The recent incident at the Nallathangal Temple near Vathirairuppu, in Virudhunagar District where the goddess idol was vandalized and the temple’s hundi money was stolen, has caused a major uproar among devotees and the local community.
The Nallathangal Temple, a renowned 15th-century shrine located in Archanapuram near Vathirairuppu in Virudhunagar district, underwent a Kumbabhishekam ceremony in 2006. Two years ago, the temple was included in the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department’s one-time puja scheme. It draws numerous devotees from across Tamil Nadu, as it holds great significance for the local community as their ancestral place of worship.
On 26 January 2025 morning, local farmers noticed that the temple sanctum door had been broken into and alerted nearby residents. When the priest and villagers inspected the temple, they found the goddess idol lying on the ground, with its head and hands detached. Based on the complaint filed, the Vathirairuppu police are investigating the crime with the help of sniffer dogs and fingerprint experts.
நல்லதங்காள் அம்பாள் விக்ரகம் சேதம்!!
தொடர்ந்து தமிழகத்தில் இந்து திருக்கோயில்களில் உண்டியல் திருட்டு, சுவாமி விக்ரகங்கள் உடைப்பு போன்ற இந்து விரோத செயல்கள் நடந்த வண்ணம் உள்ளது..
அரசும், அறநிலையத்துறை அமைச்சரும் கண்டுக்கொள்ளாமல் இருப்பது ஏன்..?
விருதுநகர் மாவட்டம்,… pic.twitter.com/UBa5J0MDBY
— Hindu Munnani (@hindumunnani_tn) January 27, 2025
தமிழகத்தில் இன்னும் மாலீக்கபூர்களும் ,உலுக்கான்களும் இருப்பது உறுதியாகியுள்ளது .
விருதுநகர் மாவட்டம்,
வத்திராயிருப்பு நல்லதங்காள் கோவில் விக்ரகம் கயவர்களால் சிதைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது…
😡😠 pic.twitter.com/WLUwjD1rnF— கோவை ஆனந்த் HDF (@Covai_Anand) January 26, 2025
Authorities confirmed that the thieves had broken the iron gate, stolen money and other items from the temple, and damaged the sanctum door. They also believe the thieves moved the original idol using an iron rod, causing it to fall and break. Locals suspect the involvement of an idol smuggling ring and are calling for the Idol Smuggling Prevention Unit to investigate further.
History Of Nallathangal Temple
The Nallathangal Temple is tied to a deep historical and cultural legacy. Nallathangal lived in Vathirairuppu, and her elder brother, Nallathambi, came from a respected agricultural family. She was married to Kasirajan from Madurai and was a mother to seven children. At that time, Madurai was experiencing a severe famine, prompting Nallathangal to seek assistance from her brother. Unfortunately, Nallathambi was not home, and his wife turned her away, offering only an old earthen pot, wet firewood, and an unusable cup. Nevertheless, Nallathangal managed to ignite the oven through her devotion, preparing food to stave off hunger.
Despite her efforts, the dire circumstances led her to a tragic decision; she took her own life and that of her children by jumping into a well. Upon returning home, Nallathambi learned of the heartbreaking events that had transpired. In his grief and anger, he killed his wife for her harshness and then fatally stabbed himself. Nallathangal, known for her piety, along with Nallathambi, received divine intervention as Lord and Mother appeared before them, granting them life once more. Nallathangal pleaded with the divine beings to keep them in their presence and not return them to the earthly realm.
The Lord assured her that the time would come for that and instructed her to continue protecting the people until then. In honor of their story, a temple was constructed for both siblings, and their children were represented in the form of idols.
(With inputs from Kamadenu)
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