Ernakulathappan Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is one of the prominent shrines in Ernakulam of Kerala. It is believed to have built by a local ruler, Tusath Kaimal
Legend holds that Arjuna, one among the Pandavas, did a severe penance here to propitiate Lord Shiva. Pleased with Arjuna's devotion, Lord Shiva in the form of Kiratha set out from his abode to bless Arjuna. At this juncture, a demon named Mookasura in disguise of a wild boar appears there and both Lord Shiva and Arjuna shoot arrows at the demon. Then the quarrel arises between Kiratha and Arjun, as who killed the demon. Finally, the quarrel leads to a vigorous fight between Arjuna and Kiratha. Later, Arjun, vanquished by Kiratha, makes a Shivling and offers flowers to it. To his surprise, all the flowers fell over Kiratha's head. Then Shiva in his true form along with Parvati appears and blesses him and gifts him the divine arrow 'Pasupathastram'.
Ernakulathappan Temple is located 7 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
Ernakulathappan Temple is located 7 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
Situated in Tripunithura, a tranquil temple town, located about 6 kms from the city of Kochi, Poornathrayeesa temple is presided over by Lord Vishnu, known as Poornathrayeesa. The Lord is the family deity of the erstwhile Kochi dynasty.
Lord Vishnu, here, is worshipped as Poornathrayeesa “thra" means three; 'poorna' means complete and 'isa' means Iswara which means the Lord of Knowledge, or the Lord of the Three Vedas – Rik, Yajus and Sama. It also means the Lord who manifests himself as the essence of the Vedas, who can be attained through inner saadhana
Vishnu, here, is worshipped as 'Santanagopala Moorthy', or the protector of kids. The temple is believed to have come into existence in 'Dwapara Yuga', about 5000 years ago.
Unlike other Vishnu temples, where the Lord is seen as reclining on Anantha, here, the Lord is seen in a unique pose. He is sitting on Anantha, who spreads his majestic hood over the Lord. It is said that, when Krishna and Arjuna reached Vaikuntam, the Lord got up from his serpent bed to receive them.
Lord Vishnu, here, is worshipped as Poornathrayeesa “thra" means three; 'poorna' means complete and 'isa' means Iswara which means the Lord of Knowledge, or the Lord of the Three Vedas – Rik, Yajus and Sama. It also means the Lord who manifests himself as the essence of the Vedas, who can be attained through inner saadhana
Vishnu, here, is worshipped as 'Santanagopala Moorthy', or the protector of kids. The temple is believed to have come into existence in 'Dwapara Yuga', about 5000 years ago.
Unlike other Vishnu temples, where the Lord is seen as reclining on Anantha, here, the Lord is seen in a unique pose. He is sitting on Anantha, who spreads his majestic hood over the Lord. It is said that, when Krishna and Arjuna reached Vaikuntam, the Lord got up from his serpent bed to receive them.
Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple is located 11 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
Chottanikkara Temple is located 17 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
Temple is a famous temple of the Hindu mother goddess Bhagawati. The temple is located near Ernakulam in the southern Indian state of Kerala and is one of the most popular temples in the state, along with Sabarimala. Bhagawati is one of the most popular deities in the area, Chottanikkara Devi is worshipped at the temple, in three different forms: as Saraswati in the morning, draped in white; as Lakshmi at noon, draped in crimson; and as Durga in the evening, decked in blue. Lord Shivais also worshiped at the temple.People suffering from mental illnesses commonly visit the temple, as Bhagawati is thought to cure her devotees. One should not miss the 'Guruthi Pooja' in the 'Keezhkkaavu' temple at Chottanikkara. This is a ritual done at late evening to invoke the goddess. Earlier 'Guruthi Pooja' was done only on Fridays. But nowadays, it is performed everyday.
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The Vaikom Mahadeva Temple is a temple for the Hindu god Shiva in Vaikom, Kerala. The temple, along with Ettumanoor Siva Temple, Kaduthuruthy Thaliyil Mahadeva Temple is considered a powerful trisome. The belief is that if a devotee worships at these three temples before 'Ucha pooja', all the wishes are fulfilled.
The Vaikom Mahadeva temple is one of the few temples which is held in reverence by both Shaivaites and the Vaishnavaites. Vaikom’s Shiva is fondly called Vaikkathappan. The Shiva Linga here is believed to be from the ‘Treta yuga’ and considered as one of the oldest temples in Kerala where pooja has not been broken since inception
Vaikom Temple is located 33 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
The Malliyoor Sree MahaGanapathy Temple in Kottayam district, Kerala is the sacred abode of the all - encompassing divine presence of Lord Ganesha and also a coveted destination of lakhs of pilgrims from all over India. The endearing elephant - headed Lord Ganesha, the son of Siva and Parvathy, enjoys prime place among all the gods in the Hindu pantheon. He is Parabrahma incarnate, the God of Wisdom and Learning, the Remover of all Obstacles and is worshipped first, any other god. The Malliyoor Sree MahaGanapathy Temple is in comparable in the conception of the presiding deity as Vaishnava Ganapathy, with a young Sree Krishna seated on the lap of Lord Ganesha. This unique and powerful infusion of the Vaishnava spirit in the Ganesha idol is the supreme achievement of the devoted penance of the much-revered main priest of the temple, Brahmasree Bhagavathahamsam Malliyoor Sankaran Nampoothiri. Today thousand of devotees flock to the feet of Vasihnava Ganapthy at Malliyoor seeking eternal salvation form the bonds of Karama and solace from the evils of Kaliyuga.
Malliyoor Temple is located 56 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
The ancient Siva Ettumanoor Mahadevar Temple here has brought glory and fame to the place. Myths have it that the Pandavas and the sage Vyasa had worshipped at this temple. The name of the place had its origin from the word 'manoor', which means the home of deer.
The present temple building, with its gopuram and the fortress around it, was reconstructed in 717 ME (1542 AD). There are Dravidian mural paintings on the walls inside and outside of the main entrance. The fresco of Pradosha Nritham (Dance of Shiva) is one of the finest Wall painting in India. There is a golden flag staff inside the temple. On the top of it is the idol of a bull surrounded by small bells and metal leaves of the banyan tree. The temple roofs are covered with copper sheets and it has 14 ornamental tops. Bhagavati, Sastha, Ganapathy and Yakshi are installed here as subordinate deities. It is believed that the great philosopher, Sankaracharya wrote the 'Soundaraya Lahari' staying in the temple.
The famous Ettumanoor Mahadevar Temple hosts the arattu festival celebrated on a grand scale on the Thiruvathira day in February–March every year. Lot of people come to this temple on the 8th and 10th day of the festival when seven and half elephants (in Malayalam: ezharaponnaana) made of gold (nearly 13 kg) will be held in public view.this statue was donated to the temple by a travancore maharaja. The temple, the wealthiest Devaswom in Kerala, has many valuable possessions.
Ettumanoor Temple is located 57 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
Situated very near Alappuzha (Alleppy), the Ambalapuzha Sri Krishna temple is believed to be one of the seven great Vaishnava shrines in the former Travancore State .
This temple is full of legends and stories regarding the origin of the main diety of the Shrine. According to local legend, when Vilvaman Swamy, as ardent devotee of Sri.Krishna and a scholar, and the Maharaja of Travancore, the Pooradam Thirunal Thampuran, were cruising in the Kuttannadan backwaters, they heard sweet music to the accomplishment of a flute from the top of banyan tree. Peering anxiously, the thampuran could not see anything, while Vilvamangalam was astonished to behold a bright glow and the form of Bala Murali Krishna.
Overwhelmed with joy, the sage forgot himself, enjoyed the melodious music till the bright glow disappeared. As desired by the Swamiyar, a beautiful temple of architectural grandeur was constructed on the spot by the Maharaja. A beautiful idol of Bala Gopala Krishna was also made of solid stone. Thantri Kudiyakkol Namboodiri, was chosen as the priest for the occasion.
To the surprise of every one present, Puthumana Valiya Namboodaripad, another Thantri, Vehemently objected to the consecration of the idol and shouted that it was defective and unfit for installation for worship as the deity. When the arguments reached the climax to prove the defect in the idol, Thantri Puthumana struck mildly on a scar found on the left side of the idol. As if it was a strong miracle, that particular part struck split into a cavity and streams of dirty water and a good number of frogs began to flow out form the part. Thus, the installation and consecration ceremony of the idol had to be abandoned.
This temple is full of legends and stories regarding the origin of the main diety of the Shrine. According to local legend, when Vilvaman Swamy, as ardent devotee of Sri.Krishna and a scholar, and the Maharaja of Travancore, the Pooradam Thirunal Thampuran, were cruising in the Kuttannadan backwaters, they heard sweet music to the accomplishment of a flute from the top of banyan tree. Peering anxiously, the thampuran could not see anything, while Vilvamangalam was astonished to behold a bright glow and the form of Bala Murali Krishna.
Overwhelmed with joy, the sage forgot himself, enjoyed the melodious music till the bright glow disappeared. As desired by the Swamiyar, a beautiful temple of architectural grandeur was constructed on the spot by the Maharaja. A beautiful idol of Bala Gopala Krishna was also made of solid stone. Thantri Kudiyakkol Namboodiri, was chosen as the priest for the occasion.
To the surprise of every one present, Puthumana Valiya Namboodaripad, another Thantri, Vehemently objected to the consecration of the idol and shouted that it was defective and unfit for installation for worship as the deity. When the arguments reached the climax to prove the defect in the idol, Thantri Puthumana struck mildly on a scar found on the left side of the idol. As if it was a strong miracle, that particular part struck split into a cavity and streams of dirty water and a good number of frogs began to flow out form the part. Thus, the installation and consecration ceremony of the idol had to be abandoned.
Ambalapuzha Temple is located 69 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
one of the ancient temples of South India, is popularly described as Sabarimala of the Women, as women form the major portion of devotees. The Goddess in the temple of Attukal is worshipped as the Supreme Mother, creator of all living beings and the mighty preserver as well as destroyer of them all. The pilgrims from all over the country, who visit Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple and worship the Lord, do not consider their visits complete without the visit to the shrine of the supreme Mother Attukalamma. Vishnumaya took the incarnation of Bhagavathy to annihilate the evil and protect the good in the world in the present Era namely Kaliyuga.
The Pongala Mahotsavam is the most important festival of Attukal Bhagavathy Temple. The offering of Pongala is a special temple practice prevalent in the southern part of Kerala and some parts of Tamilnadu. It is a ten-day programme commencing on the Karthika star of the Malayalam month of Makaram-Kumbham (February-March) and closing with the sacrificial offering known as Kuruthitharpanam at night. On the ninth day of the festival the world famous Attukal Pongala Mahotsavam takes place. The entire area of about 5 kilometre radius around temple with premises of houses of people of all caste, creed and religion, open fields, roads, commercial institutions, premises of Government offices etc. emerges as a consecrated ground for observing Pongala rituals for lakhs of women devotees assembling from different parts of Kerala and outside. The ceremony is exclusively confined to women folk and the enormous crowd, which gathers in Thiruvananthapuram on this auspicious day is reminiscent of the Kumbhamela Festival of North India.
Attukal Temple is located 209 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple is located 229 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple is a famous Hindu temple of Lord Vishnu, located inside the Fort in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. The temple is one of the 108 divya desam,the holiest abodes of Lord Vishnu. The main deity, Padmanabhaswamy, is a form of Vishnu in Anananthasayanam posture (in eternal sleep of yognidra).This is an ancient temple and the city of Thiruvananthapuram derives its name from the name of the presiding deity enshrined in the temple.
Thrikkakkara temple, one of the oldest temples in Kerala and celebrated in the writings of ancient travellers and Tamil Sangam literature is the centre stage of legends surrounding Onam. More than 13 centuries old, it is the only temple in the country dedicated to Vamana, the fifth incarnation of Vishnu who sent Mahabali to Pathala.
History and myth lay inseparably intertwined at the Thrikkakkara Temple which has about 18 important stone inscriptions dating back to 10-13 A.D. The inscriptions which were published in the Travancore Archeological Series in 1916 by Mr. T.A. Gopinatha Rao (1916) and Mr. K.V. Subramania Iyer (1923) are in 'Vattezhuthu,' the prototype of Malayalam
Considered one of 13 'divyadesams' of Malanadu, Thrikkakkara or Thirukalkarai, as it was known in the days of the Kulasekharas, was the capital of Kalkarainadu, a fiefdom under the Kulasekharas, it is believed. But there is no documentary evidence to prove it. Nammalvar, Vaishnava saint and the author of 'Thiruvaimizhi,' who lived around 9th Century, had sung praises of the temple and the beautiful countrysides surrounding it. It was a important pilgrimage centre for the Sri Vaishnavas, who were slowly gaining ground over Buddhists and Jains. The temple also finds mention in Sukasandesam, an ancient literary work in Malayalam
Thrikkakaray Temple is located 15 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
Considered one of 13 'divyadesams' of Malanadu, Thrikkakkara or Thirukalkarai, as it was known in the days of the Kulasekharas, was the capital of Kalkarainadu, a fiefdom under the Kulasekharas, it is believed. But there is no documentary evidence to prove it. Nammalvar, Vaishnava saint and the author of 'Thiruvaimizhi,' who lived around 9th Century, had sung praises of the temple and the beautiful countrysides surrounding it. It was a important pilgrimage centre for the Sri Vaishnavas, who were slowly gaining ground over Buddhists and Jains. The temple also finds mention in Sukasandesam, an ancient literary work in Malayalam
Thrikkakaray Temple is located 15 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
Kalady-the very name is synonymous with that of Adi Sankaracharya, the founder of the Advaita philosophy who was born here in the 8th century AD. Kalady, otherwise a sleepy little village, is visited by thousands of pilgrims today who wish to have a glimpse of the sacred spot where the Acharya is reputed to have been born. The name ‘Kalady’ has a story behind its origin. Once young Sankara’s widowed mother fainted while on her way to the river Poorna. Sankara prayed fervently to Lord Krishna who answered him saying that the river would originate from the point where Sankara’s feet (Kaladi) stood. Even today, it can be seen that the river Poorna takes an unusual turn towards the Sringeri Mutt.
Kalady Temple is located 51 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
The Bhagawati temple at Kodungallur is of great renown throughout the state of Kerala. Kodungallur situated on the west coast, was once a great port of the Chera rulers of Tamilnadu, It was known by the Greek as the musris. Tiruvanchikkulam, now a suburb of Kodungallur was a center of great historic significance during the chera period. Cheran Senguttuvan is said to have built the temple to Kannagi - a manifestation of Kaali or Kotravai or Durga, here (Silappadikaaram)
It is believed to have been a Shiva temple originally, as worship is offered first to Shiva before being offered to Bhagawati, and there is a mandapam in front of the shiva shrine, and there is none infront of Bhagawatis. The image of Bhagawati is believed to have been carved out of a jack fruit three. The face of the image is covered with a mask, and the image is decorated with several pieces of jewellary. created Bhramani, Vaishnavi, Maheswari, Kaumari, Varahi and Indrani from Bhrama, vishnu, Mahadeva, Kumara, Yama and Indra, and they were defeated by Daaruka, however Shiva created Kaali and she killed Daaruka.The image of Kali faces east. This image is believed to be a personification of Kali, who had killed the demon Daaruka. Daaruka is said to have worshipped Bhrama, and harassed the devas. The goddesses
The Bharani festival at the Kodungallur Bhagawati temple is one of the grandest in Kerala. It is a month of festivities from the Bharani asterism in the month of Aquarius to 7 days after the Bharani asterism in the month of Pisces. Traditionally the temple (especially during the Bharani festival) has been associated with a lot of animal sacrifices. These customs have been done away within the 20th century. The blood of the sacrificed used to be spilled over two stones in the prakaram, and as mentioned above, this practice is now stopped.
The Bhagawati temple at Kodungallur is of great renown throughout the state of Kerala. Kodungallur situated on the west coast, was once a great port of the Chera rulers of Tamilnadu, It was known by the Greek as the musris. Tiruvanchikkulam, now a suburb of Kodungallur was a center of great historic significance during the chera period. Cheran Senguttuvan is said to have built the temple to Kannagi - a manifestation of Kaali or Kotravai or Durga, here (Silappadikaaram)
It is believed to have been a Shiva temple originally, as worship is offered first to Shiva before being offered to Bhagawati, and there is a mandapam in front of the shiva shrine, and there is none infront of Bhagawatis. The image of Bhagawati is believed to have been carved out of a jack fruit three. The face of the image is covered with a mask, and the image is decorated with several pieces of jewellary. created Bhramani, Vaishnavi, Maheswari, Kaumari, Varahi and Indrani from Bhrama, vishnu, Mahadeva, Kumara, Yama and Indra, and they were defeated by Daaruka, however Shiva created Kaali and she killed Daaruka.The image of Kali faces east. This image is believed to be a personification of Kali, who had killed the demon Daaruka. Daaruka is said to have worshipped Bhrama, and harassed the devas. The goddesses
The Bharani festival at the Kodungallur Bhagawati temple is one of the grandest in Kerala. It is a month of festivities from the Bharani asterism in the month of Aquarius to 7 days after the Bharani asterism in the month of Pisces. Traditionally the temple (especially during the Bharani festival) has been associated with a lot of animal sacrifices. These customs have been done away within the 20th century. The blood of the sacrificed used to be spilled over two stones in the prakaram, and as mentioned above, this practice is now stopped.
Kodungallur Bhagawati Temple is located 32 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
Thriprayar Temple, located south of Thrissur is one of the important temples dedicated to Lord Rama.The exquisite wood carvings, sculptures and Mural Paintings are an interesting sight. During the Onam festival in the months of August / September, there is a snake boat race.
he Triprayar temple was originally under the domain of the Zamorin rulers of Kerala. It later came under the posession of the Dutch, the Mysore sultans and the rulers of Cochin The namaskara mandapam which faces the circular sanctum (srikovil) has 24 panels of wood carvings and several ancient murals. The circular sanctum has several sculptural representations of scenes from the Ramayana.The Ekadashi festival in the month November - December is also a festive occasion, along the lines of the Guruvayur temple. The day preceding Ekadashi witnesses a procession of Saasta, while the Ekadasi festival is marked by a procession of Rama flanked by 21 elephants and royal paraphernalia. Every day of seven days the procession starts from Triprayar for a certain place where the arattu (bathing ceremony) is hold, giving- opportunity to thousands outside Triprayar to offer Worship to the deity
Thriprayar Temple is located 52 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
Guruvayoor Temple of Thrissur is a very important and famous pilgrimage. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, who is worshipped as Lord Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu. The town where this temple is located is known by the name of Thrissur Guruvayoor. The temple of Guruvayur in Trichur, Kerala is worth a visit and just a mere sight of the Lord's idol in its grandeur is enough to make you feel pure and blessed. The temple follows a strict decorum and only Hindus are allowed inside. The temple is said to have been built by Guru (preceptor of Gods) and Vayu (God of winds). The idol is built out of a rare stone called Patala Anjana.
Guruvayoor Temple is located 43 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
In a land crowded with several better-than-the-last temples, The Vadakkumnathan temple stands out as one of the oldest temples in the state of Kerala. A classical example of the Kerala style of architecture, the Vadakkumnathan Temple contains many decorative murals and pieces of art.
Perched on a beautiful hillock at the center of Thrissur, overlooking the town, the vast ground around the temple is called Tekkinkadu or Forest of Teak Wood. The massive stone wall enclosing an area of nearly 9 acres forms a strong fortification around the temple. The four lofty gopuras around the main shrine indicate the four cardinal directions-North, South, East and West. A complex having three principal shrines dedicated to Shiva or Vadakkumnathan, Sankaranarayana and Rama are in the center of this enclosure.The most striking feature of the temple is the Kuttambalam, which is the theatre hall for staging kuttu, an ancient dramatic form of art famous in Kerala.
Perched on a beautiful hillock at the center of Thrissur, overlooking the town, the vast ground around the temple is called Tekkinkadu or Forest of Teak Wood. The massive stone wall enclosing an area of nearly 9 acres forms a strong fortification around the temple. The four lofty gopuras around the main shrine indicate the four cardinal directions-North, South, East and West. A complex having three principal shrines dedicated to Shiva or Vadakkumnathan, Sankaranarayana and Rama are in the center of this enclosure.The most striking feature of the temple is the Kuttambalam, which is the theatre hall for staging kuttu, an ancient dramatic form of art famous in Kerala.
Vadakkunnathan Temple is located 63 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
The Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala, 80 kms. from the Pathanamthitta district head quarters, is a National Pilgrim Centre. This famous shrine of Lord Ayyappa is surrounded by hazardous hills like Karimala and Neelimala. Devotees visit Sabarimala after undergoing 41 days of ‘Vritha’ i.e., self-imposed devotional penance. They, with irumudikettu (bundle with offerings to Ayyappa) on their head, climb the mountain ranges and cross the forest bare footed repeatedly chanting ‘Saranam Ayyappa’ which means we seek refuge in Ayyappa. This is probably the only famous temple in Kerala, which does not restrict anybody from visiting it for not being a Hindu.The Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala is located 209 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
Velankanni can be traced to the mid-16th century and is attributed to three miracles: the apparition of Mary and the Christ Child to a slumbering shepherd boy, the curing of a lame buttermilk vendor, and the rescue of Portuguese sailors from a violent sea storm
Although all three apparitions resulted in the erection of a shrine to our Lady, it was the promise of the Portuguese sailors that caused a permanent edifice to be built at Velankanni. The chapel was dedicated on the feast of the Nativity of Mary (8 September), the day of their safe landing. More than 500 years later, the nine-day festival and celebration is still observed and draws nearly 2 million pilgrims each year. The Shrine of Our Lady of Velankanni, also known as the "Lourdes of the East",[2] is one of the most frequented religious sites in India. Velankanni church (Our Lady of Good Health) was built in the late 16th century CE with modifications by Portuguese and further expansions later on due to influx of pilgrimages
The Gothic style of architecture is a unique feature of the church. The church itself is an imposing building with inspiring architecture. While the buildings have been painted white, roof of the church is made by the tiles with striking red in contrast to the colour of the walls. The environment around the shrine is spic and span radiating rays of hope and pietyAs a token of gratitude to Mother Mary, Portuguese sailors who escaped from a severe cyclone, built the chapel 24 feet to 12 feet with a dome overhead. In their possible subsequent visits, perhaps they brought porcelain plates, which could be seen even now illustrating bible scenes and other cultural arts of the time, to beautify the Church they had built earlier. The main statue that they had brought to the altar of the Shrine was Our Lady holding the Baby Jesus, standing majestically on the globe!!!
Velankanni is located 340 kms from Kochi (Cochin)
India's first Masjid is believed to be built in 628 AD at the behest of legendary ruler Cheraman Perumal, who died in Arabia after embracing Islam.Legend has it that before he died, Cheraman Perumal sent an emissary to Kodungalloor to seek the help of his descendant there to propagate Islam along the Kerala coast.The original Hindu architectural scheme of the mosque has been retained intact to a great extent, though essential additions have been made over the yearsMore important is the fact that this is the world’s second oldest Juma mosque, where the Juma (Friday) prayers have been held for the last 1375 years, since the days of Prophet Mohammed (570-634 A.D.). The first Juma mosque in the world is the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, which is also his memorial tomb
Kodungaloor was the capital of the kings of Kerala, and in 622-628 A.D. (Hijra 1 to 7) the ruler was a great savant, by name Cheraman Perumal Bhaskara Ravi Varma. In those days, the seniormost of the rulers of Kerala was called as Cheraman Perumal......!!!!! :)
എല്ലാ യാത്രകളും പുതിയ കലത്തിലെ പുതിയ വൈവിധ്യങ്ങള് തേടിയുള്ളതാണ് ..!!!!
എല്ലാ യാത്രകളും പുതിയ കലത്തിലെ പുതിയ വൈവിധ്യങ്ങള് തേടിയുള്ളതാണ് ..!!!!
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