KERALA TEMPLES VISITED IN 4 DAYS

TOUR DIARY - J.K. SIVAN KERALA TOUR - 22/01/09 1600 HRS TO 26/01/09 0600 HRS Our AALAYA DHARSHAN group of 14 members - age ranging between 51 to 79 performed this Kerala Tour and we covered the holy places narrated below. By Trivandrum Express we left Chennai Central at 1600 hrs on 22/01/09 and arrived Ernakulam Junction on 23/01/09 at about 0400 hrs 1 23.01.09 0400 - 0630 hrs After refreshing ourselves in the cold water bath and swallowing the hot coffee, we began our tour by a Tempo Traveller with the visit to Ernakulathappan This Mahadeva temple ( 3 km from railway station) was built many centuries ago and is very big. Temples are open in Kerala, from about 0400 hrs It is heartening to observe so many people commencing their daily activities with a worship in all the temples at such early hours. 2. 23.01.09 0600 - Thiru katkarai – Vamana kshetram - 9 miles n/east frm Ernakulam- One of the 108 Divyadesam, THIRUKATKARAI APPAN - Vamana murthi. Here only the Lord obtained yachagam from Mahabali and took Trivikrama roopam. Thayar name as per pasuram: VATSALYA VALLI - Nindra thirukolam. This is one of the ancient but not much known divya desam. No separate Thayar sannidhi. 3 23.01.09 - 0600 – 0700 hrs - Thirumoozhikalam - About 30 km from Thirukkakarai - This too a Malainaattu divyadesam. (Lakshmana Perumal) Thirumoozhikalathan (Ninra thirukolam) – Thayar: Madhuraveni Nachiyar. The main deity was disfigured during Tippu Sultan’s regime dismembering both the hands. These were refixed by Panchalokam. 4. 23.01.09 - 0730 - 0900 – Koodal Manikkam Bharatha Perumal at Irinjalakuda– 35KM from Thirumoozhikalam. This is another 9th Century temple. Worshipped by Bharatha. The image of the Perumal was dazzling and the local chieftain compared the dazzling with a Manickam stone which got merged with the idol and can be seen on the forehead of the Lord. Hence the name koodal manickam. Not a divyadesam but an Abhimana kshetram. 5. 23.01.09 – 0900-0915hrs - Shatrugna perumal temple at Payammel - 3km away from Koodalmanickam temple – This is the one and only temple in India for Shatrugnan. This is not a divyadesam but an Abhimana kshetram. 6. 23.01.09 – 1000-1015 hrs – Lord Rama temple on the banks of River Tiruprayar – The idol was washed ashore and found and installed by the local chieftain in the 9th century. Not a divyadesam but an abhimana kshetram 7. 23.01.09 1100-1115 hrs - Kodungalur Bhagavathi amman temple - 9 km away from Triprayar. One of the 4 main temples of Bhagavathi amman. No Brahmin poojari here. This temple and goddess referred in Ramayana and Mahabharatha. 8. 23.01.09 - 1630 hrs - Kaladi -53 km away. Adhi Sankara’s birth place on the banks of Poorna river. 40 km away from Kodungalur. Near Angamali station. Samadhi of Aryamba, Sankara’s mother, where Adisankara cremated her is worshipped here. The ghat where a crocodile caught hold of Sankara’s leg is seen. The Krishna temple where Aryamba worshipped is still there. 9. 23.01.09 - 1800 hrs Chottanikara Bhagavati (Rajarajeswari) temple 15km away from Kaladi. The main deity is made of laterite and untouched by any human sculptor. Worshipped daily in 3 forms, as Saraswathi, draped in white in the morning, as Bhadrakali in crimson at noon and as Durga decked in blue in the evening to get rid of evil influence, psychological disorders, and evil spirits. 10 Keezhakkavu bhagavathi temple adjacent to Chottanikara bhagavathi temple is where nailing on the tree is done for warding off evil spirits and the deity is Bhadrakali and sacrifices of animals are still done here. 11. 23.01.09 - 1900 hrs - Udayanapuram -3 kms away from Chottanikara - Lord Murugan temple – Established by Parasurama this temple is very big and ancient. When we visited this temple the local Nadhaswara vidwan was playing Entha kavi padinalum in Raga Nilamani, reminding me of Madurai Somu’s rendering of it. It was very apt and proper to praise the Lord thus. 12. 23.01.09 – 1940 hrs Vaikom Mahadeva temple - 5 km away from Udayanapuram - It is stated that only here, Lord Siva converted the jackals into horses to save Manickavasagar from the King’s punishment. The flagstaff (dwajasthambam) is about 320 ft tall. 13. 23.01.09 - 2040 hrs - Kaduthuruthi Siva temple - 14 km from Vaikom. When we climbed the steps to enter the temple the doors were already closed. Only abhisheka theertha prasadam was given. No temple is open beyond 8 pm Regretfully we missed this temple and Ettumanoor Siva temple 2100 hrs Reached Kottayam Samooha koodam to have a well earned rest. 14. 24.01.09 - 0530 hrs - Kottayam Tirunakkara Mahadevan temple - during ploughing, the plough struck a rock in the Tirunakkara hill and blood started oozing from the rock, which was found to be a swayambu lingam. 15 23.01.09 - 0600 hrs – Kottayam Thirunakkara Sri Krishna temple - is on the slope from the Mahadeva temple. It is worshipped as South Guruvayur temple. 16. 24.01.09 – 0900 am - Thirukadithanam –Arputhanarayanan temple – a Divyadesam - 5 km from Chenganaseri – Goddess: Karpagavalli thayar. This place is connected with Ekadasi vratham of King Rukmangadha. This temple is connected with Sahadevan. 17 24.01.09 - 0930 hrs Thiruvalla - a Divyadesam 9km from Thirukadithanam – Sri Vallabhan temple - The idol was traced from the bed of Netravathi river during 59 BC. 18. 24/01/09 0950 hrs Thiruvanvandoor - 4 km from chenganoor - a divya desam – Pambanaiappan – Ninra thirukolam - Temple built by Nakulan. Goddess: Kamalavalli Nachiyar. 19. 24.01.09 - 1000 hrs - Thiru chenkundrur –(Thiruchitraru) – a Divya desam - 1km from chenganur. Yudhistra established this temple after meditating here. Perumal is seen holding Sanku in His right hand and Chakram in His left hand. A very ancient temple and remote to access. 20 24.01.09 - 1020 hrs - Thiruppuliyoor – a divya desam – 3.5mles west of Chenganur. The temple was renovated by Bheema. A huge stone Gadhai of Bheema is installed here. When we visited this temple there was a festival going on. 21 24.01.09 - 1045hrs - Chenganoor Bhagavathi temple – Both the images of the Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati are enshrined in a circular Srikovil .The Shivalinga is three and a half feet high and faces east. The Linga is enveloped in a golden covering or Kavacha. This is made in the Ardhanari or half-man-half-woman form. The image of Goddess Chenganoor Bhagavati faces west and placed behind the Lord’s Garbhagriha is two and a half feet in height and made of Panchaloha .The Goddess is shown with the Varamudra on her right hand and the Abhayamudra on the left hand. The deity is decked with various dazzling jewels. 22 24.01.09 1200 noon - Aranmoola - Parthasarathy Perumal - a divya desam connected with Arjuna. The temple is on the left bank of Pamba river. It is here that when Arjuna hesitated to kill Bheeshma, Krishna got enraged and took his chakra in hand got down from the chariot to kill Bheeshma who dropped his bow on seeing Krishna ready to kill him. But Arjuna pacified Krishna and reminded Him of his vow not to participate in the battle. Hence the Lord is seen with his disc in hand here. This temple dates back to Mahabaratha time. 23 Pandalam palace of Lord Ayyappa. There is nothing to be seen here on normal days as Thiruvabaranam is exhibited only during Makara Jothi time. The present Royal family member Sri Rama Varma was just sitting on his simple cot watching TV and we did not disturb him. After lunch we proceeded towards our journey to Trivandrum 24. 24.01.09 1700 hrs Aattukkal Bhagavathi amman temple at Trivandrum 2 km from Padmanabhaswami temple. The temple is huge and is in the heart of Trivandrum city. 25. 24.01.09 1800 hrs - Anantha Padmanabhaswami temple – a Divyadesam – Thayar Hari Lakshmi - a grand temple of ancient times, well maintained by the Royal family of erstwhile Travancore-Kochi kingdom. The huge idol is seen in 3 parts and is always crowded by devotees from all over the country. We commenced our tour the next day after resting for the night at Samoohakoodam at Trivandrum atop the Durga temple. 26. 25.01.09 0600 hrs – 0900 hrs - we departed by bus from Trivandrum to Nagercoil and reached the TAMBRAS samoohakoodam at Parvathipuram. Being Newmoon day some of us performed Tharpanam arranged at the samoohakoodam itself. 27. 25.01.09 0900 – 1000 hrs - Thiruvattaru – a Divyadesam – Sri Adikesava Perumal – Thayar Maragadhavalli nachiyar. Perumal is in sayana thirukolam as in Tiruvananthapuram. He is also giving seva in 3 vaasals (entry points). The only difference is Ananthapadmanabha swami is in bujanga sayanam facing east whereas Adikesavaperumal is facing west. The whole Mandapam is sculpted out of a single stone. 28. 25.01.09 1200 noon - Mandacadu Bhagavathi amman temple - This temple is wellknown as Sabarimala of Women devotees. The idol is on a sandhill which grows each year. This famous temple is over 1000 years old. People believe it to be a Kannagi temple also. 29. 25.01.09 - 1630 hrs - We waited for a while for the Nagarajar temple to open in vain and left for Thiruvanparisaram 30. 25.01.09 - 1715 hrs -Thiruvanparisaram ( known now as Thirupathisaram) 7 km from Nagarkoil - While waiting for the opening of the Garbagraham an excellent Namasankirthan bhajan was condcted by sri K. Rathnam Iyer, one of our senior members. A divya desam - Perumal: Kuralappan/ Thiruvazhmarbhan - Thayar : Kamalavalli nachiyar - Veetrirundha thirukolam - Nammalwar’s mother Udayanangai was born here and Nammalwar also was born here. There is a small sannadhi for Udayanangai. 31. 25.01.09 1820 hrs - Sunset at Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari) was witnessed in dazzling beauty. The disappearance of setting sun as a red ball into the sea surface was unforgettable. 32. 25.01.09 - 1915 hrs - Goddess Kanyakumari - Life size idol holding a garland in one of the hands is an imposing image. The dazzling left nose jewellery is famous and legendary. A beautiful sight for devotees’ eyes. 33. 25.01.09 - 2100 hrs - Suseendram – sthanumaalayan temple & Bhaktha Anjaneyar. This is a 9th Century temple with 18’ tall Anjaneyar. The tour ended with visits to above temple and could not have been a success but for the cooperation of one and all involved in the tour and returned to Chennai by Guruvayur –Chennai Express departing Nagarcoil at 0600 hrs on 26.1.09 arriving at Chennai Tambaram by 2100hrs -