) is seen here, embedded deeply under the floor.

There are several sculptures on the sniper structure over the Sanctum Sanctorum, depicting various incarnations of the goddess Mariamman. All the four sides, various scenes showing the destroying of monster by the goddess are seen. On the eastern side over the Amman Sannidhi is a temple for Vinayaka and on western side a temple for Madurai Veeran. On the front side of Sannidhi the Navagraha idols are installed. On the back side of the temple, there is an idol of Kaali & another one for Durga. The temple is situated in such a large area as 2 acres. The golden shield will adorn the deity on every day between 5 PM to 9 PM.

Goddess has eight hands and she holds skull, trident, bell, snake, weapons, bowl and bow in her hands. Lord Murugan, Lord Vetri Vinayagar, Kaali, Madurai Veeran, Navagrahas and Karuppasamy are also worshipped at this temple.

A post called Kamba Thadi made with copper is at the entrance of the shrine.  The temple is run by a board of Trustees.

Temple Opening Time

The temple is open from 6.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.

Festivals

Soon after the new moon day in the month of Masi, (February-March), on the fifth day, the festival flag would be hoisted for a 20 day celebration in the temple. The festival continues for 30 days also in some years.

Starting on the 5th day after the New Moon day, the great festival of Masi is celebrated for 20 days every year. There are other festivals in all the 12 months of the year. The devotees come here & worship to get rid of several diseases like eye disease, small Pox etc. and get cured.

Larger & larger crowds are attracted to this temple every year. The devotees perform several duties like taking Agni Chatti (Fire Pot), Milk Pot, Mulaipari procession, Maavu Vilakku etc. Nearly 10 lakh people visit the temple during the festival days.

Prayers

Devotees pray for child boon.  It is also believed that praying to Kottai Mariamman effectively relieves the devotees from sickness, small-pox, prolonged illness and disabilities.

Devotees offer turmeric and salt at the foot of the post. Women perform a sacred abishek on the flag hoisting day hoping that the Goddess would be cooled down of her anger and bless the people. 

Those seeking child boon carry fire pots. People blessed with the child carry the child in a cradle made of sugarcane and light flour lamps – Maavilakku. The crowd will be as high as 10 lakh during the festival days.

Contact

Sri Kottai Mari Amman Temple, 

Dindigul – 624 001

Phone: +91 451 2427267

Mobile: 94444 02440

Connectivity

As the temple is in the heart of the town, it can be reached both by buses and autos. It is 50 km from Madurai. Nearest Railway Station is located at Dindigul & Nearest Airport is located at Madurai.

Dindigul Rock Fort, Dindigul

    The Dindigul Fort or Dindigul Malai Kottai is a 17th-century hill fort, built by Madurai Nayak situated in the town of Dindigul in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. The fort was built by the Madurai Nayak king Muthu Krishnappa Nayak in 1605. In the 18th century the fort passed on to Kingdom of Mysore (Mysore Wodeyars). During the reign of Hyder Ali and   Tipu Sultan the fort was of strategic importance. In 1799 it went to the control of the British East India Company during the Polygar Wars. There is an abandoned temple on its peak apart from few cannons sealed with balls inside. In modern times, the fort is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India and is open to tourists.

History

        The history of Dindigul is centered on the fort over the small rock hill and fort. Dindigul region was the border of the three prominent kingdoms of South India, the Pandyas, Cheras and Cholas. The Chera king Dharmabalan is believed to have built the temples of Abirami and Padmagirinathar. The ancient Tamil book, Silappathikaram records the city as the northern border of the Pandya kingdom whose capital was Madurai. Historian Strabo mentions about the city in his 20 A.D. work and Pillni, the great historian of the time described about the Pandya king in his works.

     During the first century A.D., the Chola king Karikal Cholan captured the Pandya kingdom and Dindigul came under the Chola rule. During the sixth century, the Pallavas took over most provinces of Southern India. Dindugul was under the rule of Pallavas until Cholas regained the state in the 9th century and the Pandyas regained control by the 13th century. In the 14th century, South India was under the raids of Malik Kafur. Dindigul was safe in the hands of VijayaNagara before Cheras take over the Pandya kingdom.Chandrakumara Pandyan won the war against cheras with the assistance provided the Vijaya Nagar Kingdom. The commander of the Vijaya Nagar army Kampanna Udayar played an important role in the war. In 1559 Nayaks became powerful and their territory bordered with Dindigul in the north. After the death of king Viswanatha Nayak in 1563, Muthukrisna Nayakka became the king of kingdom in 1602 A.D who built the strong hill fort in 1605 A.D. He also built a fort at the bottom of the hill. Muthuveerappa Nayak and Thirumalai Nayak followed Muthukrishna Nayak. Dindigul came to prominence once again during Nayaks rule of Madurai under Thirumalai Nayak. After his immediate unsuccessful successors, Rani Mangammal became the ruler of the region who ruled efficiently. In 1790, James Stewart of the British army gained control over Dindigul by invading it in the second war of Mysore. In a pact made on 1792, Tipu ceded Dindigul along with the fort to the English. Dindigul is the first region to come under English rule in the Madurai District. In 1798, the British army strengthened the hill fort with cannons and built sentinel rooms in every corner. The British army, under statten stayed at Dindigul fort from 1798 to 1859. After that Madurai was made headquarters of the British army and Dindigul was attached to it as a taluk. Dindigul was under the rule of the British Until India got our Independence on 15 August 1947. In 1736 Chanda Sahib, the lieutenant of Arcot Nawab Seized power from Vangaru Nayak, with the help of British. In 1742, the Mysore army under the leadership of Venkatarayer conquered Dindigul. He governed Dindigul as a representative of Maharaja of Mysore. There were Eighteen Palayams (a small region consists of few villages) during his reign and all these palayams were under Dindigul Semai with Dindigul capital. These palayams wanted to be independent and refused to pay taxes to venkatarayer.

     In 1748, Venkatappa was made governor of the region in place of Venkatarayer, who also failed. In 1755, Mysore Maharaja sent Haider Ali to Dindigul to handle the situation. Later Haider Ali became the Maharaja of Mysore and in 1777, he appointed Purshana Mirsaheb as governor of Dindigul. He strengthened the fort. His wife Ameer-um-Nisha-Begam died during her delivery and her tomb is now called Begambur. In 1783 British army, led by captain long invaded Dindigul. In 1784, after an agreement between the Mysore province and British army, Dindigul was restored by Mysore province. In 1788, Tipu Sultan, the Son of Haider Ali, was crowned as King of Dindigul.

     The fort played a major role during the Polygar wars, between the Palayakarars, Tipu Sultan duo aided by the French against the British, during the last decades of the 18th century. The polygar of Virupachi, Gopal Nayak commanded the Dindugal division of Polygars, and during the wars aided the Sivaganga queen Queen Velu Nachiyar and her commanders Maruthu Pandiyar Brothers to stay the fort after permission from Hyder Ali.

Spencer Plaza, Chennai

       Spencer Plaza  is a shopping mall located on Anna Salai in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, and is one of the modern landmarks of the city. Originally built during the period of the British Raj and reconstructed in 1985 on the site of the original Spencer's departmental store, it is the oldest shopping mall in India and one of the biggest shopping malls in South Asia when it was built. It is one of the earliest Grade A commercial projects of the city, which were developed in the second half of the 1990s. As of March 2010, it is the 11th largest mall in the country with a gross lettable area of 530,000 sq ft with *8 Floors.

Address:

769, Anna Salai,

Chennai – 600 002,

TamilNadu, India.

Semmozhi Poonga, Chennai

     Semmozhi Poonga (literally translated to "Classical Language Park") is a botanical garden in Chennai set up by the horticulture department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. The garden was opened on 24 November 2010 by then chief Minister Dr.M. Karunanidhi and is the first botanical garden in the city. The garden is located in the Cathedral Road–Anna Salai junction, opposite the American Consulate, on the erstwhile Drive-in Woodlands Hotel. Encompassing an area of 20 acres (320 grounds), it was built at a cost of  80 million. More than 500 species of plants are being grown in the area, in addition to the 80 trees that was already in existence during the development of the park, some of them being more than 100 years old. The garden houses some of the popular exotic flora and rare plant species, medicinal and aromatic herbs. Many of the exotic plants are imported from countries like China and Thailand, including a plethora of  bonsai varieties of ficus microcarpa and ficus ginseng.

Kishkinta, Chennai

     Kishkinta is a Theme Park set in 120 acres of specially landscaped hills and lakes. It is a Theme water park with exciting . Thirty minutes south of Chennai city, the park is situated five kilometers west of Thambaram Bus Stand and suburban train station. The design philosophy behind this green clad leisure centre is simple – new and wholesome family entertainment.

It is a household name and favorite fun destinations for kids from six to sixty. Kishkinta, a theme water park with exciting dry rides ia an ideal destion for family and group entertainment. The amusements, attraction, water games and rides, makes Kishkinta one of the best amusement parks in India.

Kishkinta is the name of legendary monkey kingdom in Ramayana, where fun and frolic reigns.From end to end, Kishkinta is designed as a pleasant and fun-filled environment, the perfect gate way for the harried city dweller and tourist alike. Kishkinta attracts thousands of visitors every day since its inauguration in August 1995.

Rides in it :

Water Wars                                                              

   Flower Fountain                                                         Floor Fountain

    Rainbow Tunnel                                                         Grid Fountain

    Three Idiots                                                                 Dancing Duck

    Water zooka                                                                Water twister

    Water wars                                                                  Squirt see  saw – Monkey

    Squirt see – saw – Duck                                           Squirt see – saw – Fish

    Spring Rider – Tortoise                                            Spring Rider – Dolphin

    Spring Rider – Squirrel                                            Whirl Pad

    Pillar Fountain                                                            See saw Kids

    Floor Fountain Kids                                                   Elephant Splash

Water Rides

    White Water Ride                                                      Fume Ride

    Aqua Slide                                                                    Tube Slide

    Chennai Kuttralam                                                     Wave Pool

    Water Wars                                                                  Dome Slide

    Kamikaze                                                                      Anaconda

    Multi Lane                                                                    Water Play System

    Boating Lake                                                                Rain Disco

    Tourist Boat                                                                 Water Volcano

    Eskimo Ride

Kiddies Rides

  Monkey Jump                                                              Animal Planet

  Kangaroo                                                                       Boat MGR

  Duck Train                                                                    Helicopter

  Kids Play System                                                         Aqua Boat

  Carousal                                                                        Swing Train

  Sleeping Beaut

Dry Rides

  Super Jumper                                                              Space Shuttle

  Arabian Night                                                              Bumper Car

  Road Train

Shows

  5D Ride                                                                        Rocket Man

  Water Ski Show                                                          Manthira Arai

  3D Theatre                                                                  Musical Fountain

Payment Rides

  Ko Kart                                                                        Water Scooter

  Bull Fight                                                                     Basket Ball

  Video Games                                                              Cricket

Park

Navodaya Mass Entertainment Ltd

82,  varatharajapuram,  Darkas Ward –II,

Near Thambaram,

Chennai – 600 044,

Tamil Nadu, India.

Phone     :  044 – 22512001 – 005

Fax         :  22512007

Email     : kishkinta@yahoo.com

Website :  www.kishkinta.in

Park Office

98400 56880

kishkinta@yahoo.com

Park Access Tariff - 2016

Adult  :  Rs. 450/-

Child  :  Rs. 350/- ( Height below 4’6” (137 cm) & Height above 2’6” (76 cm))

Park Access Timing

Weekdays (Mon – Sat)           :  10:30AM – 6:30PM

Sunday and Public Holidays  :  10:30AM – 7:00PM

Wednesday Holiday

(except during april, may and public holidays)

Queensland Amusement Park, Chennai

        Queensland is one of the best Ammusement Parks that reckons with the best global standards. Particularly it is a place really worth spending your valuable time. There are 51 rides, 33 for adults and 18 for children. However, a child can go on some adult rides when accompanied by an adult.There  are  some water rides, which operate only from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Protective clothing can be purchased for the water rides. There are also separate swimming pools for men and women.

The park is located by the Chennai-Bangalore Trunk Road between Sriperumpudhur and Poonamalle. There is parking for cars. Buses are available from Guindy and T. Nagar. All buses going to Sriperumpudhur from Chennai stop at Queensland.

The entry fee is 550 INR for an adult and 450 INR for a child in 2016. Children shorter than 2 feet (0.61 m) tall are not charged.

The park is open from 10 am to 6:30 pm on weekdays and 10:00 am to 7:30 pm on weekends and government holidays. It is closed on Mondays for maintenance, with the exception of holidays.

Park:
Chennai - Bangalore Trunk Road,
Palanjur, Sembarambakkam,
Chennai - 600 123
Phone          :   044 - 26811124, 26811136
Mobile No  :  +91 94443 94706 
Email          :  queensland2003@gmail.com

Food and drink are available within the park.

The Rides in it :

   Free Fall Tower                                                     Child Bumper Car *
   Octopus                                                                 Super Tele Combat(F)
   Trambolin *                                                           Alphen Blitz
    Roller Coaster                                                       Enterprise
  Pirata Ship                                                            Kids Taxi *
  Mini Avio                                                                  Tora Tora
  Swing Height *                                                     Ventura River *
  Carousal *                                                             Space Journey(F)
  Mini Wheel *                                                        Orchestra(F)
   Mini Jet *                                                                Dragon Fly(F)
    Children Play Games *                                           Mini Train *
    Dry Pool *                                                               Adult Bumper Car
    Cliff Hanger *                                                         Thumbrole *
    Centrox                                                                  Video Plazza(F)
   Disco Fly                                                               Crazy Horses
   Boating (F) “T”                                                     Simulator (F) (Theatre)
   Cable Car(F)                                                          Fun House(F)
   Mirror House(F)                                                    Dark House(F)
   Go Kart                                                                  Balley Car(F)
   Battery Scooter *                                                   Bumper Boat
   Himalayan Water Ride (F) “T”                             Swimming Pool (F)
   Frog Slide *                                                           Mush Room *
   Play System *                                                        Covered Twisters
   3 Land Slide                                                           Free Fall Slide
    Half Twister                                                           American Wave Pool (F)
    Queen Express Train(F)

“T” for Timing Operation

(F) for Family Ride

* marked rides are exclusive for Children

Park Access

Adult  :  Rs. 550/-

Child  :  Rs.450/-

(Children shorter than 2 feet (0.68m) tall are not charged)

Weekly Holiday : Monday (except Public Holiday)

In the Month of May all days are Working days.
More Info Visit: www.queenslandamusementpark.com