Koodalmanikyam Temple/ Sree Koodalmanikyam Temple/ ശ്രീ കൂടൽമാണിക്യം ക്ഷേത്രം, Irinjalakuda, Trissur District, Kerala.

The visit to this Sree Koodalmanikyam Temple at Irinjalakuda was a part of the Malai Nadu Divya Desams visit from 10^th to 14^th 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.

This Sree Koodalmanikyam Temple, at Irinjalakuda, is the third temple of “Nalammbalam”, temples of Kerala to be visited, in a day. This temple is associated with the Epic Ramayan and is believed to have been built by Sree Bharata.

Moolavar: Sree Koodalmanikyam

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple faces east with a mandapam. The temple tank is on the right side of the temple. Garudasthambam and balipeedam (The balipeeda is about 6 feet tall, installed open to the sky, not under a mandapa) are in front of the nalambalam. Dwarapalakas are on both sides of the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum. The moolavar is about 6 feet tall and faces east, in a standing posture. The Sree Koodalmanikyam is Chaturbahuja Vishnu, who holds Shankha, Chakra, Gada, and Japamala. A Namaskara mandapam is in front of the Sree Kovil.

The Kshetrapalaka image is placed on a pedestal after the entrance mandapam.

Kshetrapalaka

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of Sree Kovil, Namaskara Mandapam, pradakshinapatha, nalambalam with entrances on 4 sides, and thiruchuttambalam. The nalambalam entrance mandapa, after the balipeedam, has beautiful pillars. The Sree Kovil is circular in plan. A dwitala / two tala Kerala-style conical vimana is on the Sree Kovil. Mural paintings are around the temple wall.

A namaskara mandapa is in front of the Sree Kovil. No sub-shrines are found in this temple.

The east side entrance mandapam passage walls are adorned with beautiful paintings of Maha Vishnu’s various avatars and forms. In addition to the paintings, a bas relief of Bharatha worshipping the paduka of Rama on the north side and on the south side wall, the bas relief of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and Anjaneya.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The earliest historical reference to Koodalmanikyam Temple is found in a stone inscription attributed to the Chera king Stanu Ravi Varman, dated 854 CE, donating vast extents of land for the Temple. It is, therefore, reasonable to assume that the temple must have been in existence for quite some time before this date and that even then, Koodalmanickyam was occupying a place of importance among the temples of Kerala. Another Cheraman Perumal Bhaskara Ravi Varma has donated vast lands at Potta near Chalakudy to the Temple.

Koodalmanikkam temple plays a key role in the history of Irinjalakuda, as most land in and around the region belonged to the Koodalmanikkam Temple and the Thachudaya Kaimals of Travancore until 1971.

The temple was in the domain of the erstwhile Maharaja of Cochin, but the administration was under a person designated as Thachudaya Kaimal, appointed by the Maharaja of Travancore. In 1971, the Government of Kerala, through a special order, took over the administration of the Temple. A Committee appointed from time to time by the Government of Kerala, is now manages the temple. The Chairman of the Committee is the District Collector, Thrissur. The Chief Executive of the Devaswom is the Administrator, not below the rank of a Deputy Collector, deputed by the Government as the Secretary of the Committee.

Ref:

The temple’s website https://www.koodalmanikyam.com/temple.html

This temple is being maintained by a private Devaswom.

LEGENDS

Koodalmanikyam is the Malayalam translation of the Sanskrit word Sangameswara. There is, however, another local story about the name. One day, the idol was found to give out an uncommon brightness from its forehead. Being unable to identify the source of the brightness, some brought a Quartz (Manikyam) in the possession of the Raja of Kayamkulam for comparison. As they were comparing the brightness of the two, it is said that the stone brought from Kayamkulam mysteriously slipped from the hand and merged with the idol. The merging of the two manikyams led to the name 'Koodalmanikyam'. Similar brightness is reported to have appeared on the idol once again, much later in 1907.

As per another legend, a local Chieftain, Vakkay Kaimal, had a dream one night in which a mysterious person appeared before him and told him that four idols had washed ashore and that these idols were to be consecrated at such and such places. The Kaimal, being an ardent devotee, hastened to the seashore where lay four idols as indicated in the dream. They were duly installed in four temples as directed in the dream. Rama at Thriprayar, Bharata at Irinjalakuda, Lakshmana at Moozhikulam, and Satrugna at Payammal. It is believed that worship at all four temples on the same day is especially meritorious. In the Malayalam month of Karkidakam (July 15th to August 15th) – the Ramayana Masa, thousands of devotees do this special pilgrimage, which is popularly known as Nalambalam Thozhal – a pilgrimage to the four temples.

There are around five sets of four temples, also known as “Nalambalams,” in Kerala, the most famous among them being the four temples located in Thrissur and Ernakulam of Kerala. These four temples are connected with the Epic Ramayan, where Rama and his brothers are believed to have built one temple each, and the Presiding Deities are also named after them. It is customary to visit the four temples in the order of Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana, and Shatrughna, respectively. A pilgrimage to these temples on a single day during the holy month of Karkkidakam is believed to shower blessings and ensure prosperity.

1. Sree Rama Temple at Thriprayar by Sri Rama,

2. Sree Lakshmana Perumal Temple at Thirumoozhikkulam, by Sree Lakshmana

3. Sree Koodalmanikyam Temple, at Irinjalakuda by Sree Bharata  

4. Sree Shathrugna Swamy Temple at Payammal by Sree Shathrugna

Four ponds are located in and around the temple. The largest of the four is Kuttan Kulam, located outside the compound on the eastern side, and Kulipini Theertham, located inside the compound. Kulipini Theertham is believed to have been sanctified by the sage Kulipini Maharishi, who held a great ritual sacrifice, a yajna, at the spot. Water from this source is used for rituals and ceremonies within the temple.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Thiruvonam, Vishu, Ekadasi, etc. Important worships / Vazhipatus are... Thamaramala, Brinjal Nivedyam, Vedi, Ghee lamp, and Meeunttu. The temple holds its chief annual festival for ten days each year in the month of April/May.

In Koodalmanikkam, there are only three poojas and no Siveli. There is no Usha Puja and Pantheeradi Puja at this shrine. The deity is taken out for ceremonial procession only during the annual festival. There is no deepa aradhana. This is the only temple without Deeparadhana.

Thulabaram

 Offerings

A mouse too... 

 A family

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 04.00 hrs to 11.30 hrs and from 17.00 hrs to 20.20 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The office mobile number is +91 9961744111, and the Manager +919961744222 may be contacted for further details.

Temple's website

https://www.koodalmanikyam.com/

https://www.koodalmanikyam.com/temple.html

HOW TO REACH

The Sree Koodalmanikyam temple at Irinjalakuda is about 6 km from Payammal Maha Vishnu Temple, 9 km from Irinjalakuda Railway Station, 18 km from Kodungallur Bhagavathy temple, 16 km from Triprayar Ramaswami Temple, and 28 km from Thrissur.

The nearest Railway Station is Irinjalakuda Railway Station.  

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

PC - website

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---