Location & description

One of the oldest temples in the state, the vadakkumnathan temple is a classical example of the Kerala style of architecture and has many decorative murals and pieces of art. This is the venue of the world famous pooram festival celebrated annually in april - may. The fireworks at the pooram are a spectacular sight. Non hindus are not allowed entry into the temple. No visitor to Trichur can miss the Vadakkunnathan temple, "one of the most unique, ancient and important" of the sacred shrines of Kerala. It stands on a beautiful hillock at the center of Trichur overlooking the town. The vast maidan around the temple is called Tekkinkadu or forest of teak woods and Trichur town literally revolves round the temple.

The massive stone wall enclosing an area of nearly 9 acres (36,000 m²) and forming a strong fortification and the fourlofty gopurams overtopping the central shrine and indicating the four directions-North, South, East and West -and above all the dozens of peepal trees scattered on the vast grounds of' the temple gives Vadakkunnathan temple a unique and magnificent appearance. In the center of this vast enclosure on a level ground is a multi-shrined complex having three principal shrines dedicated to Siva or Vadakkunnathan, Sankaranarayana and Rama.

In the northern side, a circular structure, and the deity facing west. The figure of Siva-Parvati is facing east and just back to Siva, situated in the same shrine. At the southern and is located the two-storied shrine of Sri Rama also facing west. Between these two srikolis stands a third one, circular and double storied in shape, dedicated to Sankaranarayana and it also faces west. This shrine has beautiful murals of the seventeenth century delineating graphically the story of Mahabharata. There are mukhamandapams in front of all the three central shrines. A striking feature of the temple is the Kuttambalam, which one sees on the left side as one enters the temple through the western gopuram. This is the theatre hall for staging kuttu, an ancient dramatic form of art famous in Kerala The temple opens at three in the morning and closes about 10-30 after the morning rites. For the evening worship it opens at four and closes at 8.30 at night after 'Trippuka', the last rite for the day. It is a pleasing feature of the times and this temple especially that hundreds of men and women flock to the temple for darshan from the early hours of the morning after taking their bath at all seasons of the year. It is noteworthy that the Union Government under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act has declared the Vadakkunnathan temple a national monument.

Events

MahaGanapathy Havana and elephant feeding

It has been the regular annual practice at the Vadakkunnathan Temple for the last 2 decades to conduct a large-scale Ashta Dravya Maha Ganapathy Havana and Aanayoottu (ceremonial feeding of elephants) on the 1st day of Karkidakom as per the malayalam calendar. 'Gajapooja' also is conducted once in four years.

Programme

This year the yagna is to be conducted on 16th of July 2004, Friday, with Havana and Elephant feeding. The Havana in the specially arranged large 'Homakunda', before dawn and the feeding of the elephants spread in the temple premises at about 8.30 a.m. are scenes of rarely in a temple. No wonder that the Yagna is to find a place in the tourism map of Kerala.

More than a hundred activists of the Temple Welfare Association (Kshethra Kshema Samithy) are already working incessantly to make the event colourful success.

This Yagna, which will cost nearly Rs. 2.00 lakhs, is financed through the munnificence and benevolence of the devotees.

This year the organisers expect to field more than 100 elephants for the event.

A special counter has been opened in front of the temple, to receive donations in cash or kind from the intending devotees.

One should expect that this unique festival contributes to develop healthy bonds with nature's flora and fauna, and chasten our minds to realise the oneness of God's creations.

About

Thrissur, the town of the famous Thrissur-Pooram extravaganza in April-May every year, is getting ready for an enchanting rally and feeding of elephants at the Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple, around which the city has been built, in July 2004.

The temple, one of the oldest in South India according to the archaeologists and founded by Lord Parasurama according to legends, enshrines Lord Siva as the principal diety. The idol of Siva, now not visible is said to be covered under a mount of ghee, formed by the daily abhisheka with ghee over the years. A devotee looking at the sanctum now sees an eleven-feet high mount of ghee embellished with thirteen cascading crescents of gold and three serpent hoods at top; naturally, he reminded of the snow-clad Mount Kailas, the abode of Parvathy and Parameswara, as per traditional belief. Siva here is more popularly known as Vadakkunnathan. Apart from Lord Siva, Sree Parvathy, Sree Ganesh, Lord Sankaranarayana and Sree Rama are enshrined within the main 'nalambalam' of the temple. Lord Vettekkaran (Siva in hunter form) also is worshipped within the nalambalam enclosure.

Outside the nalambalam, there are shrines for Lord Krishna, Vrishabha, Parasurama, Simhodara, Dharmasastha and Adi Sankara acharya. Adi Sankara had believed to be born to the Sivaguru-Aryamba couple of Kalady in answer to their prayers before Vadakkunnathan, as 'amsavatara' of the Lord.

The morals in the temple are known for its rarity and two of them - Vasukisayana and Nrithanatha - are even worshipped regularly. 'A fairly large white bullock' on the verandah of the Nalambalam is worshipped as Nandikeswara. In the temple quadrangle, there are specified spots at which the devotees can offer their salutations to Lord Siva of Kasi and Lord Chidambaranatha of Chidambaram, Lord of Siva of Rameswara, Sree Kali of Kodungallur, Mother Godess at Oorakam, Lord Bharatha (Koodalmanickam) at Irinjalakuda, Sree Vyasa, Sree Hanuman and Serpent Gods.

The temple theatre, known as Koothambalam, has no parallel to cite anywhere else in the world. The four magnificent gateways called Gopurams and the lofty masonry wall around the temple quadrangle are also imposing pieces of craftsmanship and skill.

Not only in the case of physical structures, but also in the matter of rituals, poojas and even in the order of movement of a worshipper from sanctum to sanctum, the temple maintains a uniqueness of its own.

Lord Ganesh in the temple is positioned facing the temple kitchen and offering of Appam (sweetened rice cake fried in ghee) to Mahaganapathy is one of the most important offerings at Vadakkunnathan temple. Propitiating Ganapathy here is believed to be paving a path to prosperity and wealth.

The devotees revere elephants as Lord Ganesh incarnate. It has been the regular annual practice at the Vadakkunnathan Temple for the last 20 years to conduct a large-scale Ashta Dravya Maha Ganapathy Havana and Aanayoottu (ceremonial feeding of elephants) on the 1st day of Karkidakom as per the malayalam calendar. 'Gajapooja' also is conducted once in four years.