Temples of Chennai - Mundakanni Amman Temple, Chennai

முண்டகக்கண்ணி அம்மன்

ஓம் சக்தியே !  பராசக்தியே !

ஓம் சக்தியே !  ஆதிபராசக்தியே !

ஓம் சக்தியே !  மைலை அரசியே !

ஓம் சக்தியே ! ஓம் விநாயகா !

ஓம் சக்தியே ! ஓம் காமாட்சியே !

ஓம் சக்தியே !  ஓம் முண்டகக்கண்ணி அம்மையே !

Mundakanni Amman temple [முண்டகக்கண்ணி அம்மன்]  is situated towards the north side of Mylapore Kapaleeswarar temple and near to Madhava Permal Kovil.  The temple is about 1300 years old and still attracts many and people in mylapore and also from all corners of Chennai,  start their family occasion after performing special prayers to Mundakanni Amman.  Though the temple is small in size,  the miracles of the Amman are countless.  In the month of Aadi,  the temple is busy through out that month, as people, from far and near come to worship the Amman and to perform special prayers[rituals to Her. 

Mundakanni Amman is said to be a form of Saraswathi who blesses people to excel in thier fine arts.  Amman is also known to relive Naaga Dhosham, as the temple is the residing place of snake anthill along with banyan tree behind the sanctum sanctorum of amman, and it is belived and true to say,  that naagam[snake] still worships amman everyday. 

On entering the temple via the main entrance, make sure that you buy  a packet of milk and/or an egg for worshiping naagam and arali flowers which is the used for the worship of the amman.  Then once you enter the temple,you can worship amman,the statue is said to be  formed naturally- "swayambu"[not carved by man]the moolavar or the main deity resembles a lotus bud and beneath which you can see soolam engraved on it.  Above this you can see a silver roof with amman's face on it[donated by music director ilayaraja]. Abishegam is done to amman from morning till noon.  The main shrine [moolasthanam] is built  naturally with thatched roof as amman loves to be surrounded by nature and also to remain cool, so as to take all the pain within her, and thereby relieve those who come to her for cure from sickness, pain and hardship. 

View of Temple

Behind the main shrine is the banyan tree which is belived to be the place of the temple naagam and also have a separate sanidhi for naagam with the statue of snake in it.  People offer milk and eggs to the tree and the statue to get relived from naaga dhosam.  There is the separate sanidhi for temples uttsavar.  Next to this is the sanidhi of Sapthakannis. To the left side of the main shrine,  there are many statues of naagam and ammam which is installed here in the temple for get relived from the clutches of naaga dhosam. 

Nardhana Vinayagar, Murugar, Iiyappan, Hanuman, Raamalinga Adigal, Dhakshinamurthy along with Kasi Vishwanathar and Annapoorani have seperate Sanidhis here.

Gopuram of the Temple

Mundakanni Amman is considered to be a very  powerful God. In the temple,  Viboothi[collected from the ashes of cowdung] Kungumam, Manjal and Theertham is distributed as Prasadam for the all the devotees.  Theertham given here is belived to cure chickenpox and neem leaves from the sanidhi is used to cure the pustules caused by chickenpox.  Aadi masam[month] is considered to be the most auspicious month for worshiping the Amman. During this month, women from all corners of Chennai flock to this temple to cook and offer Sweet-Pongal to the Amman. 
The imporatnt festivals in the temple includes Aadipuram, chitra Pournami, New Year, Vijaya Dhasami and the last friday of thai masam [janurary-february] .  Women from all parts of Chennai participate in the festivities  were they carry 1008 milk pots or flower baskets to worship amman and pray for their well being.  Apart from these,  lighting deepaam in lemon using ghee as fuel and with cotton wick,distributing food to the poor will please amman and grant wishes for which people visit the temple

I am an ardent devotee of MundaKanni Amman and have been blessed by her in many ways.  I visit this temple almost every month or even more frequently, and it gives me a great sense of happiness and contentment to be in this temple and  to offer my prayers to the Amman.   

I personally can say that MundaKanni Amman is all powerful.  Do visit this sacred temple whenever you find time.