Mohanur Navaladi Karuppannaswamy Temple

The story of the Mohanur temple begins under a naval (Java plum) tree. Some traders travelling an old route stopped here for the night. They set down a stone they had carried under a naval tree and slept. In the morning they could not even move it. Then, the sthala varalaru says, Karuppasamy spoke through a devotee: he had stayed here, and they should build him a temple. Because he chose the foot of the naval tree, he is called Navaladi Karuppasamy.

Karuppasamy is a guardian deity of Tamil villages, believed by devotees to protect the village and its people. Here the main deity is not a carved image but a pedestal in a small pit, given painted eyes, nose and tilak and crowned with a turban. The processional deity is Navaladian; he is also called Pattamarathan.

Chellandiamman sits on a pedestal facing the northern entrance. The front hall has the Saptha Kannigal (seven maidens), Madurai Veeran has a shrine with Bommi and Vellaiyammal, and horse vahanas stand at the entrance.

Devotees whose prayers are answered customarily offer a padayal (food offering), so he is also called Padayal Sami. The sacred tree is the naval tree, and the sacred water is the Cauvery. The HR&CE Department lists the temple as the Navaladi Karuppannaswamy and Chellandiamman temple.

This is not described as a parikaram temple; it is a place of vows and thanksgiving. Devotees write their grievance on paper like a petition, offer worship, and tie it to a tree in the temple. The temple has three vels: people who knowingly did wrong pierce a lime on a vel and pledge not to repeat it, and people who have been cheated also bring their complaint to the vels. When a prayer is answered, devotees customarily offer a padayal. These are practices based on belief, and no result is promised. Please check timings and other details with the temple before going.