A pilgrimage to three Devi temples of Kerala that open only once a year
Aluva and Sabarimala – these two famous temples open only seasonally. But both belong to male deities, Lord Siva and Lord Ayyappa respectively. Bhagavathi temples (Goddess temples) open everyday for daily worship. But in rare cases, a few Bhagavathi temples are there that open only once in a year for annual celebrations. Through this article let us go for a pilgrimage to these three temples as festival season has already begun. In Kerala temples, festival season starts from December and ends with May. In most cases temple festivals last for 10 days and in a few cases three or five.
Thiruvairanikulam temple near Aluva famous for ‘Pathira poo ceremony’
The temple opens in Malayalam month Dhanu every year (middle December to January 15) hearing ‘Devi keerthanam’. Devotees chant Namasivaya mantra too. Breeze with chillness of snow carries the pleasant smell of perfumes, bhasma and camphor too. Then even the grass of Thiruvairanikulam waits for that auspicious Thiruvathira day when door of Parvathy opens to her devotees. Thiruvathira is that special day when Pavathy married Lord Siva and this day is so special for girls waiting for marriage and married women who pray for the long life of their husbands and their prosperity. This day is special for ‘Thiruvathira Seel’ and ‘Brahmani songs’ too praising the Goddess.
This temple is located in Vellarapilly of Aluva in Ernakulam district. Though Lord Siva is the main deity this temple is famous for annual opening festival of Bhagavathi. Here Siva resides facing east direction and goddess Parvathy is placed in the same temple, facing west. It’s not surprising that this temple is more than 1000 years old.
Parvathy temple is opened for 12 days from Thiruvathira star of Dhanu
Though temple is opened everyday for worship, the door of Bhagavathy temple is opened only on Thiruvathira day of Dhanu month and closes on the 12th day after annual temple festival. It’s believed that if you pay visit to this temple during this period to seek mother’s blessing, she blesses you with marriage and prosperous married life for sure. So, it’s not a surprise that this temple is crowded during those auspicious 12 days, particularly the opening Thiruvathira day. Nivedyam, daily pooja and offerings are done in Siva temple everyday though doors of Devi remains closed throughout the year except those 12 days of Dhanu month.
This temple belongs to
Authorization of the temple belongs to three Brahmin families – Akavur, Vediyur and Venmani. The ancestral home of Akavur Mana belongs to Airanikulam village near Irinjalikkuda, Thrissur district.
It’s believed that when Nambudiripad of Akavur settled with his family in Vellarapilly Siva-Parvathy couple of Airanikulam came along with them, as this family was a great devotee of Siva-Parvathy. When deities of Airanikulam resided in Vellarapilli that place began to be known as Thiruvairikulam.
Story behind Goddess Parvathy
There is a story behind the annual opening of the temple. The story is related to Nivedyam – the offering of sweet payasam to deities. The main priest of the temple, known as poojari or shantikaaran in Malayalam places all the ingredients of Nivedyam in a vessel in the place where payasam is prepared and closes the door before he leaves. He places raw rice, jaggery and all other ingredients needed for the preparation of nivedyam in raw form. When the time of puja (offerings) arrives, whole preparations would have been done. According to rules, once door is closed no one is allowed to enter the room till pooja begins. Once Akavur Nambudiripad became curious to know what’s happening inside and who is preparing nivedyam. He opened the door to find that Goddess Parvathy is preparing the nivedyam and shouted, “Mother! Jagadambe!”
Parvathy became angry seeing his disobedience and said that she is leaving the place and the door will remain closed forever. Nambudiripad begged for her pardon and her heart melted. She disappeared saying that she would bless her devotees for12 days starting from Thiruvathira star of Dhanu and that even if she is not there, her presence will always be felt. She also said that those devotees who visit her on these days will be blessed with marriage and happy married life.
Ladies decorating their hair using night flowers
It’s rarest of rarest ritual held during the celebration. Before the door is opened, Devi’s disciple Brahminiyamma asks permission three times to open the door. The permission is granted by main priest and it indicates the three Brahmin families. Main priest known as Thirumeni gives permission three times and then the door is opened. Then goddess is taken to ‘Paattupura’ (paattu means song and pura means small house) and Brahminiyamma chanters songs praising the goddess the whole day throughout. Young women give ‘ethangadi nivedyam’ as offering to goddess and bear night flowers at night to put steps to thiruvathirakali at night. It’s done in temple courtyard. Next day morning Goddess is taken back to ‘Srikovil’ where she was residing and rituals are conducted as usual for the next 12 days. The temple closes repeating the same processes again. Before closing the door Brahminiyamma should seek permission from main priest, thirumeni.
A temple famous for its architecture
This temple is built in the model ‘Vatta Sri Kovil’ and it’s believed that it’s built by the great Perumthachan. I have told earlier, this temple is 1000 years old. Since Goddess’ deity is of ‘dharu’ form, turmeric powder bathing (Abhishekam) is done instead of water.
Annual festivals at Sivarathri
Since it’s a Siva temple, sivarathri celebrations are grant. So, usually celebrations commence during January or February. Another important offering of the temple is ‘para’ where devotees give fruits, grains or coins as offerings to Goddess in a bronze container known as ‘para’. It’s believed that if ladies place turmeric para in front of goddess during this occasion, she will surely get a good husband and prosperous married life for sure.
Mangaladevi temple of Kannaki – the temple still under disputes
Kannaki is a character of Chilappathikaram written by Ilanko Adikal of Sanghakaalam. There are a lot of temples under her name, both in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In Kerala Attukal Bhagavathi temple of Thiruvananthapuram where millions of ladies offer payasam on Pooram star of Meenam and Kurumba Bhagavati Temple of Kodungallur where Kodungallur Bharani is held are most famous.
Why this temple remains closed the year throughout?
The temple is still under dispute as it’s in Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. To avoid clashes the temple remains closed except annual festivals. Permission to visit the temple is given only on ‘Chitra Paurnami’ day as per Tamil calendar. It’s the full moon day of Chitra month according to Tamil calendar.
Where is it situated?
It is situated at Kerala-Tamil Nadu border 15 km away from Kumali. Fearing forests, total darkness even at noon and wild animals – when you reach the hill top of this temple you won’t be surprised to see the remains of an old kingdom and its architecture. Except the festival season, the location remains so always; fully isolated from the main world and sleeping silently.
Beautiful people of art sculptured in the form of dancers, singers, workers, elephants and peacocks, beautiful pillars and steps leading to different ‘mandaps’ are spectacular to watch. They have a story to tell and show distinct finger prints of artists many centuries back. A long passage beneath is now closed using stones and it’s believed that it’s the secret passage that leads to Madhura.
In the temple walls and outer wall, we can see manuscripts written in old Tamil script. Perhaps they tell the stories of their brave king or it may be telling the story of tears and single anklet.
Story of Kannaki
As I have told earlier, the folklore stories about the origin of this temple is deeply related to Chilappathikaram, story of Kannaki, Kovalan and Madhavi. This incident occurred during Chola reign in the country capital, Poompukar. Kannaki was the daughter of the richest business man of city capital, Manaikkan. Kovalan who was the husband of Kannaki was attracted towards a devadasi, Madhavi. He gave everything to her and later repented over his act. Seeing her returned husband, Kannaki forgave him and gave him the only left pair of anklets to sell so that they can start some business. Kovalan reached Madhura and tried to sell the anklet. He was accused of stealing the queen’s anklets and Pandya king beheaded him without a trial.
Hearing the incident, Kannaki came to palace roaring as a storm with the remaining anklet in hand and asked the king, what’s stored inside the anklet. When king replied that they were stones, Kannaki replied that her anklet has ruby. She threw the anklet to the floor, broke it to pieces and proved her husband’s innocence. She cursed the country that everyone except babies, women and old men, all people will die. In the fire, the whole country was ruined and she traveled towards west.
After 14 days she reached Chera Kingdom and sat totally exhausted beneath a tree on the mountain top. Seeing her intense love towards her husband, god became pleased and it’s believed that ‘devas’ of ‘devlok’ (heaven) came down with Kovalan and took her to heaven. When Cheran Chenkuttuvan heard the story of Kannaki he built a temple for her in Mangaladevi – say folklore stories.
Though the story is same, the other temples of Kannaki claim that she went to heaven from that particular place. It’s also said that to please her, devotees made jaggery payasam and still that tradition is followed in Attukal temple, where millions of ladies follow the same rituals to please her.
Open disputes are a century old
Disputes between Kerala and Tamil Nadu started since British rule. In 1990, it resulted in clashes and that’s the reason why temple was closed. After that, temple is opened only for annual celebrations on Chitra pournami day where rituals are held. Devotees are allowed also. It’s really surprising to know that rituals according to both Kerala and Tamil Nadu customs are conducted in this temple one by one under the supervision of police officers. Temple opens at 6 am and closes at 5 pm. But no one is allowed to enter the temple after 3.30pm.
Hundreds of devotees visit this temple every year during festival season. Temples of Bhadrakali related to Mangaladevi temple are there in Kumali of Kerala and lower camp of Tamil Nadu; both at state borders. After Chitrapournami the temple and its premises become lonely. Then it becomes the dwelling place of wild animals till the rise of moon on next Chitrapournami.
Cheruvalur Koottala Devi temple for Makam blessing
If you go to temple premises of this devi temple at Cheruvalor, it may appear as if nature is also silently praying to Goddess. Not even the chirping voice of a sparrow! Everywhere calmness and silence of devotion, nothing else! You need to travel a few steps removing grass and bushes from path to reach the temple.
Where is it located?
It’s situated a few miles away in Ernakulam – Thrissur NH in Thrissur district. Its exact location is in Cheruvallur village. You need to travel through Mala road from Koratty junction of NH to reach this temple. It’s constructed in ancient Kalari form and the temple opens every year on Malayalam month Kumbham 1st and closes on 30th. From the 600 year old palm leaves obtained from Airanikulam temple, there are specifications about this temple.
What’s its legend?
According to beliefs, Parvathy Devi of Airanikulam temple arrives at this temple premises to collect tax from land owned by this temple during Kumbham month for 30 days. It seems true if we check legal papers of land property around. Once all its premises belonged to Cheruvalur temple.
What about its rituals and offerings?
Poojas to please the goddess are held on all the thirty days of Kumbham. Morning pooja for Maha Saraswathi, noon pooja for Mahalekshmi and evening pooja for Bhadrakali. ‘Kalamezhuthu paatu’ is also conducted in the evenings where pictures of Goddess are drawn on floor and folk songs are sung to praise her. The temple closes everyday with ‘Kalamezhuthu paatu’. It’s the most important ritual conducted in the temple too. Devotees can conduct this ritual in the temple and it costs around 5000 rupees.
Goddess belongs to Makam star
Makam star of Kumbham is the birthday of goddess. That’s the main reason why annual celebrations are conducted on this Malayalam month. But rituals of that auspicious day are a little bit different. Temple closes after Prabhatha pooja (Morning prayer) and re-opens for ‘Makam Thozhal’ after 2 pm. In many temples of Kerala Makam Thozhal is celebrated in a grand way and devi temples are over crowded too on this particular day. Makam is a star among those 27 stars, the day which goddess was born and ‘Thozhal’ means to pray.
People from far away places and states also come to this temple for ‘Makam Thozhal’. According to rituals, ladies should have food from temple at noon (given through Annadanam) and chew betel leafs (pan) while seeing the goddess. She should wear her ornaments too. So, she should see the goddess with prosperity, beauty and happiness, with filled stomach.
People also place silk wedding sari and marriage chain before goddess to get married soon. It’s believed that those ladies who see the Goddess in ‘Makam Thozhal’ ritual in the afternoon of her birthday will get a prosperous married life, good husband and children for sure. In normal days, ‘darshan’ time is 5 am to 11 am in the mornings and 6 pm to 9 pm in the evenings.
Temple closes on the 30th day with Mudiyattam
Mudiyattam is an art form of Kerala culture and once it’s completed the temple is closed with blowing sacred chank three times. Devotees are given a flower, an one rupee coin along with last used sindoor and turmeric powder of the goddess as ‘prasadam’ (religious offering consumed by worshippers). All these things are placed in a small piece of banana leaf before giving to devotees. It’s believed that if this offering is placed in pooja room or any other clean place, goddess will bless that devotee’s home with prosperity and happiness. Also her presence will be there.
Why this temple is closed a year throughout?
It’s believed that if the temple is opened before next Kumbham month, she will be in ‘Ugramoorthi’ form. So, no one even dares to enter the temple premises except Kumbham month. Even the temple premises are cleaned just before commence of annual celebrations.
The deity is made in ‘Vaalkannadi’ form (Mirror) and she sits towards west direction. It’s believed that if you are able to visit this temple at least one day during annual opening you will never sleep empty stomach.
Festival season has already begun
Through this article, I have explained the rarest of rarest phenomena of temple openings once in a year. In Kerala temple festivals start on December and ends with first week of May. Obviously now it’s festival season. If you visit Kerala now, you get the spectacular sight of elephant poorams and vela poorams too. Hoping you will visit these pilgrim places this season very soon.
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