Guest guest Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 Dear Bhagavatas: Forwarded is a write up on Divya Desams in Kerala (that appeared in another list) sent by Dr. A. Sreekanth Laboratorium für Physikalische Chemie Wolfgang Pauli strasse, 10 ETH -Hönggerberg, HCI- F227 CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland Tel: +41-44-6325702 (off) +41-44-435400915 (home) +41-792474952 (handy) E-mail: sran URL: http:/www.esr.ethz.ch Thought that this may be useful to those interested in visiting Malai Naattu Tirupatis. Moderator =============================================== >Divya Desams in Kerla >Wed, 06 Apr 2005 09:01:41 -0400 > > > > Dear all > > please accept my humble pranams. Kindly excuse me this > > is a very long email. > > > I have a very small knowledge about the Kerala based > > divyadESams, which I would like to share with you all. > > Kindly pardon me for any mistakes committed. > > For the people who visit Kerala temples, It is a must > > that, for men they should wear dhothis, in > > thriuvananthapuram they don't even permit, an > > additional bag with you. Men has to remove the shirt > > completely, before entering into the temple. Ladies, > > some temples like Guruvayoor, Thiruvananthapuram etc, > > don't permit Churidar at all. Saree will be the best > > choice, no one will complain (it is a pain, becoz, > > some times the temple guards behave in a bad way in > > case of "improper dressing" and if you try to enter > > without knowledge of dress code). There are other > > magnificiant Vishnu temples also in kerala. One > > another example is Thrippunithura. It is a family > > temple of Kochi Royal family, Hosting ParamapadaNathan > > or Poornathrayeesan. I request the bhagavathas who > > visit thrikkakkara, also visit, this place, it is in > > 10 KM distance from trikkakkara and it is as old as > > trikkakkara. The deity is in Adisesha Simhasanam, with > > an exquisite sitting posture. There are very special > > temple timings. Most of the temples now follow the > > Tanthra Samuchayam Kriya bhagam an old collection of > > temple rituals, and are non agamic. The temple has a > > thirumanjanam early in the morning, followed by the > > first, prasanna pooja know as Usha: pooja., the second > > pooja, is at the time of the rising Sun, around 7.00 > > AM, this is associated with a small procession of > > Perumal, to over see the Sri Bali being done for the > > Dwarapalakas, Dikpalakars, and other buutha ganas and > > vishwasksena. The fourth pooja is called PanthIradi, > > which is done when the Nizhal gets 12 feets of length. > > It is around 8.30 PM. Ucha PUja is the most important > > pooja conducted, is similar to Ijya aradhanam. Many > > important temples has a special thirumanjanam Called > > Navakam, assosicated with this pooja. In big temples, > > it is Panchapakshaparamanandam that is the food for > > perumal is associated with special Curry called Kalan, > > OLan, Erisseri, and Mezhukku puratty, Asthram, and > > Paysam. After that there is a second Sri Bali, > > overseen by perumal procession. During Special days, > > this Sri bali is replaced by Sri bhUtha Bali, which is > > a slightly more elaborate version of it. During Annual > > Festival Days, a much more elaborate version of it > > which takes 7 hours to finish (in the case of Perumal > > time varies, for other demigods) is done called > > Uthsava Bali. After ucha pooja around 12 pm, the > > temple closes and reopens around 5 pm. Which is > > associated with a deepa arathi. The night pooja, > > called Aththazha pooja, starts around 8 pm, which is > > followed by a third Sri Bali, again over seen by > > perumal. > > > > there are 13 divyadESams based on malai Nadu, out of > > them, there are 11 divyadESams in Kerala. (other two > > are in the boundaries i guss, thiruvattaru for sure, > > it is in the Tamilnadu-kerala border near to > > Thiruvanantha puram, other one is thiruvanparisaram) > > the Sangameswara temple at irinjalakuda, is not among > > the mangalasasanam divya dESam. besides its associated > > temple Thirumoozhikkalam, which is near to Mala, in > > thrissUr district is the divyadeSam. thirikkakkarai, > > also is not near to irinjalakkuda, it is in Cochin, > > these are the 11 temples inside kerala > > 1. Thiru naavaay > > 2. Thiru viththuvakkOdu > > 3. Thiruk kaatkarai > > 4. Thiru mUzhikkaLam > > 5. Thiru vallavaazh > > 6. Thiruk kadiththaanam > > 7. Thiruch chengkunRanUr > > 8. Thiruppuliyur > > 9. ThiruvaaRan viLai > > 10. Thiru vaN vaNdUr > > 11. Thiru anandha puram > > > > > > 1. Thiru naavaay > > > > MOOLAVAR : Tirunavai Mukundan > > Thayar: Malarmangai Naachiyaar > > Vimanam: Veda Vimanam > > TEHARTAM: Senkamala Saras > > > > OTHER SANNIDHIES : There are subshrines to Ganapati > > on the south west corner and Bhagavati on the north > > east corner. > > This is the only divyadEsam, in Kerala which has a > > separate sannidhi for thayar. > > > > The image of Navamukundan is portrayed only from above > > the knee, the rest of the image being concealed within > > the ground. There are interesting legends associated > > with this state of the image. There is believed to be > > a bottomless unexplored pit behind the image in the > > sanctum. The Maasi makam festival used to be > > celebrated at this temple in great splendour on the > > Bharatapuzha river bank for a 30 day period commencing > > with Thaippoosam, once in 12 years (corresponding to > > the Maha makam festival at Kumbhakonam). This > > celebration stopped after control of the region > > passed on to Hyder Ali in the 18th century. It is > > indeed the cradle of culture in northern Kerala. > > HOW TO REACH: best travel base is Shornanur, from > > where one can easily get into Malapuram Dist near > > Ponnani and situated on the banks of the river > > Bharathapuzha. > > The ten-day annual festival at the Thirunavaya > > Navamukunda Temple, dedicated to Navamukunda (Lord > > Vishnu), begins with Kodiyettam and concludes with > > Arattu (theertha vari). The last three days are the > > most auspicious. > > 2. Thiru viththuvakkOdu > > > > MOOLAVAR : Uyyavanda Perumaal. > > (Thiruvithuvakkottamman as KulaSekhara perumaL referes > > him) Padmapani Naachiyaar > > TEHARTAM: Chakra Theertham > > > > OTHER SANNIDHIES : > > The same travel base as that of thirunavaya, it is > > also in malappuram dist. But if you ask, somebody on > > the road about thiruvithuvakkode, nobody will be able > > to answer. It is popularly known as thirumittakkode, > > or anchumurthy kovil, the temple has connections to > > mahabharatha, and said to be installed by the > > pandavas. The annual festival is celebrated in the > > month of Chittirai. > > > > 3. Thiruk kaatkarai > > > > MOOLAVAR : Trikkakkarai Appan. Perunchelva > > Naayaki thayar > > TEHARTAM: kapila theertham > > > > OTHER SANNIDHIES : sridevi, Ayyappan, Gopalakrishnan > > (inside the main shrine) there is an associated siva > > temple, just on the doorstep, which is believed to be > > worshiped by Mahabali himself. The local practice is > > first to go to siva temple, and then to go to katkarai > > appan sannidhi. I lived in this place for last 5 > > years, had a daily darshan of katkarai appan. > > Besides this there is a shrine of a Brahma Rakshas, > > also, out side the temple., the shrine has > > associations with the temple > > HOW TO REACH: it is situated, close to the Cochin > > University of Science and Technology. So on the route > > to Eranakulam from Thrissur at NH 47, one has to > > deviate from South Kalamassery (this is 5 km after > > Alwyae junction which has a big Railway stn). > > In the month of Sravanam starting from the star > > Hastham till Thiruvonam is the annual Festival, which > > is also the festivals for keralites, Onam. > > > > 4. Thiru mUzhikkaLam > > > > MOOLAVAR : Moozhikkalattappan (Lakshmana > > Perumaal) > > TEHARTAM: Shankha Theertham > > This shrine is associated with legends from the > > Ramayanam. Legend has it that while Bharata the > > brother of Rama and Lakshmana, came to invite Rama, > > then in exile, to take over the reins of the kingdom, > > an angry Lakshmana suspecting Bharata's intentions > > intended to kill him; however, Bharata's innocence was > > very soon revealed, and then the two of them offered > > worship together at Tirumoozhikkalam. Worship is > > offered to Rama, Sita and Hanuman at this spot > > acknowledging their presence. > > No music is played during worship services here, > > unlike other temples. > > The annual festival which falls in the malayalam month > > of Makaram used to be an occasion of great festivity, > > with performances of koothu and Koodiyaattam for a 41 > > day period (in the temple Koothambalam). > > Associated closely with this temple are temples > > dedicated to Bharata at Irinjalakuda Rama at Triprayar > > and to Satrugna at Payammel. > > The temple was Sacked by during Tippus invation, like > > the temple at Thiruvanjikkalam. The image of the > > presiding deity is in a damage . A silver kavacam or > > armour was made as a covering for the image; however > > soon after installation of the kavacam an attempt was > > made to steal it. Afterwards a Devapransam was > > conducted, which insisted that the perumal wanted to > > be in that state only, he didn't want to hide the > > damage or replace the moolavar. Since then it stays > > like that. > > For the people who travel from GuruvayUr, towards, > > trikkakkara, the best is to cover thiruMUZhikkalam > > first. Infact, it is a practice in Kerala, during the > > Ramayana month (Adi month) to visit the four temples > > Thriprayar, irinjalakkudai, moozhikkalam, and payummal > > on the same day it self. One can infact finish this on > > the same day, if you are in a vehicle, and this is en > > route to cochin from guruvayUr, if you adopt the route > > through the NH 17 and then switch to NH 47. (if you > > stick on to NH 17 alone, it is not possible to reach > > moozhikkalam directly.) > > > > 5. Thiru vallavaazh > > > > MOOLAVAR : Sri Vallabhan. > > There is a subshrine to Vishwaksena, in the north east > > corner of the inner prakaram, facing south. Vallabha > > is portrayed as bearing a conch, a discus and a lotus. > > Chakraththazhvar is seen through the west cardinal > > door of the sanctum is held in worship and is believed > > to have been installed in the 13th century. Much of > > the present form of the temple dates back to the 14th > > century. Festivals: A one day festival is conducted in > > the month of May when images of deities (Bhagawati) > > from the Kavil, Padappaad and Alamthurathu temples are > > brought in decorated palanquins to this temple and > > brought in through the northern entrance of the temple > > in great splendor and are given offerings of new > > clothes and the likes prior to their return to their > > respective temples. It is only on this day that the > > northern entrance is opened. > > HOW TO REACH: the comfortable staying place, is > > Kottaym, from which thiruvalla town is in 1hour > > distance. But thiruvalla is also a developing town. > > The following five temples, Thiruvalla, > > Trikkodithanam, thirichittar (don't ask > > thiruchengannur), thirupuliYUr, Aranmulai and > > thiruvanvandoor are also considered to be consecrated > > by the pandavas (except thiruvalla). And it is also a > > practice of the south keralaites, to go to all these > > five temples (except thiruvalla other five are > > together called Anchambalam) in one day. That means > > they are situated in and around thriruvalla, > > chengannoor and aranmula. This place is one of the > > base camp of Sabarimala temple so, if you want to have > > a better calmly darsan avoid sabarimala Season. > > > > 6. Thiruk kadiththaanam > > > > MOOLAVAR : Amrita Narayanan > > Tirukkodittanam is one of the five ancient shrines in > > the Chengannur area of Kerala, connected with the > > Mahabharatam. (thiruchittar - Yuddhishtra, > > Tiruppuliyur - Bheema, Aranmula - Arjuna, Tiruvamundur > > - Nakula and Tirukkadittaanam - Sahadeva). It is > > located near the town of Changanacheri near Kottayam. > > There are subshrines to Narasimha and Dakshinamurthy > > here. The Narasimha image is said to date back to the > > Vijayanagara period. Deepa Mahotsavam is celebrated > > in the month of Vrischikam (Nov 15 - Dec 15). This > > festival is said to commemorate the self immolation of > > Madri the mother of Sahadevan. In this unique > > festival, plantain leaves are arranged in the form of > > a pyre, and torches are inserted and lighted to the > > accompaniment of unique percussion instruments. > > > > 7. Thiruch chengkunRanUr > > The better used name is thrichittaru, becoz, there is > > a huge siva temple at chengannur. So if you ask > > chengannur, people will simply direct you there. > > > > MOOLAVAR : Imaiavarappan, > > In its good days, this temple's annual festival in the > > malayalam month of Meenam (this is that particular > > month, I don't know tamil name) witnessed elaborate > > celebrationss with performances of Chakkiyar koothy, > > Koodiyattam etc. > > > > 8. Thiruppuliyur > > > > MOOLAVAR : Maayappiraan (Kuttanattu > > thiruppuliyoor as inscribed by Nammazhvar). local > > legends associated with feudal warfare amongst the > > local rulers and the priests are also associated with > > this temple. It is believed that this temple lay > > without worship for a 200 year period after which it > > was consecrated and reopened. > > > > 9. ThiruvaaRan viLai > > > > MOOLAVAR : Parthasarathy (Tirukkuralappan) > > Aranmula is a beautiful village located further > > inland from Chengannur, (9 km west) on the left bank > > of the Pampa river. The temple has four towers over > > its entrances on its outer wall. The eastern tower is > > accessed through a flight of 18 steps. Descending 57 > > steps through the northern tower, one can reach the > > Pampa river.Aranmula Boat Race is done on the > > Uthrashada star after the thiruvonam star, in the > > month of Avani. On thiruvonam day there are special > > rituals and thadiyaradhanam, is done for thousands of > > people, and the person who leads the festival, takes > > fasting on Onam day (which is very unusual). The > > temple was consecrated by Arjuna. And there is no > > other shirine other than parthasarathy, and Balarama. > > The annual festival is again falling in this month (I > > am not sure, it is over or not), and the last days are > > very special becoz, one day perumal comes out in > > Garuda vahanam, I think this is the only temple in > > Kerala has a Garuda Sevai. > > 10. Thiru vaN vaNdUr > > > > MOOLAVAR : Kamalanathan > > The deity Kamalanathan is portrayed in a standing > > posture; the name Pambaniyappan which also refers to > > Kamalanathan arises from the fact the river Pampa > > cicrles the town (Pampa nadi appan). There is also a > > shrine to Gopalakrishnan here. > > > > > > 11. Thiru anandha puram > > > > MOOLAVAR : Anantha padmanabhan > > I have no words to describe this temple. It is the > > sriramgam of Kerala. Hosting one of the largest Sayana > > Perumals. There is also a narasimham and a Krishna > > sannidhi. The place, which the temple hosted is in the > > heart of the city of Thiruvanantha puram. The > > theertham is known as padma theertham. Huge temple > > structure was said to be renovated, including the > > moolavar, by Marthanda Varma the great who is a late > > successr of Kulashekara perumal Azhavar. In 1750 he > > took over the charge of the kingdom as padmanabha > > Dasan. The official title of the kings of Travancore > > is Still Kulasekhara perumal. Among them the first > > being the azhwar, the second one being a Nayanar, > > third one a Muslim, since then the royal family stayed > > belonging to Sankaracharyas tradition. Martanda Varma > > of the Travancore Kingdom, in a spectacular ceremony > > in 1750 surrendered the kingdom to the presiding deity > > of the temple, and received it back as a fiefdom and > > ruled Travancore as a servant of Padmanabhan; all of > > his successors adopted this custom. Much of the > > present structure dates back to the period of Martanda > > Varma, who made several renovations and built the > > eastern gopuram, which got completed by 1798. > > The flagstaff is enclosed in a casing of gold. The > > Kulasekhara mandapam near the flagstaff has fine > > sculptures dating back to the 17th century. The long > > prakaram, with a terraced roof with 324 columns, > > mesaures 540 feet by 325 feet, and is about 24 feet > > wide. It has two rows of granite pillars, and every > > pillar bears an image of a Deepalakshmi. Also here are > > images of yalis (mythological animal), with non > > removable stone balls in their mouths. (thanks to > > templenet.com) > > There are two annual festivals here - one in the month > > of Pankuni (Pisces-Meenam) March 15-April14, and the > > other in Aippasi (Tulaa-Libra) (Oct-Nov). one of which > > has a theertha vary in the Samkhum mukham beach. Which > > is associated by the great royal procession. King of > > travencore, still Guards the procession, followed by > > the special Police squads, of Kerala police. The > > procession is a feat to eyes. > > HOW TO REACH: five minutes distance from > > Thiruvanathapuram Railway station. The place is known > > as Kizhakke Kotta (or East Fort). > > > > ====================== > > Dr. A. Sreekanth > > Laboratorium für Physikalische Chemie > > Wolfgang Pauli strasse, 10 > > ETH -Hönggerberg, HCI- F227 > > CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland > > Tel: +41-44-6325702 (off) > > +41-44-435400915 (home) > > +41-792474952 (handy) > > E-mail: sran > > URL: http:/www.esr.ethz.ch > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Personals - Better first dates. More second dates. > > http://personals. > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Srimate Sri Laksminrisimha Divya Paduka Sevaka >Srivan Satakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya Nama: > Links > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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