The visit
to this Bhagavathy Temple at Chottanikkara was a part of the Malai Nadu Divya Desams visit from 10th to 14th June 2025, organized by Mantra Yatra (website). Thanks to Mr. Balaji Davey and
his team of Mantra Yatra for the excellent arrangement and personal care.
The temple is situated in a hilly region surrounded on all sides by undulating beauty, rich in its green turf and golden farms, and it offers deep spiritual solace to all devotees. The presiding
deity is Rajarajeswari, who is believed to be free from mental illness.
The presiding Deity:
Sree Bhagavati Amman/ Sree Rajarajeswari
Some of the salient
features of this temple are….
The temple faces east
with dwajasthambam and balipeedam.
Dwarapalakas are at
the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum. In the sanctum sanctorum, Sree Bhagavathi Amman
is about 7 feet tall with 4 hands. The upper hands hold shankha and chakra, and the lower hands are in abhaya varada hastam.
The idol of Mahavishnu made
out of Saligrama is on the same pedestal along with Bhagavathi Amman, and so the
Deity is called Ammenarayana, Devinarayana, Lakshminarayana, and Bhadrenarayana
also. Along with Lakshmi & Narayana, there are idols of Brahma, Siva,
Ganapati (Ganesh), Subramanya, and Sastha on the same pedestal.
In the Thiruchuttambalam/outer praharam Kizhukkavu Bhagavathy temple, Sastha, Siva, Ganapati, Nagas, Kshetrapalakas, and other Upa-Devas.
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Keelakarai Bhagavathy/
Keezhkkavu Bhagavathi Amman temple is about 200 meters from the main temple.
Ayyappan temple on the way to the Keelakarai Bhagavathy Amman Temple.
Ayyappan temple
ARCHITECTURE
The temple consists
of the sanctum sanctorum, ardha mandapam, Namaskara mandapam, Nalammbalam, and thiruchuttambalam. Sanctum sanctorum is square in plan on a pada bandha
adhistanam. The temple was constructed with stone from adhistanam to
prastaram. A two-tier nagara/ pyramidal Kerala-style vimanam is on the sanctum
sanctorum. The namaskara mandapam is
with an elevated level platform and a pyramidal vimanam.
HISTORY AND
INSCRIPTIONS
It is believed the
original temple belongs to the 10th century CE, constructed during the Chera
period. Since the temple was built with wood, the temple underwent many
renovations. The temple received contributions from, Cheras, Pandyas, Venadu,
Travancore Kings, etc.
KIZHUKKAVU TEMPLE
On the eastern side
of the temple pond stands the Kizhukkavu temple. The temple faces west (faces
Chottanikara Bhagavathi temple). It is
believed that the presiding deity was installed by Vilwamangalam Swamiyar.
After the Athazha pooja (main pooja in the evening), the chief priest of the
principal deity comes to Kizhukkavu to perform the famous and great pooja
"ValiyaGuruthy" (great Sacrifice). The Guruthy is prepared in 12
cauldrons (huge vessels) and is performed at about 8.45 p.m. every night. Those
who witness the Guruthy performance, which itself is an awe-inspiring and
prolonged ceremony, find it an indescribable experience. Being
present here during Valiya guruthy on Fridays permanently cures women suffering
from mental abnormalities like schizophrenia. An ancient 'Pala' tree standing
on the northeastern side of the sanctum sanctorum is covered with long iron
nails hammered on by haunted victims with their foreheads.
LEGENDS
The Bhagavathi Amman
is of swayambhu in laterite called Rudraksha Sila. The golden utsava idol is
decorated with flowers, garlands, and jewels, and a sacred bath will be done. This is
one of the most celebrated Hindu Amman Shrines of Kerala.
As per another
legend, A tribesman by the name of Kannappan used to offer a buffalo every Friday to
Kali. On one Friday, he could get only a calf. When the same was about to be sacrificed, his daughter Pavizham requested not to kill. Since he loved his
daughter, he set the calf free. After some days, his daughter died, maybe due to a snake bite, and the body also disappeared. The temple’s priest said that his
daughter had died, since he had killed many calves, leaving sorrow to the buffalo.
Now it is the same karma that repeats itself. The calf was Maha Vishnu and Maha
Lakshmi. The priest advised Kannappan to pray to the balipeeda to get rid of his sins.
Chottanikkara
Bhagavathi was worshipped by Adi Shankaracharya, Vilwamangalam Swamiyar,
Kakkasseri Bhattathiri, and Chemmangattu Bhattathiri.
Realizing that there
was no temple for Goddess Lakshmi in Kerala, Adi Shankara is said to have once
meditated on the Devi at the Kodachadri Hills in present-day Karnataka.
Pleased with his devotion, the Goddess agreed to follow him wherever he went on
foot, but on the condition that he should never look back even once, to check
her presence. But on their journey towards Kerala, the saint was forced to look
back to check on her at a point, and the Goddess stayed put there!. That
place was the holy Mookambika in the state.
Though shocked by the
unexpected turn of events, Adi Shankara sought her pardon with sincere prayers,
and the compassionate Goddess agreed to continue with him and finally took her
abode at Chottanikkara as Goddess Bhagavathy, as per Adi Shankara’s wish.
Hence, it is believed
that the Goddess would be present for the devotees at the Chottanikkara Temple
during the morning hours and would return to Mookambika in the afternoon. Hence, it is a practice to open the Chottanikkara temple doors first, early in the
morning, and then only open the sanctum at Mookambika.
POOJAS AND
CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular
poojas, special poojas, Kuruthi Pujas (to chase out the evil spirits) are done
daily, Navaratri, Masi Maham, Chitrai Vishu, a 7-day annual festival in Kumbham,
Vrishchikam Mandala mahotsavam, Thiruvonam, etc.
Bhagavathy is
decorated as Saraswati in the morning, with white vasthra, in the evening as Maha
Lakshmi in a red dress, and in the night as Durga, in a blue dress. She blesses as
Bhadrakali during the afternoon and night.
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Thulabaram
TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be
kept open from 03.30 hrs to 12.00 hrs and from 16.00 hrs to 20.45 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS
Pooja Booking contact
+91 484 2711032, and +919188958013. For accommodation
booking, please call +91484 2712350.
Temple website: https://chottanikkarabhagavathy.org/
E-mail: chottanikkaratemple@gmail.com
The landline numbers 0484
– 2711032 and 2713300 may be contacted for further details.
HOW TO REACH
The temple is about 2.4
km from Chottanikkara Road Railway Station, 16 km from Thrikkakkara Maha Vishnu
Temple, 17 km from Kochi, 18 km from Ernakulam, and Thirumoozhukulam Maha
Vishnu Temple.
The nearest Railway
Station is Chottanikkara Road.
LOCATION OF THE
TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA
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