The visit
to this Sree Bhagavathy Amman Temple at Kodungallur 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.
Even though this temple is called
Bhagavathy Temple, it is believed that the original temple was dedicated to
Shiva.
The Presiding Deity:
Sree Bhagavathi
Some of the salient features
of this temple are….
The temple faces east
with Dwajasthambam, balipeedam (opposite Shiva’s sannidhi), and Thulabaram in front of the temple.
Bhagavathy Shrine…
The Dwarapalakis are
on both sides of the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum of Bhagavathy Amman, which
faces north. The goddess is also known by the name "Sree
Kurumba" (The Mother of Kodungallur). This temple is the head of the 64
Bhadrakali temples of Kerala. Bhagavathy is with 8 hands, a Sword, a Pot
(vattaka), a tri-spear (Trishul), a khatvanga (a weapon with a skull embedded),
the head of the demon Darika, a Snake, a bell, and another weapon called kheta. The
idol of Her Holiness Bhagawati is about seven feet high and is made from
seasoned Jackfruit timber. The structure of the idol is adequately protected by
yearly “Chandattam” – or bathing with adhesive made of various ingredients.
In the inner praharam
Saptamatrikas, namely Brahmi (the power of Lord Brahma), Maheswari, Vaishnavi,
Vaaraahi, and Narasimhi (the powers of Lord Vishnu, including his incarnations of
Varaham and Narasimham), Koumari (the power of Lord Subrahmanya), Indrani (the
power of Lord Indra), and Chamunda (the power of Durga herself), Shiva,
Vinayagar, and Dakshinamurthy.
In the Thiruchuttambalam
/outer praharam, Kshetrapala is in a separate temple facing north. Dwarapalakas
are on both sides of the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum.
Kshetrapala Sannidhi
On the north side of
Thiruchuttambalam, a small stone temple called 'the Samadhi of Vysoori',
perhaps a medieval shrine for a deity of smallpox, chicken pox, mumps, and other
contagious diseases. Devotees make offerings of turmeric powder, sprinkled and
rubbed on its walls.
"The Samadhi of Vysoori"
"The Samadhi of Vysoori"
ARCHITECTURE
The temple premises
consist of a Shiva Temple and a Bhagavathy Amman Temple. Both temples are
square in plan, and the vimanas are dwitala Kerala-style vimanas. Both shrines
are with Sree kovil, namaskara mandapa, and a common nalambalam.
HISTORY AND
INSCRIPTIONS
It is said that the
temple was constructed by Cheraman Perumal. The first Shakteya Pooja in
Kodungallur temple was performed by a Thiyyar from Malabar. Even to the present day,
the Thiyya Thandans (An administrative position) of 64 tharas meet at
Nilapaduthara at Kodungaloor in the presence of Kodungallur Raja. The Kodungaloor Meena Bharani is conducted under these Thiyya Thandans. No proof is
found to prove this temple’s antiquity.
Cocks are offered to
the temple as a part of prayer and the Cocks images are found on the entrance
pillars.
LEGENDS
The people of
Kodungallur believe that this temple was, in the olden days, a Shiva shrine, and
it was Parasurama who installed the murti of Bhadrakali close to one of Shiva's.
The pujas are conducted; it is said, under direct instructions from the goddess
herself. Five 'Sri Chakras', said to have been installed by Adi Shankaracharya,
are believed to be the main source of the powers of this deity (to calm the
ferociousness). The priests are Namboodiris and Adikas (Madhu Brahmins) who have
the right to perform 'Pushpanjalis' to the Goddess.
Legend says it is in
this temple that “Kannaki Amman,” the heroine of “Silappathikaram”, a Tamil literature
written by Ilangovadigal, attained salvation. She came to Kodungallur, prayed
to the Bhagavathy, and merged with Bhagavathy Amman.
In Tantric terms, the
divinity is installed in what is called the "Rurujit Vidhaana"
pattern, a form of installation with Shiva at one end, and Ganesha at the other,
with the Sapta Matrika goddesses in between.
POOJAS AND
CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular
poojas, special poojas are conducted on the 7-day Bharani Festival, Thalappoli
festival, Navaratri festival, and Chanttatam.
TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be
kept open from 04.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and from 16.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS
Landline and mobile
numbers +91480-2-803061 and +91 9188958032 may be contacted for further
details.
Email: sreekurumba2021@gmail.com
The temple’s website:
HOW TO REACH
This temple at
Kodungallur is on the Kodungallur to Trissur Road. 2.3 km from Thiruvanjikulam
Sree Mahadeva Temple, 15.8 km from Payammal Sathrukana Swamy Temple, and 22 km
from Sree Koodalaimanikyam Temple, Inrinjalakuda.
The nearest Railway
Station is Irinjalakuda.
LOCATION OF THE
TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA
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