Manakkula vinayakar temple

Manakkula Vinayagar Temple, dedicated to Lord Ganesh, is located behind the Raj Niwas in Pondicherry town. The temple is assumed to be constructed nearly 5 centuries back. The Vinayaka, called as a Vellakkaran Pillai, in the sanctum is a grand figure. A major draw is on the 18 day celebration of Brahmotsavam.

Other festival celebrated here with piety and enthusiasm is Vinayaka Chaturthi. Local legends says that a Frenchman living near the temple frantically tried to remove the Ganesh idol from the temple in vain. The idol reappeared miraculously each time when it is removed. The Frenchman convinced by the ability and power of the Idol and became an ardent devotee of the Lord. Sri ManakulaVinayakar Temple is situated at the heart of the town, Pondicherry, a union teritory, neighbour to Tamilnadu, India.

The temple is now commonly called Manakkula Vinayaka, which is a corruption of the original Manarkula Vinayakar. The latter transcribes to the "Vinayaka who lives in a region bounded by sand". To the Eastern side of the temple lie the sea and the sands. Inside the temple, there is a small pond, which the priest will show to the devotee with the help of lit camphor. Though the pond is close to the sea, the water is clear.

It is believed that anything put into the pond will turn black in colour. Many poets have sung in praise of this temple and its deity. For many years, the temple did not have an Utsavar idol. This was installed and a grand kumbabhishekam took place in 1966 with the Kanchi Sankaracharya present.

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