page_title: Uthirakosamangai
section_title: Worship and festivals
hierarchical_section_title: Uthirakosamangai / Worship and festivals
caption_attribution_description: English: Uthiragosamangai
context_page_description: Uthirakosamangai, Mangalanatha swamy temple is a Shaiva temple situated near Ramanathapuram in the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu. The temple is believed to be built by the Pandya kings, Achutappa Nayak, Muthuveerappar and other kings of Ramanthapuram at various times. The temple has been glorified by the hymns of 9th-century saint Manickavasagar and 15th-century saint Arunagirinathar.
  The temple is considered sacred along the lines of Ramanathapuram, Sethu Madhava Theertham and Lakshmana Theertham.
  The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Mangalanathar, Mangalambigai and Natarajar being the most prominent. The temple houses a 6 ft tall ancient maragatha Nataraja idol carved out of emerald, being the one of its kind. The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and six yearly festivals on its calendar. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
context_section_description: The temple priests perform the puja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. Like other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Shaiva community, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals are performed six times a day; Ushathkalam at 5:30 a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 10:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 5:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at 7:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 8:00 p.m. Each ritual comprises four steps: abhisheka (sacred bath), alangaram (decoration), naivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for all the deities in the temple. The worship is held amidst music with nagaswaram (pipe instrument), religious instructions in the Vedas (sacred texts) read by priests and prostration by worshippers in front of the temple mast. There are weekly rituals like somavaram (Monday) and sukravaram (Friday), fortnightly rituals like pradosham and monthly festivals like amavasai (new moon day), kiruthigai, pournami (full moon day) and sathurthi. The major festival of the temple are Tirukalyana Vaibhavam (sacred marriage) during the Tamil month of Chittirai (April–May), Vasanthotsavam during Vaigasi (May–June), Pathunal Siva Uthsavam during Aaani (July–August), Annabishekam during Aipasi (October–November), Tiruvathidirai during Margazhi (December–January) and Sivarathri during Masi (February–March). The Tiruvathidirai festival in December attracts a large number of tourists.
caption: View of the temple tower and the temple tank
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