MANGANI FESTIVAL

One of the famous festival celebrated at Karaikal, Puducherry State, South India is Mangani Festival. It will amuse the person participating first time in the festival as the mangoes are thrown in the streets - route of the god Pichandavar- an avatar of Lord Shiva.
Punithavathi was married with Chettiyar. One day he send two mangoes to the house. Before his arrival for lunch Lord Shiva take Pichandavar (Beggar) avatar and requesting for food to Punithavathy. She provided the food with one mango(Amuthu Padaiyal). After his departure Chettiyar came. After refreshing he sat for lunch. The lunch was provided with remaining one mango. After eating one mango he asked for another. Not liking to say 'no' to her husband, she prayed the God and one mango was came and she served. Eating this mango Chettiyar doubted on the taste and asked his wife. She told the truth. Chettiyar was not hoped and asked for another mango to prove her. Punithavathy once again requested the God and astonishment to the Chettiyar another mango was came. When it was handed over to the Chettiyar by his wife the mango went to the sky. On seeing these he decided his wife is a noble lady and he leaved to next country(Pondiya nadu). There he married another girl and they had a girl child who was named after Punithavathy. On hearing his husband is at the next country, Punithavathy went with her relatives. When he saw Punithavathy ,Chettiyar with his II family lay down and said She is a Goddess. On hearing this Punithavathy shocked and requested the God to give her the evil figure and got. She went to Kailayam by her hands. The Goddess Parvathi asked Shiva who she is.He replied My Mother and He instructed Ammaiyar to go to Aalangadu. Ammaiyar went there and provided tamil devotionals. Atlast she reached the Sivalogam. There she is the only person who is sitting. Remembering the Amuthu Padaiyal the people are throwing the mangoes inthe route of the Pichandavar and hence the festival is called "Mangani Festival".