Salem

Salem Kottai Periya Mariamman Temple

Salem (சேலம்) is a well developed industrialized area. Salem is famous for Stainless steel, handloom textiles and magnasite industries. The availably of raw material is the reason why many industries are blooming in Salem. Salem city is surrounded by mountains. Salem is famous for a variety of Mangoes. The mangoes produced in Salem are being exported to other countries.

There are two temples which are located in the centre of the Salem namely Sugavaneswarar and Kottai Marriamman Temple. In Salem near the Collectorate office there is Museum which is of historic significance.

Sukavaneswarar Temple 
This temple houses the image of Shiva which is said to have been worshipped by the mythological sage Suka Muni - the king of parrots. It is also said that the Saint Poetess Avvaiyar performed miracles here and that the monarchs of the three great Tamil kingdoms, i.e. the Chola, Chera and the Pandya kingdoms visited this shrine to attend the marriage of the adopted daughter of Avvaiyar. The glories of this temple have been sung by the Saivite Saint poets. This temple is said to date back to the Sangam Period, over 2000 years ago. Other shrines in the temple: There are several shrines in this temple. The shrine dedicated to the mother Goddess Swarnambika deserves mention.

Moolavar of this temple is Arulmigu Sugavaneshwarar.The name of the god underliying because parrot get a wishes from this god. Other names of this god was Kili Vananathar, Babanasar, Pattesurar,Nahisar, Mummudinathar. Other names of Amman in this temple is Sornambigai, Maragathavalli, patchivalli. Vinayagar alies Valampuri Vinayagar (Irattai Vinayagar).These gods are "Mummoorthigal" of this temple.

The 500-year-old Shiva temple, which carries the historical traces of the rulers of Cheras, Chozhas and Pandias of the yonder past and the Mysore dynasty with its imposing towers sits on a sprawling two acres in the heart of the town.

Kottai Periya Mariamman Temple 
This temple was built during the periods of Chera Kings, as the present Salem District then belongs to Chera Nadu. The said place where the temple was built up was called as Fort. In the said Fort the then rulers built two temples, one Perumal Temple and another Mariamman Temple. The place where the Perumal and Mariamman temples built were called as Fort, the Fort was then guarded by the soldiers of Chera Kings.

The Mariamman Temple, known as Kottai Periya Mari is the guardian deity of Salem Fort during the Pre-British period. This is the oldest temple in Salem. The guardian deity namely Goddess Periya Mariamman was worshipped by the people of Salem for decades together.