Kodungaloor Bhagavathy--posted in deference of Rajkumarjee's wishes.

[Guest guest]

Dear Shakthapramodas,

Though this group is mainly for Rajarajeshwaree Devi and Srividya upasana an occasional look at other Divinemothers will not hurt as long as we see Rajarajeshwaree Devi in them too. Kali is just an ugra rupa of Hers ...please consider like that and peruse the posting.

(Kodungaloor Bhagavathy)

I might be going to this place in a few days from now as it is located near my wife's place(Thrissur). Also I will be visiting Varkalla,Munnar,Thekkady,Kovalam and other places known for different Bhagavathys and get some blessings.

 

(The temple)

The Bhagawati temple at Kodungallur is of great renown throughout the state of Kerala. Kodungallur situated on the west coast, was once a great port of the Chera rulers of Tamilnadu, It was known by the Greek as as the musris.

Tiruvanchikkulam, now a suburb of Kodungallur was a center of great historic significance during the chera period. Cheran Senguttuvan is said to have built the temple to Kannagi - a manifestation of Kaali or Kotravai or Durga, here (Silappadikaaram).It is believed to have been a Shiva temple originally, as worship is offered first to Shiva before being offered to Bhagawati, and there is a mandapam in front of the shiva shrine, and there is none infront of Bhagawatis. The image of Bhagawati is believed to have been carved out of a jack fruit three. The face of the image is covered with a mask, and the image is decorated with several pieces of jeweelry. Legends: This image is believed to be a personification of Kali, who had killed the demon Daaruka. Daaruka is said to have worshipped Bhrama, and harassed the devas.

The goddesses created Bhramani, Vaishnavi, Maheswari, Kaumari, Varahi and Indrani from Bhrama, vishnu, Mahadeva, Kumara, Yama and Indra, and they were defeated by Daaruka, however Shiva created Kaali and she killed Daaruka.

 

The Temple: The image of Kali faces east. There is a crimson cloth hung on the western wall of the sanctum and worship is offered here. There is also a secret chamber east of the Kali image, with an underground passage. Also is a shrine to Kshetrapala, the guardian deity and Vasurimala associated with small pox.

The festivals of significance at Kodungallur are Makara Sankaranti and the Bharani Festival.

Makara Sankaranti coinciding with Pongal in Tamilnadu is one of the important festivals at Kodungallur. As in Taminadu, the day prior to Pongal is celebrated with the burning of unwanted belongings in a bonfire.

Makara Sankranti brings with it 4 days of colorful fanfare, with processions twice a day on elephants to the accompaniment of music, fireworks. The final day's procession is marked by the accompaniment of several women carrying plates of rice and coconut. In fact, the centermost entity in the procession, is a plate containing these offerings, on an elephant. A grand reception os offered to this procession when it reaches the temple. The procession rleaves from the original location of the Bhagawati temple, (the Kurumbayamma shrine in Kodungallur).

The Bharani festival at the Kodungallur Bhagawati temple is one of the grandest in Kerala. It is a month of festivities from the Bharani asterism in the month of Aquarius to 7 days after the Bharani asterism in the month of Pisces. Traditionally the temple (especially during the Bharani festival) has been associated with a lot of animal sacrifices. These customs have been done away with in the 20th century. The blood of the sacrificed used to be spilled over two stones in the prakaram, and as mentioned above, this practice is now stopped.

 

The Bharani festival also witnesses the offering of worship to the deity in the innermost sanctum by those belonging to castes other than the priestly class. One day before the final Bharani, the chandanapodi Chartal or the smearing of the image with sandal paste is carried out. There are further festivities on this day and the following day.

Thousands from all over Kerala congregate to celebrate this festival amidst great paegentry.

 

 

 

Kodungallur : The Ancient Gateway of India

The very name of 'Kodungallur' brings some general questions successfully to our mind, like: 'Where is this town? ', 'How to reach there?', 'What are its specialties?', 'Are some famous temples there?', 'Is it a district head quarters?' and so on. In the past, it had been far-famed on many counts, especially in social revolution. It can justifiably be said that no other town was as glorious as Kodungallur, right from the age of Puranas. It was where, Lord Parasurama, an incarnation of Mahavishnu, took his birth. Also it was the birth place of many legendary sages and exponents of Sastras. Thus, it became the befitting hallowed realm for the avatar of a 'Yathi' (a great savant). Further, it was here many religions first took roots and tremendous export/import activities took place and hence it shown as the Gateway to India for the whole world. The purpose of this write up is to highlight certain gorgeous features for the popularity of Kodungallur.

This city is situated at about 25 kilometers from Trichur, near renowned Guruvayur Temple, in the state of Kerala, with the Arabian sea on one side and Periyar river on the other.

Reason for its name

Its ancient name was 'Kudakallur': that is kuda + kal + lur. 'Kuda' means 'the place where the sun sets', 'kal' means 'sea' and 'lur' means 'town'. Thus, its full name signifies, 'The sea town where the sun sets'. In due course of time, it came to be known as 'Kodungallur'.

Epics and Literatures

 

The first literary work namely, 'Mukundamalai' was written here.

 

The ancient Rishi Valmiki, in his celebrated epic, 'The Ramayana', refers to the city as 'Muparee-siddham' in Kishkintha canto.

 

The renowned Sanskrit poet Kalidasa also thus refers it in his epic 'Raghuvamsa'.

 

The uncle of Ravana, Maresan did remarkable penance in Kodungallur.

 

War weapons and armies were sent only from the great town to Kurushetra, as recorded in the epic 'The Mahabharata'.

 

Elango Adigal, the celebrated author of the Tamil epic 'Silapathikaram' was born in this great town.

 

'Manimekalai', an offshoot of the above epic vividly describes the magnificence of the town.

 

'Purananuru' - a prodigious work of the Tamil 'Sangam literature, portrays its opulence and affluence and hails its gorgeous business transactions.

 

Many more great works and literatures proclaim the multi-faceted adoration of Kodungallur.

Trade

The harbor of Kodungallur is very ancient. Even a hundred years before the birth of Lord Jesus, the city had established trade links with Asia minor and Syria , which were under the Roman Empire and also Egypt . Even in those good old days, on an average, at least one shipload of cargo left daily from Egypt for Kodungallur. It is said that the major chunk of our country's export business took place through the harbor, because of which very many ships always berthed in this harbor. There were also copious numbers of go-downs, spacious through fares, which facilitated healthy and brisk trade. Historical accounts of renowned foreign scholars and our own 'Purananuru' bear testimony to these facts.

Many records further declare that merchandise like pepper, cardamom, spices, sandal, ivory, muslin, silk, pearl and the like were exported. Liquors, porcelain, glassware, chandeliers, tin, lead and such commodities were imported. Because of such massive and brisk trade activities, a sizable portion of the Roman wealth was brought over to India through Kodungallur. They further promulgate that by exporting pepper, otherwise known as 'Black Gold', pure gold was imported into India .

Science

 

In 860AD, the court of the Chera King Sthanuravi was decorated by a distinguished astronomer by name Sankaranarayana, who has recorded in his book on astronomy entitled, 'Laku Bhaskaraya', known by its other title 'Sankara Narayanam', that in Kodungallur - then its name was 'Kothra Malleswaram' - under his direct supervision there exists a fully equipped observatory cum research center. Also in every 'Kadigai' duration of 34 minutes, bells were sounded at different important centers of the town to announce correct time and it was done with his knowledge.

The origin of many main religions

 

In AD 52, the very first Christian church in India was constructed by Saint Thomas at a place called Maliyenkara in Kodungallur. It was followed by the construction of 'seven and a half churches' along the Malabar coastal line. Soon some Christian colonies sprang up. Dalrymple, while recounting some legends in a BBC film, records thus: "Two millennia later St. Thomas traveled the trade route and landed in Kodungallur on the Kerala coast in AD 52. He did, in the legends of the Syrian Christians whom writer Arundhati Roy dissected in 'The God of small things'. The legends talk of St. Thomas building, 'seven and half churches' in Kerala and converting many Namboodiri Brahmins to the new faith.

 

The Romans who settled down in Kodungallur built a church there in honor of one Augustus.

 

Jews settled down there with their families in A.D. 69. The historically well-known Jew and Syrian copperplates were published only from there.

 

Mohammedans established their very first mosque in India only on the soil of Kodungallur. This mosque has a unique specialty. Mosques built all over the world face the direction of Mecca , but this particular one faces along the east.

 

Arabs too established their colonies in a part of Kondungallur, in the 8th century. One can vouchsafe that it was time when Islam began to spread in India .

 

Mathilagam in Kodungalur was the strong hold of the Jains. The Jain and Buddhist scholars and monks, who lived in this town, not only transformed it into a great educational and cultural center but also began to preach their religious tenets and popularize their way of life.

 

From a reading of Tamil Epic 'Manimekalai' it is learnt that Kodungallur shone as a great Buddhist centre.

The Chera Dynasty

 

Coronations of the Chera Kings were performed by Balarama, another personification of Lord Mahavishnu. Their reigns were impeccable and immaculate and divinity permeated through their kingdoms and had plenteous traditional riches for many centuries (that is, till the 10th century). Kodungallur was their distinguished state-capital. Emperor Ashoka has recorded that the Chera kings, known as 'The Sons of Kerala', had made Muziris (the other name of Kodungallur) their capital of their state. 'Pathitruppattu', a reputed Tamil work of the Sangam age, proclaims the popularity of the faultless rules of the Chera kings.

The Temple of Sri Bhagavathi Amman

The most ancient and powerful temple, Sri Bhagavathi Amman Temple of world fame is in Kodungallur. Undoubtedly, it is the first and the foremost temple that from time immemorial, forbade restrictions of caste and religion and people from all occupations were admitted into it to perform poojas. Lord Parasurama established the Mahameru and Adi Shankara, the Sri Chakra in the secret chamber on the eastern side of the sanctum sanctorum of Sri Goddess Bhaghavathi. Until date, this secret chamber has not been opened by anybody. In addition to these, Adi Shankara has consecrated separate shrines for Loard Ganapathy, Loard Veerabhadra and the Seven Divine Mothers here.

A separate shrine is there for the heroine of 'Silappathrkaram', the chaste Kannagi, an avatar of Goddess Durga and her fame matches that of Goddess Bhaghavathi.

There is no Nandhi in front of the icon of Lord Shiva, which faces the east. This is a unique and special feature of this temple and such an establishment is not seen in any Hindu temple in any part of the world.

There are two very important festivals in the temple. One is celebrated in February-March (in the Kerala month of Kumbha) known as 'Bharani Festival' and the other in December-January, which corresponds to the Kerala month of Makara, known as 'Talappoli Festival'.

Once a Portuguese army-chief received Goddess Baghavathi's benign blessings when he was in great peril and as an expression of his gratitude he denoted a gong to the temple.

Different Names of the town

 

Muziris, Vangi, Musirippatti

 

nam, Musirippththanam, Mahodayapuram, Kotilingapuram, Kudalingapuram, Makodai, Kodunkaliyur, Thiruvallur, RaviVisvapuram and Balakreetapuram are the different names of Kodungallur at various points of time. In the Tamil and Greek literatures, it is called Muziris.

In these multi-various ways, Kodungallur, famous for its elaborate trade activities, advancement in the field of astronomy, development of many religions, has the distinction of being referred to in epics, literatures as the first and fore-most town of repute in India .

 

It is a matter of great pride that in this town of glorious popularity the first ancient Akavoor Manai of our protector, Brahmanandhasri Sivaprabhakara Siddhayogi Paramahamsar existed. It is said that the Parasurama avatar of Lord Mahavishnu took place in Kodungallur. At a later age, this mansion in Akavoor was established with 16 angles (sides) by Akavoor Chathan, otherwise called Unikkonar, the brother of the illustrious Thiruvalluvar, the author of the world-renowned 'Thirukkulal', in Kaladi. Moreover, he established the popular temple dedicated to Lord Siva in Thiruvairanikkulam which consequently led to the creation of Kaladi, from where sprang the Vedic Hindu religion.

Note:

Many articles to pronounce the fame of such a great town of Kodungallur with ocular proofs and authentic photographs are to come out soon, by the benign grace of the Loka Guru Brahmanandasri Sivaprabakara Siddhayogi Paramahumar, who was born on 31-03-1263 and attained Maha Samaadhi on 06-04-1986 (Star: Panguni Poorattathi), after having lived for a stupendous span of 723 years.

 

 

Nightfall at Kodungallur. Within the temple grounds, the atmosphere is electric. Mahogany bodies flash in the night. The blades of a hundred sabres carve the air, etching frenzied syllables of adulation to Kali. This is the hour of the vellichappad, the resplendent oracle embodying the mystic tradition of centuries, smiting his crown with the sword of his faith, proclaiming his communion with the mother goddess in an awesome act of self-flagellation. Blood and belief blend in symbiosis during the Bharani festival at the Kodungallur temple in Kerala, South India, in the Malayalam month of Meenam each year. From the symbolism of the cock-stone ceremony with which the festival opens to the thandava tremors of the vellichappad which form its climax, blood is an extended metaphor

that encapsulates a whole range of moods, from the spirit of war and bloodlust of the conqueror, to the joy of liberation and the ecstasy of thanksgiving and communion. A background chorus to this ritual tapestry, strident as a discordant note in a symphony, is the ribald convention of Therippattu, the singing of obscene songs addressed to the temple deity.Each year, bus loads of pilgrims flow in to attend the seven-day festivities at the temple. Once in the temple premises, the pilgrims break up into small clusters and sing; some in low tones, some with gusto.

In recent years, an ashram near Trichur, around 10 kilometres from Kodungallur, has become the nerve centre of a concerted campaign to stop Therippattu, a practice integral to the Kodungallur temple ethos. Swami Bhoomananda Teertha and his band of faithfuls of the Hind Navotthana Pratisthan have held road marches and public meetings to focus attention on their mission of refining temple practices which are retrograde or which violate the laws of the land. The swami denounces the entire corpus of rituals at Kodungallur. No less obnoxious in his estimate than the custom of singing profane songs is the practice of Kavu Theendal, or 'polluting' the temple, the climax of the festival, after which the shrine is closed for a week.Everyone agrees

that the practice of singing scurrilous songs must stop. The general observation is that it has been on the wane over the years. State and temple authorities prefer to let the convention die a natural death. Swami Bhoomananda seeks to accelerate its demise. He charges the authorities with dereliction of duty for condoning a decadent custom that instigates antisocial elements in the garb of religious sanction to run amuck during the festival.Kavu Theendal, the pollution ceremony, is overseen by the Kodungallur king. Hordes of vellichappads who have arrived from other parts of the state assemble at various spots in the temple compound. A red ceremonial umbrella is unfurled over the king's head. This is the signal. The vellichappads charge around the temple in a daunting human stampede, waving their

sabres in the air, while members of their retinue strike the temple rafters with sticks and hurl objects over the roof and on to the inner quadrangle. They circle the temple three times in a frenzy and then fall before the king for his benediction. The temple is then closed to the public for a week. Its doors reopen after 'purificatory' rituals are conducted to cleanse the shrine of the 'stain' of Kavu Theendal.A widely accepted notion connects the Kodungallur shrine with Ilamkovadigal's Tamil classic, Silapathikaram, whose date of composition is uncertain but is placed roughly between the second and ninth centuries AD. The temple is believed to be a memorial to Kannaki, the protagonist of the Tamil classic, whose husband was falsely implicated in a theft of royal jewels and then killed by the king's decree. Kannaki plucked her left breast in anguish and rage, and reduced the city of Madurai to ashes with her curse. At the end of her wanderings she is resurrected in heaven.

The Chera king erected a memorial to Kannaki in the capital Vanji, which is now believed to be present-day Kodungallur.Scholars speculate that Ilamkovadigal has based his characterisation on a contemporary heroine in whose honour a memorial was later established. An intriguing architectural feature of the Kodungallur temple is the existence of a sealed underground vault. Scholars speculate that the granite vault could be a megalith or a burial chamber, possibly containing the mortal remains of Kannaki.

The riddle may never really be solved. Temple authorities do not permit any exploration of the crypt or the breaking of its sealed walls for purposes of research. The popular imagination is infested with taboos. The local community fears that those who attempt to peer into the vault invite the most harrowing consequences.

In our boyhood days, in the Malayalam month of Meenam, (March-April) we saw groups of men---and occasionally a sprinkling of women passing through our village on their way to Kodungallur to participate in the famous Bharani festival. The men, often drunk, sang Obscene songs and slogans. They laughed, danced and swayed their bodies as they simulated the sexual act in the most blatant manner.

Even the Goddess Kali, the presiding deity of Kodungallur, was not spared. Her sexual organs were subjected to the most elaborate and intricate descriptions. It is believed that the Goddess likes such description.

But I think the people were misguided a bit. Godess Kali is not obscene or bad as the villagers think and it was no use trying to put sense into them. But these people are better than the city bred people who have stored perversities in their mind ...atleast they openly do it in front of Divine Mother...Not that the Divine mother will appreciate their acts but she will pardon them for their innocence and ignorance. But the cicty bred chaps ...Nay! She will not forgive them so easily unless they truly repent and get over their sexual perversities.

Tracing the origins of the Kodungallur shrine to the Kannaki cult raises the question of how it ended up as a Kali temple. The transformation quite possibly followed the recession of Buddhist influence in Kerala. Considering that Silapathikaram's author was believed to be a Jain, and that Kannaki is not described as a Hindu but is linked through personal and family ties with the Buddhist tradition, it may well be that the Kodungallur temple was once a Buddhist or Jain shrine which later yielded to Hindu influence. This could explain why the Kannaki story does not form part of Kerala folkflore. The transformation of the Kodungallur temple from a Buddhist shrine to a Hindu devi temple completely obliterated the Kannaki tradition in coastal Kerala.

The Kodungallur deity has some esoteric rituals that deviate from laid down procedures. For instance, in the run-up to the temple desecration ceremony, non-brahmins perform a three-hour puja which is said to be a departure from the norm. The ingredients used are said to be substitute items for meat, fish and alcohol. The Kodungallur temple has an age-old image as a great social leveller. Its doors were open to those at the bottom of the caste hierarchy long before the temple entry legislation came into force. Where other temples barred their entry round the year, the Kodungallur temple allowed them access for 27 days. Swami Bhoomananda finds it absurd that even after the temple entry proclamation, the old era of untouchability should be commemorated in the form of the Kavu Theendal ceremony

in which low caste Hindus play a key role.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Gnaancheri swamy famous for his Kodunganallur deity fervour)This swami is a staunch advocate of rationality in religion. He challenges the practice at Kodungallur of barring the devotees from witnessing the anointing of the deity, a process that only the local king is permitted to see. The swami wants the Kavu Theendal ceremony replaced by a more dignified rite. He also cannot understand why the king has to play a key role in the festival.But popular tradition will not succumb easily to rational dictates. The king is perceived by the devotees as a presence integral to the temple festival. They will not readily relinquish that presence. The wellsprings of faith lie deep in the psyche of the devotees. Most of the pilgrims come from the northern districts of the state such as Palakkad, Kannur and Wyanad. They are agricultural workers who flock to Kodungallur in the aftermath of the harvest season. The festival acquires for them the significance of a fertility rite. The obscene songs perhaps have a cathartic dimension in the lives of these simple rustic folk. The real social menace are the gangs of urban goons who see the festival as an arena for vandalism. The authorities are wary of wielding the bludgeon. The agricultural workers who converge on Kodungallur during the festival are invariably communist votaries. They are also untouched by the great debate raging over their heads about the temple they flock to, the receptacle of their faith.To the poor pilgrim, the Kodungallur festival

represents more than just an occasion for irreverent songs or a perverse infatuation with obscurantist rites. It is a quest for solace, a plea for redemption, a time for unburdening. And it is a time for renewal under the scathing stare of Kali, the mother goddess.

 

 

 

Yours Yogically,

Subodha

 

 

 

 

Purity, Powers, Parabrahmam...

 

 

 

 

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