At the crowded Azhagu Muthu Azhagar Siddhar temple in Thennampakkam village in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district, miniatures of various kinds — from cars, motorbikes, lorries, multi-storeyed houses, to statuettes donning the uniforms of lawyers, soldiers, police officers, and doctors — are placed under the shade of large banyan trees and stone apple trees. Thousands of these “dolls”, which outnumber devotees in the temple at any given point, are a form of physical manifestation of people’s wishes, presented as votive offerings supposedly after their wishes come true.
Located around 20 kilometres from Puducherry, the temple is believed to be about 300 years old. Tracing the significance and folklore of the temple, Kumar, the seventh-generation priest, says about four centuries back, Azhagar Swamy Siddhar, an old pious man, turned up at the village and stayed beneath a banyan tree. Villagers believed that his prayers and prasadam cured their ailments.
It is said that a couple who had been married for 15 years and wished to have a child offered prayers at the temple. The woman got pregnant in a few months. Appearing in her dream, the Siddhar asked the couple to leave a baby doll at the temple, says the priest. The tradition has been continuing ever since.
Over the past two decades, mud statuettes gave way to colourful cement ones made by idol makers at the temple for a fee. These days, politicians and film directors, too, come to pray for prosperous careers — evident from the dolls wearing dhotis with symbols of leading political parties in Tamil Nadu and idols with a director’s hat and a clapboard.
On Mondays, believed to be the day of the birth of Azhagar Siddhar, thousands of visitors throng the temple, of which Ayyanar is the main deity. The Tamil month of Chithirai, from mid-April to mid-May, is the busiest time, says the priest. Despite its religious and cultural significance, the temple is visibly under-maintained, with plastic litter strewn around. Visitors say some shade for the queues will help on hot summer days.
(Text by Geetha Srimathi)
With folded hands: The figurines left as votive offerings by devotees at Azhagu Muthu Ayyanar Temple at Thennampakkam in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu. Plastic litter around the temple needs a regular clean-up.
Secret prayers: Wishes written by devotees on paper seen tied to the sword of Ayyanar at Azhagu Muthu Azhagar Siddhar Temple.
Healing touch: Replicas of human legs offered by devotees as prayers for a cure for feet-related diseases and pains.
Material wishlist: Along with the dolls, devotees also offer replica houses and vehicles in tune with their prayers.
Brick by brick: A craftsman makes the dolls, according to the requirement of the devotees, with bricks and cement.
Final touches: An artist paints the dolls to be sold to devotees.
Good turnout: A child kisses one of the many colourful dolls left in the temple by devotees.
Long tradition: A priest performs special pujas at the temple, which sees a huge crowd on Mondays.
As time goes by: Clay and cement dolls remain on the premises as silent markers of dreams fulfilled.