Infant Jesus Shrine, Bangalore

On today’s devalayam visit, let me take you to the Infant Jesus Shrine, at Viveknagar, Bangalore. Once an isolated place, the (Catholic) church is now located at the centre of bustling crowds indulging in various activities. The footpath of the road that leads to the church is chock-a-bloc with vendors who sell flower garlands, flowers, candles, and other worship paraphernalia. The traffic leading to the church centre is heavy, and it is not easy to navigate the small lane that runs in the front of the church. Having done that, we drive down to the basement parking, and are impressed to find ample parking space for all kinds of vehicles. We have come on a Saturday evening, when the crowd is comparatively thin. We collect the parking token from the gentleman at the entrance, drive in and park comfortably.

We walk up to terra firma, and approach the shrine first. The Infant Jesus shrine is famous for the miraculous statue of the child Jesus with a crown upon his head. Devotees of all religious faith flock here every Thursday to worship the Infant. As a result, the church is packed on Thursdays. There is a charming legend behind this statue. Click here for the legend. 

Infant Jesus shrine 

The shrine is a long rectangular hall, with the statue of the Infant at the centre. Wooden benches (called pews) are placed inside. There is a small portion of the hall where the devotees can pray with candles. The devout are standing with lit candles sending fervent pleas or thanksgiving to the Almighty. I notice an unnecessary detail; that part of the floor is waxy and sticky! 

If you have brought candles, light them, and leave them on the stands provided for them. There are two replicas of the statue of the child placed on either side of the centre of the shrine for the devotees’ benefit. If you have brought garlands to adorn the child, place them on the either of the two statues. There is also a hundi kept next to the idols for donations. We drop in our contribution, and sit down. The walls lead to a high dome right above the statue. Pigeons find peace in the small coves that dot the dome. There are pretty glass paintings that depict the mythology of the Spanish duchess bringing the statue to Prague.

We make our way to the church that is beside the shrine. It is a semicircular structure, with the altar at the centre. Service is going on, so we quietly tiptoe in and occupy one of the wooden seats. All churches have pews that have provision for the devout to kneel. The church is lovely, with a huge wooden cross at the altar. Its high walls are decorated with paintings. There are glass paintings with each panel narrating a scene from the Way of the Cross, the steps that Christ took before he was crucified.

Infant Jesus church

The church conducts services in languages including Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Konkani, Hindi, and English. We have come in time for the English mass.

As we sit in all humility, the fragrance of samprani or dhoopa wafts around the church. The celebrant is conducting the regular prayers, and we try to follow it as best as we can. We seem to have arrived close to the end of the worship. The devout form a line to receive Communion as the choir sings the hymn. Each ritual has a hymn to it. The celebrant concludes the worship, and we slowly step out. 

Church premises

There is a small curio shop to the right of the church, when you step out. You can buy anything from rosaries to Bibles to prayer books to candle stands, to figures of the Infant Jesus and Mother Mary. We spot a few statues where Mother Mary is holding the young child in her arms. We walk around to the church, and re-enter through a small side door that leads us to the wooden mini chambers that serve as the confessionals. Devotees can also enter this mini corridor from inside the church as well.

There is a small school behind the church. The church also supports an old age home, wedding hall, and has accommodation facilities for outstation pilgrims. The church compound is fairly large, and we walk around, taking in the surroundings. There is a Catholic Enquiry Centre next to the shrine. We don’t have any queries, so we skip it.

With that, we slowly ease out of the parking lot at Infant Jesus, and make our way to the next devalayam. Till then, stay safe, and stay devout!  

The legend of Infant Jesus of Prague

The statue of Infant Jesus holds a globe in his left hand with a cross mounted on it. His left hand is raised in blessing. The first two fingers are raised, and the other three are folded. He wears a crown on his little head. He wears red coloured robes and is attired like a king. Many miracles are attributed to the holy Child. He has healed many sick devotees and answered the prayers of the faithful.  

The miraculous wooden statue of the Infant Jesus was a prized possession of a Spanish noblewoman, Maria Manriquez Mendonza, who brought it to Prague when she moved there after her marriage. She then presented it to her daughter, Princess Polyxena von Lobkovie. In 1629, Polyxena offered it to the Carmelite Monastery, and told them that as long as they venerated the Infant, they would never be in want.

Tragically, the infant was desecrated during the Spanish Thirty Years War. The church was run over by the Swedish army, and the statue was tossed aside. Its arms had been cut off in the melee. Seven years later, a priest replaced it in the church, and repaired the statue. Over time, the glory of the Infant has spread to several parts of the world. 

Annamalayar temple, Thiruvannamalai

I recently had the good fortune of visiting the Arunachaleshwarar temple at Thiruvannamalai on a Shivarathri day. We (a group of ten plus people) drove down from Bangalore in a minivan. We leave at six in the morning. The trip isn’t exactly pleasant, with the bumpy roads dampening the fun. The last lap is the worst. The roads seem to be made of plain mud and stones. We stop a few times. Those who suffer from motion sickness are advised to take precautionary medication to avoid vomiting.

So anyway, a shaky ride later, we reach the temple town of Thiruvannamalai around one-thirty or two. After breaking for a quick lunch, we head for darshan.

The presiding deity of Thiruvannamalai, Lord Shiva in the form of Arunachaleshwarar, is one of the pancha bhoota sthalam. There are five Shiva temples in South India, where the Lord is worshipped as representations of the five elements of fire, earth, water, air, and the sky. Collectively called the Pancha Bhoota Sthala, these lingas are located as follows: Agni Lingam in Thiruvannamalai, Prithvi Lingam in Kancheepuram (the Ekambareshwarar temple), Jambu Lingam (water) in Thiruvanakaval near Trichy, Vayu Lingam in Kalahasthi, (Sri Kalahastheeshwara temple) and Akasha Lingam in Chidambaram (Natarajar).

Thiruvannamalai is apparently the only holy place where the entire hill is considered sacred, and is worshipped. It is also the place where Ramana Maharshi spent majority of his life in prayer and meditation. The Ramana Ashram is located close to the temple. You can read the legend of the Arunachaleshwarar temple here. 

Image courtesy - Thriyambak J Kannan via Wikimedia Commons

We enter the vast temple compound. It is all decked up for the Shivarathri celebrations due for the evening. Huge, colourful kolams decorate the floors of the compound. Crowds throng the place for a glimpse of the Lord. We enter the main temple where the lingam is consecrated. Thick, long queues greet us as we step in. Luckily for us, we are to avail the unfair benefit of a special darshan. We are here to perform at the temple on account of Shivaratri. Plus, one of the members of our party is an old timer at Thiruvannamalai. A senior priest of the temple (who is known to our friend), comes to escort us inside. After a brief wait, he comes, and we slip inside through the ropes that have been set up to regulate the crowds and enter the sanctum sanctorum.

Image courtesy - Aaraaja via Wikimedia Commons

Agni lingam it is indeed! The inside of the sanctum is sweltering. We have been warned that it will be hot, but we are unprepared for the waves of heat that hit us. The lingam is tall and broad. The Lord is seated in all his glory, with no adornments. It is only the black lingam, with three thick white stripes to mark the vibhuti on his forehead. We place our offerings in the thamboolam (plate) extended to us. The head priest conducts the archanai, and offers us aarati and theertham. 

We step out, mopping our faces with hankies and tissues, and head to visit the other deities in the temple. We pay our respects to Ganesha, Murugan, Chandikeshwarar, and Unnamalai Amman, the consort of the Lord, Parvathi Devi. The temple has five prakarams or precincts. Each has an idol of Nandi facing the direction of the Lord. Gopurams dot four sides of the outer most prakaram. The fifth or the outermost prakaram is said to house the thousand pillared hall. We unfortunately had to give it a miss due to our limited schedule. We also had to skip the pathala lingam (located a few feet underground, as its name suggests), where Ramana Maharshi was said to have meditated. It is said that Ramana was so deep into his meditation that he did not feel ants and other insects attacking his body. He was finally rescued by Seshadri Swamigal.

The beautiful structures of the temple tempt us into taking pictures. Having had a good darshan, we slowly make our way back to the hotel to begin the elaborate ritual of getting dressed for our performance. I hope you enjoyed this narrative. I will be back next Friday with an account on a different devalayam. Till then, stay safe, and stay devout! 

The legend of the fire lingam at Thiruvannamalai

The legend of the Arunachaleshwarar temple goes thus. Once Brahma and Vishnu were having an argument over who among the two was greater. Suddenly, a huge lingam made of fire appeared out of nowhere. The lingam, which appeared as a column of fire, seemed to have neither a beginning, nor an end. Brahma and Vishnu agreed to go on a conquest. Vishnu would try to find the base of the lingam, and Brahma would try to find the top. Whoever succeeded would be declared the winner in the argument. Vishnu took the form of a boar, and started digging the earth to find the origin of the lingam. Brahma took the form of a swan, and flew upwards, trying to locate the end of the lingam. Both were at their pursuit for several years without attaining their goal.

One day, Brahma as the swan spotted a ketaki flower falling from the sky. He stopped the flower, and asked it how far away was the crown of the lingam. The ketaki replied that it had been falling for forty thousand years, and had not seen the crown of the lingam. The fire lingam was infinite. Brahma, realising that he would not be able to win the bet with Vishnu by fair means, asked the ketaki to speak as his witness. He told the ketaki to tell Vishnu that Brahma had found the top of the lingam, and found the ketaki flower at the crown. The flower agreed.

The two of them met Vishnu, and the ketaki bore false witness for Brahma. It said that Brahma had indeed found the flower at the crown of the lingam. Vishnu accepted defeat, and conceded that Brahma was the greater one. Suddenly, Lord Shiva appeared where the lingam stood. He was infuriated by Brahma’s treachery. He cursed Brahma, and said that there would be no temple in honour of Brahma, and no one would worship him. Turning to the ketaki, he cursed it too, and said that it would never be used for worship in a Shiva temple again. The lingam at the temple is symbolic of the fiery lingam from the legend. This is how the temple became the Agni lingam of the pancha bhootas. 

Golden temple, Amritsar (Harmandir Sahib)

I once had the good fortune of attending a friend’s wedding in Punjab. I decided to visit the famous Sikh Golden temple at Amritsar. After an uneventful journey, I arrive at Vaneet’s house.

A few hours of sleep, and we are up at four the next morning. Vaneet’s sister Supreet, and a cousin, Rinku Bhaiji form the rest of the party. With the gentleman who drives the car, it makes four of us. The drive is quick, given the early hour. It takes us about an hour or so to reach Amritsar. We park at the designated spot, leave our footwear at the footwear stand, and enter. The brilliant sight of the pure gold dome of the Harmandir Saheb welcomes us. The gentle light of the early morning sun adds another layer of gold to the beautiful sight. The tiled floors freeze our bare feet, as we hurry inside.

As we step in, Supreet directs me to wash my feet in the lake that surrounds the temple. We walk down the few steps that lead inside the lake, and dip our feet. Strangely, it is not cold; on the contrary, it is slightly tepid. We sprinkle a handful of water on our head as a symbolic purification, and join the queue. The temple is an island, built in the middle of the lake. Bridges built at different points connect the devotees to the shrine.

All Sikh temples, known as Gurudwaras, have a dress code. Both men and women should cover their heads, and don traditional clothing. This rule is slightly relaxed in the case of little ones, but all must cover their head. We hitch our duppattas over our head, and join the crowd. There are several gentlemen who don turbans. However, those who do not sport the traditional Punjabi turban cover their head with their kerchiefs.

We make our way towards the counters. All Gurudwaras have free kitchens, called langar, which serves food to all those who visit. This practise dates back to the time of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith. The purpose behind this is to ensure that nobody, irrespective of faith, caste or gender goes hungry. Pure vegetarian fare is served at the langar kitchens. It is customary to put your contribution in the pot, which will give a hungry person a meal. We purchase coupons, and get the receipt for it. The meals that are served are parshad. After collecting our receipts, we head on.

I am surprised to see that despite the presence of many, nobody jostles for space, or pushes around to reach the head of the queue. Everyone patiently shuffles along, murmuring prayers as they wait. As a result of this orderly movement of the crowds, the waiting period is short, and I take the time to admire the peaceful beauty of the Harmandir Saheb. Everyone, male or female, rich or poor, Hindu or Muslim, is equal in the eyes of the Lord. This universal inclusivity and sense of brotherhood is impressive.

We step inside the temple, where the revered Guru Granth Sahib is enshrined. In every Gurudwara, the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib is worshipped. The faithful offer their obeisance to the holy book, which is placed on a raised platform, covered in richly embroidered cloth. The platform is supported by four small pillars and is covered on top. There are two attendants who gently fan the holy book with the venchamaram or the fluffy white feather fan.

The inside of the temple reverberates with the music of bhajans. We bow our heads before the Guru Granth Sahib, offer our prayers, and find a cosy little nook to settle down. Supreet opens a little book, and proceeds to say her prayers. I look around and observe the crowd. Everyone is in a state of prayer, and humbly bows their heads before the Guru Granth Sahib. The inside of the gurudwara reminds me of Mughal palaces. I am amused by this thought. There are small open balconies at strategic points.

After having our fill of worship, we take the flight of steps that lead out. Once outside, Supreet guides me to the steps that lead to the lake beside the temple. We dip our cupped palms in the water, and draw out handfuls of water. I imitate her in sipping the water, and sprinkling it on my head. This is the parshad or teertham, the water in which our sisters and brothers wash their feet in. This practise can cause unease in a person who is not familiar with the Sikh faith.

Having completed our darshan, we walk towards the exit. As we take the steps that lead us out, I turn around for a last glimpse of the Golden Temple. When will I get to prostrate before the Holy Book at the Harmandir Saheb again? I turn away with an unwilling heart. The kitchen where the langar is cooked lies ahead. I ask Supreet if we can volunteer to roll the chappathis at the langar. Amma has told me that it is an honour to offer our culinary services at the langar. However, Supreet tells me that we are running short of time, and we have to be back at Jalandhar for the wedding festivities that are underway.

As the car turns onto the road, Supreet points out the road that leads to the historic Jalianwala Bagh. The goose bumps rise. I make up my mind to take another trip to Punjab, and pay my respects at the Jalianwala Bagh, the scene of a tragic massacre of innocents at the hands of a thoughtless and cruel General Dyer. I also spot a board that says ‘Wagah Border’. My resolve to return is redoubled, and I sit back and try to catch some sleep as we make our way back.

I will be back with my next post on a different devalayam. Until then, stay safe, and stay devout! 

Bonus post - Devalayam/Temple etiquette

Here is a little extra Note: this post is only to serve the purpose of being rough guidelines, and to add a dash of humour to our life.

With the visitors to temples going up by the day, we seem to have forgotten the etiquette our forefathers used to follow when they went to a temple. I want to put together a self-help checklist that will make life easy for not just us, but also our fellow worshippers. This post is only suggestive, please note, I am no authority on any of the religious texts. It is not meant to offend anyone, only to draw out the problems faced by devotees.

Some sort of physical hygiene must be maintained. Before we enter the temple, if facilities are provided, let us wash our hands and feet before we enter. It goes without saying that we should bathe before we enter. We need to remember that temples are crowded places, and sometimes rather most often, we brush against others. Let us have some consideration for our fellow worshippers!

Please place footwear in the designated place. Do not fling them haphazardly around the wall or near the gate. Think about it, your footwear will only face wear and tear if people trample on it in a bid to reach theirs. Or worse, trample on it on their way out with their footwear on.

Understand that we are at the temple to worship, not to ogle at women, pass judgement on someone’s choice of clothing, curse, or any of the other funny things we do when we are at a temple. Remember, you have come to the temple to pray, nothing else!

No nose-blowing strictly. Either keep a hanky or a tissue if you are suffering from a cold and need to blow your nose. At least try to keep the background noise to a minimum.

Here is one thing that I have noticed when I try to catch a glance of the deity from outdoors. Sometimes we are in a hurry, and are unable to enter the temple for darshan. Or say we are driving past the temple nada, and want to glance in and catch a glimpse of the deity. Or we have completed darshan, and before leaving the temple, want to see the deity once more. What do we see? The devotees are crowded around the deity even bang in front, thereby obstructing our view. All that I get to see are a bunch of heads instead of the smiling face of the God or Goddess. Some temples have installed rods on either side, in front of the sanctum sanctorum, to limit the devotees on either side. If there is someone outside, they can get a decent view.

In fact, there is a superstition that I have heard from friends. We must not stand directly in front of the idol. If we do, the extreme power of the idol will adversely affect us. I even recall friends in Kerala say that it is a sin to stand directly before the deity. This superstition was likely propagated by the wise old ones to allow everybody a fair chance to worship. So let us remember to adore the deity from the side, let everyone enjoy an unobstructed view of their deity!

We tend to get very cave-man-ish when we find ourselves in a huge crowd. In our frenzy to get to the top of the queue, and have a good darshan, we indulge in elbowing, nudging, and sometimes even downright pushing and shoving. There are times when we get territorial, and end up in verbal tussles as well. In Islam, there is a beautiful concept. Those who visit Mecca on the Haj pilgrimage are supposed to be in a state of Ihram. It means a state of modesty, humility, simplicity, and pure devotion. Those who are on the Haj pilgrimage are supposed to be modestly attired, not wear perfumes (or makeup), and refrain from speaking or thinking rude things. We can borrow a leaf from their book, and try to follow a similar practise. We must respect the fact that we are at the temple to pray, not fight! As it is, fighting is something we cannot avoid in our daily grind, let us at least try to be civil to our neighbours at a holy place.

Eating inside temples is a big no-no. Invariably what follows is littering inside the sacred premises (or worse, licking fingers or even palms). If the food in question is a handful of prasadam, or the temple’s designated dining halls, it is a different matter (no licking here either please!). However, if you plan on satisfying your hunger pangs, please make your way outside the temple compound, and find a cosy nook before you start munching.

Likewise, when accepting theertham, we tend to morph into water buffaloes, and a series of ‘hurrrrrrs’ emanate all around! Please only take brief sips from your palm and try not to make too much of an affair out of it.

Let us make this an ongoing post, and keep adding to it. Dear readers, please add your comments right here. Share your list of ‘don’ts at the temple’ and let us share the peace. Till we visit the next devalayam, take care, and stay devout! 

Chottanikkara temple, Kochi

In the suburbs of Kochi, on a little hillock sits the fierce Goddess Chottanikkara Amma. Today I will take you on a visit to the Chottanikkara temple.

There are two Goddesses in the temple, the Melkaavamma, or the Goddess of the upper shrine (roughly translated), and the Keezhkaavamma, or the Goddess of the shrine below. Once a wild forest, Chottanikkara (the place is named after the temple) today is a part of the city, with buildings coming up in and around the place. Originally called Jyothianakkara, it is now colloquially called Chottanikkara.

There are several colourful shops before the temple, which sell amulets, CDs, portraits of Gods, and trinkets. There are hotels and lodges within walking distance of the temple. Luckily, there is ample provision for parking vehicles of all types. There are frequent buses that connect Chottanikkara to the rest of the city.

We hop off the bus, and walk right up to the temple’s main gates. The temple has roped off about fifty metres of space in front of the main gates, to prevent vehicles from entering. We cross the barriers, and enter. On one side is a footwear stand, where we leave our footwear in exchange for a dusty cardboard token. After washing our feet at the taps placed a little ahead, we step over the threshold and go in.

The huge dhwaja sthambam flag post stands proud and tall, right in front of us. The counters are on the right of the gate as soon as you enter, where you can purchase tokens for vazhipadu or offerings. Buy the tokens here, and proceed to the left to pick up your offering. We pass by the Navarathri Mandapam, a hall built to hold cultural programs during festivals, situated a little ahead of the vazhipadu counter. A little ahead, adjacent to the wall of the shrine, you can buy talismans like sacred threads (for the wrist), lockets and amulets, and other raksha.

The Goddess at the Melkaavu sits facing the east, so the devotees face west when they bow to her. So in effect, as we enter through the main gate, we need to circumambulate a half round in order to reach the front of the sanctum sanctorum of the Melkaavamma. Fridays and Tuesdays can get pretty crowded, especially during the evening. We are luckily here on a Thursday morning, so we breeze in without much fuss.

We walk in and spot the Goddess who has a beautiful smile. She is covered in a gold sheath. With the oil lamps burning bright around her (inside the sanctum), Chottanikkara Amma in the form of Rajarajeshwari is a dazzling sight. We are able to spend a few peaceful minutes adoring her. It is said that the idol of the Goddess has not been manually sculpted, but is a swayambhu, (an assumed form) in laterite. The gold sheath defines her form, with four arms. The base of the idol is also supposed to be loose sand, as opposed to a stone foundation. Devi’s brother, Lord Narayana sits with her inside her sanctum, in the form of a small idol.

The Goddess is worshipped in three forms throughout the day. She is worshipped as Saraswathi, (the Goddess of learning) in the morning, as Lakshmi (the Goddess of wealth), in the afternoon, and as Durga (the warrior Goddess) in the evening. In the early mornings, she is worshipped as the Goddess Mookambika. The legend goes thus: Jagadguru Shankaracharya wanted to bring Saraswathi Devi to Kerala. He undertook severe penance to please her. The Goddess relented, and agreed to go with him on the condition that he would lead the way by foot, and the Goddess would follow. Shankaracharya was not to turn around to look at her, or she would not continue. As luck would have it, the Acharya turned around at some point in the journey. The Goddess stopped in her tracks, and remained where she stood, despite the Acharya’s profuse apologies and ardent pleas to continue the journey. Saraswathy Devi then decided to grant him part of his wish. She promised him that she would appear in Chottanikkara in the morning, and bless her devotees. Shankaracharya accepted her verdict.

The place where the Goddess stopped is Mookambika, near Mangalore, where the famous Saraswathy temple is located today. To honour her word to Shankaracharya, the Devi at the Mookambika temple gives darshan to her devotees only after she has blessed her devotees at Chottanikkara. To mark this arrangement, the temple doors at Mookambika are opened only at 5.00 a.m., an hour after the first darshan at Chottanikkara.

We pull ourselves away from the sannidhi, take a pradakshina around, and exit the shrine. Just before the exit sits Lord Dharma Shastha a little to the left of Devi; facing west. He is said to be guarding Devi and her devotees. We pay our obeisance to him, and step out. You can take theertham and kumkumam from a gentleman who sits dispensing the same.

In front of the sannidhi is a long rectangular hall where devotees can sit and pray. A huge balance is suspended from the ceiling, where the devout are weighed for the thulabhaaram offering. The floor of this hall is covered in tiles that have always fascinated me as a child. It is a simple optical illusion that can be viewed in two different ways.

Image courtesy - Rooney Maxwell via Wikimedia Commons

We walk a half-moon around the temple, and turn towards the shrines outside the sanctum. We bow our heads at the Srimoolasthanam, where the Devi first appeared on earth, and proceed. A small tree stands behind the spot, which has been marked off with a small fence. Beyond sits the Goddess Jyestha. There are also shrines for Lord Shiva and Ganesha.

We take a roundabout walk to reach the steps that lead to the Keezhkaavamma, who sits in the shrine below. The Goddess is worshipped as Bhadrakali, in her fierce form. She is fond of blood, and every evening, a ritual called guruthi (sacrifice) is conducted, which simulates an offering of sacrifice of blood to the Goddess. The steps that lead to the keezhkavu are wide to enable elephants to use them. These steps are slightly slanted, and wider spaced to enable pachyderms to walk without much trouble. On the right, almost immediately after the steps begin are the Navagrahas. A few steps lead us to the shrine, which also houses Vigneshwara and Ayyappa. We pay our respects to them, and take the steps again.

Small shops that sell devotional CDs dot the sides. Some of them play songs from the lot, and a combination of different kinds of music assails our ears. Luckily, this noise is drowned out by the occasional ‘boom’ that comes from our right. A small patch of land is used to fire kadana, or vedi (the closest English word for that could be a cracker). A vedi is a small black explosive, that looks or sounds nothing like the innocent red crackers that we burst during festivals. Its diameter is roughly about as wide as an average fist, and is maybe a foot tall. The noise that comes from a single explosion is capable of startling even the most mentally strong person right out of their skin. These little explosions are a part of an offering, called the vedi vazhipaadu.

Caught unawares by the first blast, we are unprepared for the subsequent vedis too. We totter along, and make it to the end of the steps. At the foot of the steps lies the temple pond, walled off, and with separate entrances for men and women. Legend says that Devi killed a yakshi (vampire), who was chasing a Brahmin. After killing the yakshi, Devi washed herself at the pond to purify herself of the blood. Vilwamangalam swamigal found an idol of the Goddess in this pond, many years after this incident, and installed her in the keezhkaavu. The keezhkaavu Amma sits facing west.

We walk around the pond to reach the shrine, a few steps ahead. The vahipaadu counter is to the left as soon as we enter the small gate. Offerings of oil, turmeric and kumkumam are common. Buy the coupons at the cash counter, and pick up the offerings at the counter, which is just next door. We buy oil for the huge lamp, and pour it in, disposing the small containers in a tub next to it. The keezhkaavu Amma is a beauty despite her ferocious nature. This shrine is comparatively smaller in size. We bow our heads and spend a few moments adoring her. The Bhadrakali in this shrine is known for curing people of mental ailments. A tree stands next to the shrine, with several rusting nails tacked on it. These nails, of varying sizes, are said to have been nailed on by those cured of ailments and possession by evil spirits.

We circumambulate the Devi, and spot the prasadam being distributed. We hand over our receipt, and collect the kumkumam on a piece of plantain leaf. There are a few rakshas here as well, so if you want to, you can buy some amulets here. After stepping out of the nada, we retrace our steps back up, following the giant staircase, bracing ourselves for the vedi. We make our way out, collect our footwear, and trudge to the bus stop. That was my trip to the famous Chottanikkara temple. I’ll be back next week with a new sojourn. Till then, stay devout, and take care!