Mango festival

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The mango festival in Karaikal symbolishes an event in history where Karaikal Ammaiyar the lone woman nayanmar gave away a rare variety of mango to a Saivaite saint. This festival has an interesting legend behind it. Karaikal Ammaiyar whose original name was Punithavathi was given two mangoes of rare variety by her merchant husband. Soon after a Shiva devotee came to her house in the form of mendicant and asked for alms. She gave one mango to him. When her husband came to dine she served him with one mango she had. When her husband asked for the other mango she was taken aback as she had given it to the beggar. Soon she prayed to Lord Shiva and a mango appeared on her hands. Seeing this her husband deserted her considering her to be a supernatural being. She then prayed to Lord Shiva to take away her beauty following which her skin dried up and she became a nayanmar and was known as Karaikal Ammaiyar. Every year on full moon day in the Tamil month of Aani it is symbolic in Karaikal town to throw mangoes at the idol of Lord Shiva when the idol is taken around by the devotees to mark the giving of mango by Karaikal Ammaiyar to a Saivaite. The belief is that the mangoes thrown would reach Lord Shiva. Strange beliefs.

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