‘Kannagi temple’ fest

Context

After two years the district administrations of Theni in Tamil Nadu and Idukki in Kerala have proposed to conduct the annual Kannagi festival at the famous ‘Mangala Devi Temple’ situated between Tamil Nadu and Kerala forests.

About

Mangala Devi Kannagitemple is a historic temple located in the Idukki District of Kerela bordering Tamil Nadu, about 7 km from Pazhiyankudi in Theni district and 15 km from Thekkady in Idukki
Cheran Chenguttuvan, the king of ancientTamilakam had erected the temple for Kannagi around 2000 years back at Vannathipaarai and called it 'Kannagi Kottam' or 'Mangaladevi Kannagi temple‘.
It sits at an altitude of about 1,337 m above the mean sea level.
It is celebrated around the ‘Chitra poornima festival’.

Significance of the festival

Thousands of devotees come from the states of kerela and tamil nadu to take the blessings of the goddess.
It is celebrated on the Poornima, hence believed by the locals that the shrine was made by king on this day.
At the temple, pujas were performed with flowers, milk and honey.
Yaha puja and milk pot processions were conducted. Prasadams were distributed to the devotees.
The Department of Siddha led by Dr. Sirajudeen offered ‘nilavembu’ to the devotees as a precaution.