Divya Desams in Kerla

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> 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

 

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