The visit
to this Thiruvallam Sree Parasurama Temple, Varkala, 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.
This is the only
temple dedicated to Parasurama, in Kerala, on the banks of the River Karamana. This
temple celebrates the unity of both Saivism and Vaishnavism, with the presence
of a Shiva temple in a Maha Vishnu Temple, and also this is a Three Murti Temple
(Shiva + Vishnu + Brahma).
Moolavar : Sree Parasuramar
Some of the salient
features of this temple are….
The temple faces
north with a small temple tank on the right side of the entrance. Dwajasthambam,
balipeedam. The temple tank is on the right side of the temple entrance. Parasuramar,
Brahma, and Shiva’s sannidhis are constructed in a row. Both Parasuramar and
Brahma's sannidhis face north, and Shiva’s sannidhi faces east. In
Parasuramar's sannidhi, Parasuramar is in a standing posture with an axe.
Inside the nalambalam are Parasuramar, Brahma, Subramanya, Mastya Murthi, and Veda Vyasa. Outside the Nalambalam, ie, Thiruchuttambalam on the eastern side, are located the shrines of Lord
Krishna, Mahaganapathi, and Lord Sastha.
Shiva’s sannidhi
faces east with a Namaskara mandapam, Dwajasthamabam, balipeedam, and Rishabam
under a mandapa.
ARCHITECTURE
Parasurama Temple…
The Parasuramar temple is Circular in plan. Parasuramar temple is built in the vesara style with a Dravida dwi-tala vimanam. The temple was built with stone
from adhistanam to prastaram. The temple faces north and stands on an older
adhistana. The adhistanam consists of jagathy, threpatta, kumuda, and pattikai.
The bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are of the Brahmakantha pilasters with
kalasam, kudam, and lotus petals mandi. The prastaram consists of valapi, kapotam
with nasikudus, and vyyalavari. The friezes /Images of elephant, yazhi, and Lion
are in the vyyalavari. The one tala vesara vimana with tala, greevam, and vesara
sigaram.
The stucco images of
Brahma, Indra, Dakshinamurthy, and Narasimha are seen respectively in the
north, east, south, and west directions. This arrangement is common in Kerala
temple architecture. The circular griva rests on the circular sikhara, a domical
appearance with nasikas on four sides. The vimanam is called Sathuranga Kola
Vimana style.
The interior of the
shrine is divided into two circular garbha grahas with the standing image of Parasurama
and a narrow mukha mandapa that projects out of the sanctum. The Shrine is a
nirandhara type without a pradakshinapatha (without santharam). The temple has
a namaskara mandapa with a pyramidal roof. The vimanam above the prastaram is
of dravida style, a vesara vimanam with greevam and sigaram.
PC - website
Brahma Temple…
To the east of the Parasurama shrine stands the shrine for Brahma, with an eka-tala
Dravida vimana, which is square from the adhistana to the sikhara. Brahma is with four
heads, seated on padmasana, kamandalu, and a lotus flower are in two of the four
hands, the other two hands being in the yoga mudra.
PC - website
PC - website
Shiva Temple…
Next to the Brahma shrine is a circular shrine built in typical Dravida & Kerala
style, dedicated to Lord Shiva. It faces east and carries a conical tiled roof
along the pradakshinapatha all around; there are eight stone columns, with a wooden base. Both the inner and outer walls are made of granite. In front of
the Siva shrine is the square elevated namaskara mandapa.
PC - website
To the north of the
Rishaba mandapam of Shiva’s shrine are the shrines dedicated to Matsyarmurti,
Vedavyasa, and Subramanian. It is also an example of the eka tala Dravida variety
with square griva and sikhara. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha
adhistanam with jagathy, muppattai kumudam, and pattikai. The bhitti starts with
vedikai. The vimana is of Dravida style eka tala vimana with greevam and
sigaram.
There are two
dwajasthambas, one for Shiva and the other for the Parasurama Temple. The temples
of Parasurama, Brahma, and Matsya are rarely seen in South India.
HISTORY AND
INSCRIPTIONS
From epigraphical and
architectural evidence, it can be said that the whole temple complex was
constructed between the 13th and 17th centuries CE. The script
of the inscription is vatteluthu, and the language is Tamil. These inscriptions
appear mostly from the Brahma shrine, and the earliest of them belongs to the
reign of the Vira Kerala Varman, the ruler of Venadu.
The earliest inscription
in the temple, dated Kollam era 399 (1221 CE), is located on the western base of the
Brahma shrine. It refers to some offerings for Mahadeva and Ganapati.
An unfinished
inscription is engraved on the west of the mandapa in front of the Brahma shrine, dated to Kollam era 411, which corresponds to 1235 CE. This also mentions some
gifts made to the temple.
Moreover, this temple
preserves valuable epigraphical records of the medieval period. This is a centrally
protected monument under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India since
1962.
Ref:
Archaeological Survey
of India (ASI) Display board.
LEGENDS
As per the
instructions of his father and sage Jamadagni, Parasurama, the sixth avatar of Maha
Vishnu, killed his mother Renuka Devi. To get rid of the Brahmahatya dosha,
Parasurama did a penance on Shiva. As advised by Shiva, Parasurama came to this
place, took a bath in the Karamana River, installed a Shiva Linga, and worshipped.
He also did the rituals/ balitharpan for his mother. Matanga and Gautama Maharishis
are also worshipped as Shiva of this temple.
It is further believed
that Maha Vishnu was installed in the form of Vedavyasa by Vibhakarana Parasurama, and Brahma was installed by Adi Sankara.
POOJAS AND
CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular
poojas, special poojas are conducted on New moon days in the Thai and Aadi
months, Parasurama Jayanthi, a 20-day Thiruvonam Arattu (October-November)
festival, Karkadaka Vavu Bali (blitharpam for the ancestors), etc.
TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be
kept open from 05.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and from 17.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS
The mobile number
+919447990888 and landline number +914712380706 may be contacted for further
details.
HOW TO REACH
This Sri Parasurama
Temple is 6 km from Thiruvananthapuram, 5 km from Sreevaraham Temple, and 5.7 km
from Attukal Bhagavathy Temple.
The nearest Railway
station is Thiruvananthapuram.
LOCATION OF THE
TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
An arch on the roadside with a stucco image of Parasuramar
---
OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
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