Garbharakshambigai Temple

In the distant past two sages by the name of Gowthama and Gargeyaperformed penance at Mullaivanam.  A couple by name Nidhruva and Vedikai stayed in the same ashram and rendered service to the sages. Since the couple had no children they signified this to the sages. The sages advised the couple to worship Sri Garbarakshambigai. The couple did that with passionatededication and their prayers got answered. The woman conceived shortly after.

During her later stage of pregnancy and while her husband Nidhruva was away from home, she was in a feeble state due to the strain of pregnancy. During this, sage Urdhuvapada came to her house and asked for alms. Due to her unconscious state, she was unable to respond to the sage.  The sage was furious at this seeminginsignificance and cursed her without knowing the exact reason for her quietness. Due to the curse, her fetus gotdegenerated and inclined. Traumatized, the poor woman prayed to the Goddess in great suffering. The Goddess appeared before her, securedher fetus, preserved it in a sacred pot until it developed into a male child and then presented it to the devoted couple. The parents named their child as ‘Naidhuruvan’.

Struck by this extraordinary act of kindness of the Deity, the hugelyappreciativeVedikai prayed to the Goddess to remain in this place and protect women and their foetus. The Goddess acknowledged her prayer and remains here as ‘Garbharakshambigai’ meaning ‘savior of foetus’.

Later while Vedikaiwas unable to feed her milk to her child Naidhuruvan, answering her prayers the Goddess sent ‘Kamadhenu’ the celestial cow to this place to feed the child. Kamadhenudug the earth in front of the temple with her hoof and milk came out in plenty from the ground and it formed into a ‘Milk Tank’. This Tank exists even now in the name of ‘Ksheerakundam’.