Article by ‘JMC’ Jaishankar Jayaramiah
Hosur Kottai Mariamman temple in Hosur industrial town in Tamil Nadu is known for its power in safeguarding its devotees in all means.
Hosur Kottai Mariamman temple is situated in Ramnagar Fort area beside Ramanaicken lake amidst other temples like Somanatheswarar, Ramar and Anjaneyar.
With special poojas done on Tuesday and Fridays, this temple has a long history in the spiritual world.
Before 12th century, the tribals of this area were worshipping an ant hill as their Goddess in the present Ramnagar Fort area of Hosur. Tirubhavana malla Poorvadhi Raja Shiva Pada Sekara Perumal, who ruled Hosur region in the 12th century, built a mudfort in this place.
During this period, Ramanatha of Bosala dynasty conquered Hosur. The king wanted to build a temple for his worship inside the fort. The family of that king Ramanatha were suffering from several diseases. The tribals brought to his notice about their anthill temple.
By worshipping anthill Goddess all the illness in his family vanished. The king made that anthill as his family’s goddess and built a temple for her. He called her as “Kottai Mariamman” (Fort Mariamman). He has also renovated the Somanatheswarar and Rama temples in this region.
After several years Hosur was conquered by Tippu Sulthan from Mysore. He abducted and employed a British engineer called Hamilton to build a fort for him in the place of existing mud fort. Hamilton had built a rock fort in that place.
Later Hosur was conquered by the British from Tipu Sultan. The collector of Hosur Mr.Pratt had set up his residence inside this fort without the knowledge of British Government, He built a fabulous house inside the fort in the model of Kenilworth castle.
Kowing this, the British government has dismissed Mr Pratt and replaced by Mr Walter Eliot. Eliot was staying at the residence of Mr Pratt along with his wife.
Both Eliot and his wife found the worshiping ritual at Kottai Mariamman temple were very noisy and Mrs Eliot berated the devotees. Soon she suffered from small pox.
Mr Eliot consulted the locals and expressed the status of his wife who was affected by small pox. The locals had advised him to worship the Mariamman inside the fort. Eliot and his wife worshipped Kottai Mariamman as per advices by the locals. As a result, she imediately recovered from small pox.
Following this, Mr and Mrs Eliot became devotees of the temple. They also presented two big pillars inscribed with an elephant to the temple.
Ganesha & River
Outside the Mariamman temple there is a grove of Peepul trees and neem trees. The Statues of Ganesha and serpents have been consecrated there. People also believe that an invisible river flows below the Mariamman temple.
Unmarried devotees believe that by worshipping the Goddess they would get quickly married. They also believe that barren women would get children by worshipping the Goddess.
Three day festival in the temple in the month of Chithirai is world famous.
All Tuesdays and Fridays of Adi month and eighteenth day of Adi are festival days in the temple. People say that there are eight security goddesses around this temple to protect Kottai Mariamman. The temple is about a km from the city Bus stand of Hosur.
Also Read : Click here to know about Hosur Sri Chandra Chudeswarar temple
