Karaikal Ammayar Temple, Hindu temple in Karaikal, Puducherry, India.

Karaikal Ammayar Temple stands on Bharathiar Street in central Karaikal. The present building, put up in 1929 by Malaiperumal Pillai, holds shrines to Punithavathi (Karaikal Ammaiyar), to Somanathar (Shiva) and Somanayaki, and to Vinayaka. Its entrance carries a blue signboard with gold Tamil letters and, above it, a carved arch with five figures: a central saint with joined hands, two women in green and pink saris holding vessels, and two seated attendants, all on pink and white lotus bases.

A smaller shrine stood on this site from at least the 12th century; it was dismantled between 1927 and 1929 and the present temple built by Malaiperumal Pillai in 1929. It honours Punithavathi, known as Karaikal Ammaiyar, among the oldest of the 63 Nayanmar and the leading woman among them, whose 143 poems fill the eleventh volume of the Tirumurai. Sundarar mentions her in the 8th century, and Sekkizhar's 12th-century Periyapuranam gives her fullest life story.

The temple's name comes from Punithavathi, called Karaikal Ammaiyar, "the revered mother of Karaikal". Each year in the Tamil month of Aani (June–July) the Mangani festival is held: Shiva comes in procession as Bhikshatana with his begging bowl while devotees throw mangoes, usually from their balconies. Curd rice and mangoes are distributed in a hall beside the temple, recalling the mango she gave the begging Shiva. The celebrations last three days and have been organised since at least 1890.

The temple stands on Bharathiar Street, formerly Rue de Poréar, in the centre of Karaikal. The Mangani festival runs over three days in the Tamil month of Aani (June–July), when Shiva is carried in procession as Bhikshatana and devotees throw mangoes, often from balconies. The Guru Puja of the Ammaiyar falls on Panguni Swathi day (March–April).

The temple's name honours Punithavathi, a merchant's daughter from Karaikal married to Parama Dutta of Nagapattinam. When her husband learned she had fed a wandering mendicant with a mango meant for him and that a fruit then appeared in her hand, he left her, and she asked Shiva for a fearsome form. The mango festival recalls that gift of food.