What is Tholpuram Valakkamparai Muthumariamman Temple?
{{Article issues| {{more footnotes|date=February 2021}} {{Orphan|date=February 2022}} }} [[File:Tholpuram Valakkamparai Muthumari Amman.jpg|thumb|Tholpuram Valakkamparai Muthumariamman Temple]] '''Tholpuram Valakkamparai Muthumariamman Temple''' is a [[Hinduism|Hindu]] temple in [[Valakkamparai]], [[Tholpuram]], [[Sri Lanka]]. == History == [[File:Tholpuram Valakkamparai Muthumari Amman - History.jpg|thumb|The Amman of the temple]] Legends say that one day, an old man was taking care of his flock when an old lady called to him. She asked the man to get her some water to drink. The man said he would do this. He went to a nearby [[well]] and got water for the woman. The woman then asked him to take care of her hair. That night, the man had a dream. The woman appeared in his dream. She asked him to build a small temple for her. The next day, the man told his friends and neighbors about his dream. They set up a small hut and began to worship the woman as a [[Deity|goddess]]. People have believed that she chose this place because she thought it would be a good place to live. It is believed that the area had many types of trees. The area still has many trees today. The [[Netherlands|Dutch]] ruled the area in 1658. They ruled from 1658 until the [[United Kingdom|British]] took control in 1796. During this time, a history book was written by A. Muthuthambipillai. The book says that [[Saravanamuthu Mudaliar]] was a [[Panchayat judge]]. It says that he held his court in a place now called 'Sathiyakadu'. This place was is in [[Tolpura]] at that time. With the permission of the [[Governor]] [[Netherlands|of Holland]], a temple was built at Tolpura. == Architecture == According to [[documents]] from near the year 1650, the temple was built using burnt bricks. Laterm [[descendant]]s of the original builders rebuilt the temple using stone. The cost of rebuilding the temole were paid for by the people of [[Valakkamparai]] in [[Tholpuram]]. == Special events == [[File:Tholpuram Valakkamparai Muthumariamman Temple - Chariot