Every
day at noon the Archaka (priest) of the Amman temple conducts religious rites in honor of
the Lord, dressing himself as a
female. This done to perpetuate the fact that Parvati Devi once worshipped Siva here.
It is said that Goddess Ahilandeswari was fierce
with Ugra Kala and that Sri Sankara
diminished her ferocity by transferring it to earrings (tatankas) with which he adorned
her. He installed Ganesa, Her son, opposite to Her shrine so that She might look on with a
beneficent eye. The right to adorn the Goddess with the tatankas i.e., make the tatanka
Pratishtha, has been inherited from Sri Adi Sankara the Sankaracharya of the Kanchi
Kamakoti Pitham. And is exercised him to this day. |
