Okkur is a small place 8 km from Avudayarkoil.  The Poyyalamman temple is said to have been built centuries ago.  About 250 families residing in Okkur, Maravanendal, Peravalal, Thachamalli, Narikudi, Althivayal worship Poyyalamman as their family deity.

Prayers are for child boon, marriage and progress in education.

Probably, it is now a competition between spirituality and modern science.  While the inventions of science are the out come of brilliant human brain, spirituality does occupy a place of significance in almost all parts of the world among the common folk and there are still instances that these people continue their faith in the light of their own experiences.

Poyyalamman story is one such.  According to the people of the place, maternity cases happening in the temple are attended by the deity and till now there was not a single instance of failure.  Both mother and child are safe.  Poyyal means the woman who never fails.  The deity is so named.  She had never let down her trusted devotees.  No doctor, no medicine.  The faith is deep routed.

Poyyalamman is the only gyenocologist for the pregnant women of this region.  These women come to Okkur a month in advance of the expected time of the delivery.  During their pregnancy, they never go to any doctor.  The sacred ashes given in the temple is the only medicine they use.  When the labour pain starts, the woman is brought to the open space in the temple and left alone.  All her people simply come out closing the doors of the temple.  The Goddess attends to the woman.  After the delivery, the mother does all that is necessary as cleaning herself, bathing the child etc.

After delivery, the mother and child come to a hut built for their stay.  They stay there for nine days. Alone.  No matter rain or summer.  From day two, a married woman from the Pujari’s house visit the mother and child for giving food.

Only after nine days, her husband, parents of both sides and other relative can see her and the child.  All these days, the Goddess Herself takes care of the mother and child.  The faith is unshakeable.