Vadakkunathan temple is one of the oldest temples of the Southern India and is the largest temple of the Kerala which is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Main Deity : Shiva
History
The temple was built at the time of Perumthachan from Parayi petta panthirukulam during the second century; so the Koothambalam may be more than 1,600 years old. The temple was a pre-Dravidian Kavu (shrine). Previously, Paramekkavu Bhagavathi was inside the temple but was moved to a new location.
This temple escaped Tipu Sultan's destruction
Legend
Brahmanda Purana
Temple founded by Parashurama.
Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara is believed to have been born (788 AD) to Shivaguru and Aryamba of Kalady consequent to their prayers to lord Vadakkumnathan, as amsavatara of Shiva. The couple devoutly prayed for 41 days at the temple. Legend has it that Shiva appeared to the couple in their dreams and offered them a choice. They could have either a mediocre son who would live a long life or an extraordinary son who would die early. Both Shivaguru and Aryamba chose the latter. In honour of Shiva, they named their son Shankara. According to legend, Adi Shankara attained videha mukti ("freedom from embodiment") at the Vadakkunnathan temple. One narrative as expounded by the Keraliya Shankaravijaya, identifies the temple as his place of death. He also established four Mutts at Thrissur, famously known as Edayil Madhom, Naduvil Madhom, Thekke Madhom and Vadakke Madhom
Parashurama
Vadakkumnathan Temple was are briefly mentioned in the Brahmanda Purana. There is an indication that the Pasashurama founded the temple. Though these accounts differ with respect to certain details, they are all in agreement regarding the central theme that the temple was founded by Parashurama. According to lore, Parashurama exterminated Kshatriyas in twenty-one cycles. In order to cleanse himself of the negative karma of these deeds he performed a yajna at the end of which he gave away all the land to Brahmins as dakshina. He wanted to retire to a new land to perform meditative penance (tapasya) and thus requested the Lord of the oceans Varuna to bring forth a new piece of land from the waters.
| The famous Sri Mula Sthana where, for some time, the linga of remained. Later, the ruler of Kochi Kingdom decided to shift the linga to a more convenient place and enclose it in a good temple. |  |
According to another version, some sages approached him at the end of the yajna and requested him to give them some secluded land. Parashurama then requested Varuna on their behalf. Varuna gave him a winnow (surpa) and asked him to hurl it into the sea; as he did so, a large area of land was brought from the sea; this region of land that arose from the sea become Kerala. It was then known by the name "Surparaka", from the word, "Surpa" meaning winnow.
According to some other accounts, Varuna asked Parashurama to hurl his axe into the sea. Parashurama now wanted to consecrate this new land. So he went to Mount Kailasa to his guru, Lord Shiva and requested him to take abode in Kerala and thereby bless the region. Shri Shiva accompanied by his wife Parvati, his sons Ganesha and Subrahmanya and his parashadas went along with Parashurama, to oblige his disciple. Shiva stopped at a spot, which is now Thrissur, for his seat. Later he and his party disappeared and Parashurama saw a bright and radiant Shiva lingam (non-anthropomorphic icon of Shiva) at the foot of a huge banyan tree. This place where Shiva manifested his presence as a lingam is known in Sanskrit as the Sri Moola Sthana.
For sometime, the lingam remained at Sri Moola Sthana at the foot of a huge banyan tree. The ruler of Cochin Kingdom then decided to shift the lingam to a more appropriate place and construct a temple around it. Arrangements were soon made for the new installation. But there was an initial difficulty. The lingam could not be removed without cutting off a large part of the banyan tree. This created the risk of damaging the lingam due to falling branches. As the ruler and the others remained confounded, the Yogatirippadu came forward with a solution. He lay over the lingam so as to cover it completely with his body and asked the men to cut the tree. The cutting began and to everyone's astonishment, not a single branch of the tree fell anywhere near the deity. The deity was moved according to prescribed rituals and installed in the new place where it remains to this day. Subsequently, a temple was built around the deity, according to the rules specified in the Shastras.
Architecture
The temple is situated on an elevated hillock in the centre of Thrissur City and is surrounded by a massive stone wall enclosing an area of nearly 9 acres (36,000 m2). Inside this fortification, there are four gopurams facing four cardinal directions. Between the inner temple and the outer walls, there is a spacious compound, the entrance to which is through gopurams. Of these, the gopurams on the south and north are not open to the public. The public enter either through the east or west gopuram. The inner temple is separated from the outer temple by a broad circular granite wall enclosing a broad corridor called Chuttambalam. Entrance into the inner temple is through a passage through the corridor.
Daily 4am to 10am and 5pm to 8:30pm
Monday Sree Narayana Guru Samadhi
Events and must do
Maha Shivaratri[edit]
Maha Shivaratri is the main festival which is celebrated in the temple.[19] Cultural and musical programmes are held in the temple premises. Around one lakh temple lamps (hundred thousand)are lighted in the festival. The idol of Vadakkumnatha is not taken out for procession. On this day, there will he continuous abhishekam with ghee and tender coconut. The temple is not closed in the night, and there will be special poojas with abhishekam on the day.
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Aanayoottu[edit]
The Aanayoottu of feeding of elephants, is the second biggest festival held in the temple. The devotees refer to elephants as Lord Ganesh's incarnation. The festival falls on the first day of the month of Karkkidakam (timed against the Malayalam calendar), which coincides with the month of July. It has been the regular annual practice at the temple for the last 20 years to conduct a large-scale Ashta Dravya Maha Ganapathy Havana and Aanayoottu on the first day of the Karkidakom month of the Malayalam calendar. It involves a number of unadorned elephants being positioned amid a multitude of people for being worshipped and fed. A large number of people throng the temple to feed the elephants. Gajapooja also is conducted once every four years.
Thrissur Pooram[edit]
Thrissur Pooram is called the mother of all Poorams in Kerala. In Malayalam it's called "poorangalude pooram". This is conducted in the Malayalam month of Medam. The deities from Parmekavu and Thiruvambady temple along with other small poorams come engage in festivities in front of Vadakkumanathan. It's a 36 long hour festival which attracts thousands of enthusiasts from all over the state as well as visitors from other regions and abroad. The main attractions of Pooram are Madathilavaravu panchavadhyam, Elanjithara melam, Kudamattam and Vedikettu. The festival is a visual feast for all those who enjoy it.
Best Time to Visit
Do's and Don'ts
Strict dress codes :
- Dhoti without top for men
- Married ladies with saree and blouse
- Unmarried ladies with Punjabi suit with Duppatta / Chudidhar with Duppata / Half Saree
Children below age of 1 not allowed with the temple premises.
Location Info
Address : Swaraj Round N, Kuruppam, Thekkinkadu Maidan, Thrissur, Kerala 680001, India
Contact Number : +914872426040
GPS Coordinates : 10.5245° N, 76.2145° E
How to reach
Google Map
Photos from our trip : Dec 2017
Sources
1. How to reach Vadakkunnathan Temple and be a part of the Thrissur Pooram festival?
2. Wikipedia : Vadakkunnathan Temple
*Note: All information here please take with a pinch of salt. It is a compilation of research online and verbal communication with locals at sites. Not to be assumed as the final and conclusive information. If there are any discrepancies, please kindly comment kindly.
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