Mottai Vinayagar Temple

Overview

The Mottai Vinayagar Temple is located in West Masi Street of the temple town Madurai. This temple lies in close proximity to the world famous Meenakshi Chokkanathar temple’s Ratha shed (car shed). Sri Mottai Vinayagar temple is believed to have been built around 1530 AD, during the period of King Chandrasekera Pandyan. This temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesh.

Legend and Stories

Goddess Parvati is believed to have created a little boy and had named him Ganapathy. She appointed him for protecting her. When the Lord Shiva’s booth Gana came to visit her, Ganapathy refused to let them in. When they tried to trespass, Ganapathy is said to have fought them, driving them away.

The boodh Ghana is said to have brought this to the notice of Lord Shiva, who was angered by Ganapathy’s act. Lord Shiva himself came to Ganapathy and asked him to let them in for which Ganapathy refused. Lord Shiva became furious and chopped off Ganapathy’s head with his mighty trishul. The aggrieved Mother Parvati pleaded Lord Shiva to bring her son back to life once again. Lord Shiva ordered his ganas to bring the head of a boy whose head aces the direction north. The boodh gana could only find the head of a baby elephant which they brought as ordered. Owing to insufficient time, Lord Shiva said to have fixed the head of that elephant and brought Ganapathy back to life. He is said to have also bestowed the highest status that Lord Vinayaka be worshipped first, before worshipping any other deity. Later Lord Shiva also made Ganapathy, the Head of His Ganas – security force. As a representation of this incident, which Lord Vinayaka appears in this temple without head as Mottai Ganapathy.

Festivals

Vinayaka Chaturthi is celebrated in the temple in August-September with much joy and fervour.

Offering

Devotees offer grass garlands and Vastras to the Lord. They also make donations which would be used for the temple renovation.

Significance

Students pray the Lord in this temple for progress in education. Generally people pray this deity for personal and professional progresses including business. Many doctors in the area of Sri Mottai Vinayagar temple offer coconuts to Vinayaka before doing a surgery.

Traders in that locality follow the tradition of placing their shop keys of their shop at the feet of Lord Vinayaka before starting their daily business. Thus the Lord is also popularly called the “Vyapara Pillayar”.

How to Reach Madurai

Airport

Madurai Airport is nearest located airport, which is around 12 km from the city centre. The airport operates flights to some of the major Indian cities. International flights from Colombo and Dubai are also operated to Madurai.

Railways

The Madurai Junction is the closest railway station that connects the city with rest of India by an extensive rail network. Super-fast day trains also ply between Madurai and Chennai regularly.

Road

Madurai is well connected by state and national highways. Inter-city and inter-state buses ply between Madurai and other important cities of Tamil Nadu and its neighbouring states on a regular basis. Both public and privately owned buses are available from the three major bus terminals of Madurai.

Temple Address

Mottai Vinayagar Temple,
East Masi Street, Kamarajar Salai, Madurai Main,
Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India, Pincode - 625 001.