Ananthapadmanabha swamy lake temple, Kumbla, Kasargod

Continuing our pilgrimage in Kasargod, today let us go to Ananthapadmanabha swamy temple, in Kumbla, which is in Kasargod. This beautiful temple that stands in the middle of a lake has many unique and interesting features and legends.

I doubt very much if there is public transport till the temple, because I did not spot any when I visited. Devotees will likely have to make their own arrangements. The temple is located in the midst of plenty of empty land. There are taps outside the compound where devotees can wash their hands and feet. 

The path to the main entrance

We enter the main gates and have a bit of a walk down the path. To the left is a small kiosk where you can buy tokens for offerings. To the right is the devaswam office. Slightly off right ahead is a shrine to Lord Ganesha. We pay our respects to him, and walk down a few steps to the small island-like temple. 

Before taking the steps down to the temple

It is believed that Lord Padmanabhaswamy in Trivandrum originally came from this very temple in Kumbla. Vilvamangalam Swamiyar, the saint devotee of Lord Krishna had the good fortune of seeing the Lord as a small boy. One day, the little Krishna disturbed Swamiyar during his prayers. Annoyed at this, Swamiyar pushed the child with the back of his hand, which is considered inauspicious. The child, hurt and angered by this, walked away in a huff. It is said that he took the small tunnel adjacent to the temple. Swamiyar realised his folly, and followed the child through the tunnel.

He eventually found the Lord in Ananthankadu, modern day Trivandrum, as a murthy reclining upon Sesha Naga, his serpent. Vilvamangalam Swamiyar consecrated the Lord and established the temple. The temple priest points out to us the tunnel, called Bhoomangala, through which the Lord made his journey to Trivandrum. 

The temple also boasts of a crocodile! While conventional temples have elephants and cows, the Ananthapadmanabha swamy temple in Kumbla has a resident crocodile, named Babiya, who is a pure vegetarian! The priest tells us that she is not domesticated, but she does not harm any of the devotees. She eats only the rice prasadam from the temple, and lives in the lake that surrounds the temple. They don’t know where the crocodile comes from, he says. When the croc passes away, another comes to take her place. All the crocodiles have been named Babiya.  

The temple has a small sanctum, with a bridge that leads devotees to the nada. The Lord is in a seated position, unlike in Trivandrum (where he is lying down). He is sitting on Sesha Naga, the serpent. The murthy is interestingly made not of wood or stone, but of grains, jaggery, sandalwood, ghee, musk, pepper and ayurvedic herbs. These ingredients are used to create the idols in a method that is called ‘kadu sharkara yogam’ (a Malayalam term), where first the skeleton is made, then the rest of the murthy is created, complete with nerves and veins. We pay our respects to the Lord, and walk back to land. 

A little further, behind the main sanctum, is a shrine to Goshala Krishnan. We pay our respects to the Lord, and excitedly make our way to visit Babiya. It is a short walk off the path, beyond the main path. On the way, we pay our respects to Mahishamardini (Durga Devi) and Vanashasthara, who are enshrined in a fenced open courtyard.  

Beyond lies a little mud pond called Vanashasthara pond. We spot a pair of croc eyes on a knobbly head peering at us. When we call out her name, the shy Babiya smoothly sinks underneath and stays there till we get tired of calling her. The priest tells us that sometimes she lies in the pond at the temple, and sometimes at her muddy pond. He says she walks the same path that we just took up and down, without a care for the people around! She is a harmless and pious creature, he tells us.

We walk back and circumambulate the long path outside, around the pond. It is a very peaceful and serene place, with very few people or houses around. The old style building next door appears to be the temple guest house or quarters. There are plenty of trees around. We walk out and sit under a tree outside the temple, enjoying the peace and quiet. Slowly, we get up and make our way back home.

I hope you enjoyed today’s trip to this lovely temple. Next Friday we will go to another temple. Till then, take care, and stay devout! 

Vadakunnathan Shiva temple, Thrissur - part two (the outside prakaaram)

Part 1

After worshipping Vadakunnathan, we step out to continue our darshan. First is the Sri Moolasthanam, where the Lord was originally placed. We move ahead to pay our respects to Goshala Krishnan, or Krishna, lord of the cow shed. Earlier it was a true goshala, with cows relaxing in the small enclosure, and the fragrance of cow dung permeating the surroundings. Krishna is believed to be fond of the aroma. Sadly today there is not a single cow in sight! The cowherd Krishna is without his cows! We walk ahead and enter the sannidhi of Vrishabha swamy. We clap our hands to attract his attention, as swamy is believed to be deaf. The devout also pull out threads from their garments and leave it as offerings to Vrishabha swamy. We head out to the next shrine. 

The next shrine is dedicated to Lord Parashurama. Parashurama, the sixth avatar of Lord Vishnu, is often credited as the creator of Kerala. He is said to have reclaimed the land from the sea with a strike of his axe. He is also believed to have consecrated the Vadakunnathan temple, and invited Lord Shiva to come and reside here. We pay our respects to Parashuraman and move on. 

Next on our list is Simhodaran, whose shrine comes on the pradakshinam path. He is said to be a gana (soldier) in Lord Shiva’s army, and his stomach resembles the face of a lion. After paying respects to Simhodaran, we are to face north, and offer our prayers to Kashi Vishwanathan. Standing there; we turn towards the (inner) wall, and through a gap in the wall, we view the holy kalasham of Lord Vadakunnathan. 

A little ahead is a small concrete platform. We climb on it and turn northward to pay our respects to Chidambaranathan. This done, we turn to the east and send our prayers to Lord Sethunathan. 

We continue our walk on the pradakshinam path. At the southern entrance (marked by a huge unopened gate), we pause and pay our respects to Kodungaloor Devi. We then face south-west, and pay our respects to Koodalmanikyam Swami (the famous temple dedicated to Lord Bharatha, Sri Rama’s brother), and Oorakathamma. Standing there, we again turn towards Lord Vadakunnathan, and catch a glimpse of his golden kalasham. 

We continue on the path and bow before Vettaikaran, Lord Shiva as the hunter. We turn towards Vyasa murthy, or Veda Vyasa, the famous author of the epic Mahabharatam. We write the words, ‘Hari Sree Ganapathaye Namaha’ on the concrete block with our fingers as pens. Devotees are seen looking for a free spot to write the verse that marks Vidyarambham, or the start of education. We move ahead and pay our respects to Lord Ayyappa, the son of Lord Shiva. 

A little ahead is a spot that marks the place where soil from the mruthasanjeevani was dropped. It is believed that the sacred healing herb fell on this spot when Lord Hanuman was flying with the mountain to bring the herb to an injured Lakshmana. We touch the soil and bring it to our heads. Further down, in a secluded spot sits Nagaraja, the serpent Lord. We bow before him and continue on the path. We can see the western gate from where we entered the temple. 

Close to the gate is a shrine dedicated to Jagadguru Shankaracharya, the young sage who propounded the Advaita philosophy. A small board next to the shrine speaks of the acharya, and tells us how his parents worshipped at the Vadakunnathan temple before they finally bore him as their son. 

The last on our long pilgrimage is Shankhu Chakra. The conch and discus are the symbols of Lord Vishnu. We bow before the Shankhu and Chakra, and exit through the west gate, content after a long and fulfilling devalaya darshanam! I hope you enjoyed this trip. Next Friday, we will visit a different devalayam. Till then, stay safe, and stay devout!  

Vadakunnathan Shiva temple, Thrissur - part one

Lord Shiva is the gentle yet all-powerful Lord. He is a simple God, with no desire for any luxury. He will gladly lie down to sleep on a thin tiger skin in the biting cold of the Himalayas. He doesn’t bother taming his matted locks of hair, indicating his rejection of an organized society. Ask Him what you want, and He will immediately give it to you.

I am lucky to visit the Lord Vadakunnathan at Thrissur during Shivarathri festivities. The ancient temple, which lies at the centre of the city, has been declared a protected monument by the Government. The temple premises cover about nine acres, according to veteran worshippers. It is one of the venues of the famous Pooram festival held in Thrissur annually. 

Since the temple is so huge, I will be posting it in two parts. Part one will cover the worship in the inside of the temple, and in part two, I will take you on a tour of the outside. The Vadakunnathan temple houses several Gods, Goddesses and sages, and it will take an average of an hour to complete a trip of the temple. 

Entry is only for Hindus, and there is a dress code in place. Women should wear either sari or salwar kameez, and younger children can wear skirts. Men should be bare-chested, and wear either formal trousers or mundu (dhoti). Lungis and jeans are strictly prohibited. 

We arrive at the temple at nine in the morning. Devotees should enter from the west entrance. Everybody must follow an elaborate and systematic worship route at the temple. A huge sign board in English and Malayalam has been placed near the entrance that details the route. I will create a separate post with the list for your convenience.  

As soon as we enter the main gate, the koothambalam or traditional theatre is straight ahead. The board that details the worship system is kept here. We enter the main temple and first pay our respects to Nandi, the Lord’s vehicle. As we proceed, there are two huge murals on the wall right outside the inner compound. On one side of the wall is the image of Vasuki, and on the adjacent wall is Nataraja. These murals are in typical Kerala style. Sadly, the wall is in bad shape, and the paintings are deteriorating.

We walk straight in to the sannidhanam of Lord Vadakunnathan. There is a namaskara mantapam right before the sanctum sanctorum. The Lord is worshipped here in a shivalinga.

Lord Vadakunnathan has a special feature. He is covered in ghee (clarified butter) from the abhishekams that have been performed. This ghee has solidified over the several hundred years and does not melt. The sanctum is well lit with oil lamps. Despite this close proximity to fire, the ghee has not melted. It remains solid. So much so, the linga is not visible anymore! The ghee linga is covered with crescent moons made of gold that are placed in a vertical line. The mounds of ghee are visible behind the crescents.

We stand admiring the Lord who appears to be seated in meditation. I have mentioned in my post on Paramekkavu Amma, Lord Vadakunnathan is revered as an old gentleman. I imagine the Lord as an old grandpa, with flowing white hair and beard (thanks to the ghee!), sitting cross legged on the floor, with his eyes closed, deep in meditation. This is not to say that the Lord does not hear our prayers! He is wise and all knowing.

Temple plan 

Image courtesy - Arjuncm3 via Wikimedia Commons

The worship protocol is as follows. We first bow before Vadakunnathan, and then proceed to worship Parvati Devi who is behind him. Devi and Vadakunnathan are placed back-to-back, facing opposite directions. We then turn to Lord Ganesha, who is a few feet away, facing the same direction as Parvati Devi. We move a little ahead and bow before Shankaranarayanan. We move ahead and bow before Sri Raman.

We retrace our steps now, and bow before Shankaranarayanan again. Next, we bow before Ganesha. Coming back, we pay our respects to Parvati Devi, and prostrate ourselves before Vadakunnathan again. 

Continuing the cycle, we bow before Ganesha, and then continue to Shankaranarayanan, and Sriraman. Then we come to Shankaranarayanan again, then back to Sriraman, and Shankaranarayanan. We come to Ganesha again, then Parvati Devi, and conclude the cycle by paying our respects to Lord Vadakunnathan. This concludes the worship at the inner temple. 

Tomorrow in part two, I will take you around the outer precincts of Vadakunnathan temple. Stay glued to your screens!  

Part 2 

Madanantheshwara Siddhi Vinayaka temple, Madhur

This week we will go to Kasargod, Kerala, which houses some of the most ancient and powerful temples in the state. Kasargod lies on the border of Kerala and Karnataka.

Today I will take you to Madhur Siddhi Vinayaka temple. Lord Ganesha is the son of Shiva and Parvathi. He has the face of an elephant and the body of a man. Known for his trademark pot belly, devotees revere him as the remover of obstacles, and giver of boons. He should be the first to be revered before starting any venture. 

Siddhi Vinayaka is the Lord who fulfils our wishes. The Vinayaka temple at Madhur is called Madhanantheshwara temple. The entry to the temple is from a back gate, so we take a half pradakshinam before we enter the main sanctum. There is a lovely little tank right in front of the sannidhanam. See for yourself! 

We have come late afternoon, when the temple is closed. We are allowed inside, so we take a leisurely walk around the inner precincts with nobody else in the temple! The doors of the deities are closed, so we take our time admiring the architecture of the old temple. The temple is built in the style of an elephant’s body. The main sanctum has a three-tiered roof, with intricate wooden carvings adorning it.  

It is said that Tipu Sultan invaded Kasargod, and came to the temple with every intention of destroying it. Mercifully, he changed his mind. It is said that he drank water from the temple pond, and decided against attacking it. Tipu spared the temple to the good fortune of the future generations of worshippers. However, his ego did not permit him to leave the temple unscathed. He struck a mild blow to the metal covering of the roof of a small enclosure. This mark exists even today, and a board indicates this. The temple staff excitedly point it out to us.

Soon the main priest arrives and opens the sanctum sanctorum. The priest goes about lighting several oil lamps inside and we finally get a clear view of the Lord. Lord Vinayaka is a stone murthi, and is decorated with flowers. Legend says that the image was drawn on the wall of the sanctum, which eventually took the shape of Lord Ganesha. Many years ago, the temple was dedicated to Lord Shiva, who was known as Madhanantheshwara. The then priest’s son drew the image on the wall. Over time, this image began to grow, and the Lord started being venerated.

The main sanctum with a three-tiered roof

We stand in peace, offering our prayers to the Lord. There is a namaskara mandapam in front of the Lord’s sanctum. This is also decorated with lovely wooden carvings that are centuries old. 

After having our fill, we move ahead to pay our respects to Lord Kashi Vishwanathan. We circumambulate the shrine and move on to Dharmashastha, a form of Ayyappa. We continue on the path to pay our respects to Goddess Durga Parameshwari. Further down the circumambulatory path is Subramanya Swami. Towards the end of the path is the roof with Tipu’s sword mark.

The entire circumambulatory path has a covered compound wall, with a raised platform where devotees can sit and do their prayers. A small group of ladies sit down here and proceed to sing bhajans. There are lovely pictures of several deities on the wall. 

As we complete our darshan and make our way out, one of the ladies from the staff gives us a packet of prasadam. We thank her for the sweet avil (flattened puffed rice), which is delicious, and make our way out. We exit the inner sanctum and cross the Madhuvahini, a stream that flows beside the temple on our way out as it starts drizzling.

I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Madhur. May Siddhi Vinayaka grant you your wishes! Till we go to the next devalayam, stay safe, and stay devout!

PS - The temple authorities are planning a renovation of the temple. Plans are on to add new facilities (a dining hall, Veda school, guest house, marriage hall etc.) to the temple, apart from renovating the structure. Those who wish to contribute towards the cause can get more details at their website. 

Lalithambika temple, Thirumeeyachur

Goddess Lalithambika is known as the Supreme Mother of the entire universe. The Lalitha Sahasranamam has some interesting features. (Sahasranamam, literally meaning a thousand names, are hymns that extol the virtues of a God or Goddess.) According to knowledgeable people, it is the only Sahasranamam where not a single name of the deity is repeated. It is also a grammatically perfect meter. It does not include words like ‘cha’, ‘tu’, ‘api’ etc.; words which act as fillers to complete the meter (a common feature in other Sahasranamas). This feature of the Lalitha Sahasranamam sets it apart from the others.  

I have the good fortune of visiting the benevolent Mother who presides at Thirumeeyachur, Tamil Nadu. The famed Lalithambika temple has several interesting legends associated with it. Located in Thiruvarur district, this temple is believed to be the place where the Lalitha Sahasranamam was composed.

As we enter the main gates, Goddess Lalitha sits to the right in a shrine. Resplendent in a green sari, the Goddess sits with her right leg folded on her lap, and her left leg resting on the ground. One of the ladies in our group, Deepa aunty tells us that her left toe rests on a Sri Chakram. She says Devi is seated on a swing! Lord Shiva as Meghanadaswamy is also present in the sannidhi, but is not visible to us. A pair of thick silver anklets adorns Devi’s feet.

Aunty tells us about how the practise of offering anklets to the Goddess came about. A devout lady kept getting recurrent dreams about Lalitha Devi, who kept asking her to make a pair of anklets and offer it to Devi. The lady was confused, as she was not even aware of the existence of such a temple. Eventually, she made anklets in silver, located the temple and reached there with the anklets. Now the temple authorities were stumped. The Goddess is a murthi made of stone, and obviously no provisions had been made to accommodate anklets, which go around the ankles. To everybody’s surprise, upon close inspection, they found a small parting in the space between Devi’s feet and the stone seat through which they slipped the anklets on! Since then, it is common to offer anklets to Devi here. 

Unmarried women offer Devi bangle garlands for a happy married life. This explains the stocks of bangle garlands with vendors at the temple gates. We enter the main temple of Lord Shiva who is worshipped here as Meghanadaswamy. A stone Nandi guards the Lord’s sannidhi. After paying our respects to Lord Meghanada, we eagerly learn some more interesting legends about this temple. 

It is believed that Kadru and Vinutha, the wives of Kashyapa prayed here to absolve themselves of sins. They both were then blessed with two sons, Aruna (Surya’s charioteer) and Garuda the eagle (Lord Vishnu’s vehicle). 

Lord Surya was once cursed for violating Aruna; lost his brilliance and turned dark. Despite performing severe penance, the curse was not lifted. In despair, he is said to have shouted out to Lord Shiva to forgive him. This annoyed Devi who was in the Lord’s company. The Lord pacified her and stopped her from cursing Surya. He explained to her that the Sun God was calling out of desperation. This scene is immortalised in stone in the Thirumeeyachur temple walls. Lord Shiva is trying to mollify the upset Devi with one hand on her chin and the other over her shoulders. Interestingly, Lord Shiva is dressed in a soman (veshti) and Lalitha Devi is dressed in a madisar (nine yard) sari, typical of a Brahmin couple. 

The temple also has the presence of Goddess Durga. She holds a parrot in her hands. The devout believe that this parrot will communicate prayers to Lalitha Devi. 

Deepa aunty tells us how Kumbakonam and surrounding areas were hit by a draught. After the Lalithambika temple was consecrated, the district started to slowly prosper. Today, it is a lush green rice belt, and is said to supply rice to majority of Tamil Nadu.

The grace and blessings of the Lord will lead the way to prosperity! Readers, I hope you have enjoyed the visit to Lalitha Devi’s temple on a Friday. I will be back next week to take you to a different devalayam. Till then, take care, and stay devout!