Shivarthri is celebrated in Shiva Temples while Navarathri is the prominent festival in Shakti Temple.  With a view to emphasize the philosophy that Shakti is an indispensable component of Shiva, Shivarathri is very grandly celebrated in the Chatiram village Sri Kamakshi Amman temple, where the Mother graces with her 64 Parivara Devadas – assistant deities.

Devotees pray for child boon in the temple.

The temple teaches the philosophy that Shakti is the Mercy Part of Lord Shiva.  Hence Shivarathri has greater importance in the temple showing that Shiva and Shakti are but one.

A few hundred years ago, there was a Pujari (priest) in Nallinam village near Chidambaram.  A woman related to him was residing in Avudayarkoil in Pudukkottai district that has the reputation of Lord Shiva without form gracing Manickavasagar one among the Four who rendered great hymns known as Tiruvasagam and Thevarams.

The woman had a male infant child.  She was driven out of the house of her husband along the child.  She came to Kalayarkoil taking the Kamakshi Amman idol where her brothers and sisters lived.  This place is in Sivaganga district.  On her way to her family of birth, she met some soothsayers who safely took her to her house.

The boy became 10 years old and asked his mother to get him a toy known as Udukku.  Mother gave him his wish.  While he was playing with the toy, Mother Kamakshi in the idol form enjoyed the music sound and granted a boon without his knowledge that what ever he or his mother uttered would become true.   People were amazed to see that whatever the boy or his mother said became real which they rightly attributed to Kamakshi worshipped by them.

Meantime, the queen of the king of Kalayarkoil became ill and she could not be cured by any doctor.  Even the soothsayers’ predictions failed. Angry king put them in jail.

The little boy went to the king with the blessings of Kamakshi and explained him the cause of the illness and suggested the treatment which worked.  The queen recovered.  When the King asked him about his fee, the boy, remembering that these soothsayers saved him and his mother in the past, demanded the release of the soothsayers.  The king gladly obliged and all were released.

Four people belonging to the boy’s family – heirs – built a temple for Kamakshi worshipped by him and his mother in Pudukottai.  The Mother graces devotees in all grandeur and dress in a live form.