Angala Parameswari Temple, Kalavai, Vellore

Angala Parameswari Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Mother Parvathi located at Kalavai Town in Vellore District of Tamilnadu. Towards the end of 19^th century, a family of Mudaliars who were residents of Kalavai but devotees of Mel-Malaiyanur-Angala Parameswari Temple took efforts to build the Angala Parameswari temple in Kalavai. One Appu Mudaliyar who established the temple and received a yantra from the Kanchi Sri Shankaracharya Mahaswamikal and consecrated it in the temple.

Appu Mudaliyar was succeeded by his efficient son Kannappa Mudaliyar who popularized the temple in Karnataka and Andhra besides Tamil Nadu. His statue is placed in the enclosure of the temple. Ever since the worship is in the hand this family. The goddess is seated in the sanctum with four arms holding Udukkai, and trisula in the rear arms and sword and varada pose in the front arms. But what is significant is that an image of the Goddess, over five meters in length, is portrayed in stucco, brightly coloured, with multiple arms wielding weapons, lying face up on the ground in the front mandapa.

She is portrayed as if in a Shatkonam (six sided) sacrificial pit. The image is awe inspiring and clothed and decorated with garlands. This temple is attracting large number devotees and believed to cure incurable diseases especially mentally affected patients. Peoples from far off places like even Karnataka and Goa are seen coming here. Thus, it is a great pilgrim center and also a Prarthana Sthalam. Secondly it attracts tens of thousands of devotees on the Mahasivarathri day for the masana kollai festival when the Goddess is taken in procession to the cemetery.