There is a famous Kotravai Badrakali Amman Temple in Ambattur. This temple Amman is famous for granting noble child to the devotees. People from all over Chennai would worship this holy mother during Aadi Month.
Devotees would offer Kuzh and Pongal as Neivediyam to the goddess, and after offering the holy Prasad items to the deity, temple priest would perform puja to the goddess by chanting the divine mantras. Though the holy mother appears in a fierce form, she is very kind towards her devotees, and she would patiently listen and solve their problems like their affectionate mother.
Kotravai Amman is worshipped since ancient times, and she is considered to be the Kula Devi for the hunters. Her name is mentioned in ancient Tamil Holy Texts, and she is referred as a form of Ma Shakti Devi, and the mother of Lord Muruga, the Tamil Warrior God. Ma Kotravai is also the goddess of agriculture and rain, and by worshipping her, the farmers would yield a very good harvest in their farm lands. Before going to the battle field, ancient warriors used to worship Ma Kotravai Amman, in order to gain victory in the battle. Kannagi, the wife of Kovalan is a sincere devotee of Ma Kotravai Amman, and due to the grace of Amman, after her death, Kannagi had taken a divine form, and she has become the holy mother “MA KANNAGI AMMAN”.
Ma Kotravai is also worshipped in some parts of Sri Lanka, and there she is worshipped as Kotravai Devi.A type of deer is considered to be the vehicle of Ma Kotravai, and in some texts it is mentioned that she also use the lion as her vehicle.
Animal sacrifices also are offered during the times of festivals, and at that time, people would raise a huge sound, by chanting the mantra, “JAI MA KALI”, “KOTRAVAI AMMANE NAMAHA”, and “JAIMA KALIMATHA”. She also removes the bad habits like lust, anger and greed from the minds of her devotees, and would make them to travel in the bhakti path.
“OM SRI KOTRAVAI THAYE NAMAHA”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR