Karaikal Ammaiyar Temple

The temple is also dedicated to Somanathar (Shiva) and Somanayaki, and comports also a sanctum for Vinayaka.

[1] Karaikal Ammaiyar is considered to be one of the sixty three saints of the Saiva Siddhanta tradition, known as the nayanmar.

[2][3][4] The Mangani Tirunal (The festival of the mango fruit in Tamil, or Mangani Festival, known in French as Fête des mangues) is observed in the Tamil month of Aani on the full moon day.

The belief is that Karaikal Ammaiyar gave Annam (food) to Bhikshatanar during his tour around the world begging alms.

Since she gave him curd rice and mangoes, those items are distributed on the festival day, in a big hall adjacent to the temple.