THRISSUR

The name Trichur or Thrissur is derived from Tiru-Siva-Perur which means a town with the name of Lord Siva. The holy place was also called Vrushachala, vrisha meaning Nandikeswara. Thrissur is connected by rail with many cities in the country. Kochi which is 78 kms away is the nearest airport. Good road transport system connects Thrissur with important cities around.

Vadakkunnathan Temple

This 1000 year old temple stands on a beautiful hillock at the center of Trichur overlooking the town. The vast maidan around the temple is called Tekkinkadu or forest of teak woods. Now there is no forest here. It is also known as Thenkailasam (the Kailash of the south) and Vrishabhachalam (i.e. hill of Nandi) and is one of the largest and ancient Shiva temples in Kerala. The Union Government under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act has declared this temple a national monument.
Temple - Vadakkunnathan temple is surrounded by a massive stone wall (15 feet high) enclosing an area of nearly 9 acres (36,000 m2). Dozens of peepal trees are scattered on the vast grounds of' the temple. Inside this fortification, there are four gopurams with multiple roofs each facing north, south, east and west directions. While the basement of the gateways is made of moulded granite stone, the ‘Gopurams' are in the typical style, having elaborately ornamented gables. The shrine is circular in forms and the tower has only one tier. The pillars are arranged in an interesting manner. The comparatively low, tiled roofs and the liberal use of wood harmonise with the natural environment.

Apart from these four gopurams, there is a multi-shrined complex in the center with three principal shrines dedicated to Shiva or Vadakkunnathan, Shankaranarayana and Rama within the nalambalam of the temple. In the northern side, there is a circular structure with Shiva facing west. The figure of Parvati faces east and is just behind Shiva in the same shrine. This image, installed by Parasurama, is made of jackfruit tree wood and, hence abhisheka is performed for this deity only with turmeric powder. The idol has three eyes and is dressed up in gold crown, ornaments and red silk. The routine abishekam is done only for the Utsava murthy. All the other idols are of stone except that of Vadakkunnathan.
The two-storied shrine of Sri Rama facing west is located in the south. The walls of this srikovil is decorated with murals and wood carvings. Abhisheka with pure gingelli oil is the main offering here.
Between these two srikoils stands a third one, circular and double-storied in shape, which is dedicated to Sankaranarayana and facing west. This shrine has beautiful murals of the seventeenth century delineating graphically the story of Mahabharata and the Tandava poses of Shiva depicted in typical Kathakali style. The idol of Sankaranarayana is the combination of both Lord Siva and Lord MahaVishnu. It has four arms, which carries a white hatchet and trident on the right side and Panchajanyam the shell and Club on the left side. The offering to Sankaranarayana is the abhisheka using water (panchajanyam).
The murals in the temple are known for its rarity and two of them - Vasukisayana and Nrithanatha - are even worshipped regularly. There are mukhamandapams in front of all the three central shrines.

The architectural plan of the above 3 shrines is peculiar, with the ‘Vritta' plan and conical brass plated superstructure over it. The conical roof is distinct architectural idium neccessitated bythe heavy rainfall in the west coast. Shrines with square basements are also here.

Between the Vadakkunnathan and Sankaranarayana shrines, there is a small edifice facing east in which the image of Ganapati with four arms is installed. This shrine is positioned facing the temple kitchen and is known for the offering of Appam (sweetened rice cake fried in ghee) to Mahaganapathy. He is believed to bless the devotees with prosperity and wealth. There is one more idol of Vettakkorumakan (Siva in a hunter form), supposed to be the guardian of the temple at the northern nalambalem.

Bali (sacrifice) stones in brass are seen everywhere. The ground is dotted with stone reliefs of prostrating men.
Legend - The three main deities are believed to have been installed by Parasu-rama who prayed to Siva that he should manifest Himself there. But when he opened his eyes what he saw was the image of the four-armed Mahavishnu with the conch, the disc, the mace and the lotus. This is now worshipped as Rama. Not satisfied with the manifestation of Mahavishnu, Parasurama continued his meditation. This times a small Sivalinga materialized to the north of Vishnu deity. Parasurama was surprised to see Siva on one side and Rama on the other side. He again went into meditation. Opening his eyes he saw in the middle of the two deities, Sankaranarayana, the combined form of Siva and Vishnu or Narayana. He was now satisfied and realized that Siva and Vishnu are in fact one and the Same. Thus we have three main shrines in the temple, dedicated to Siva, Vishnu and Sankaranarayana.
Lord Shiva - The statue of Shiva, which is not visible, is covered under a mount of ghee, formed by the daily abhishekam (ablution) with ghee over the years. A devotee looking into the sanctum can now see only a sixteen-foot high mount of ghee embellished with thirteen cascading crescents of gold and three serpent hoods at top. According to traditional belief, this represents the snow-clad Mount Kailas in the north, the abode of Parvathy and Parameswara. This is also why the Lord is called Vadakkunathan (Vadakku = North; Nathan = Lord). Lord Ganapathy is also enshrined along with Lord Shiva. The mound is nearly 10 feet around the original linga and there is hardly space for the priest to go around in the small sanctum. That in spite of so many lamps burning in the sanctum or even in hot weather the ghee does not melt nor any worm or bad smell occurs in the accumulated ghee is a matter for wonder. The high mount of ghee is embellished with thirteen cascading crescents of gold and three serpant hoods at the top. Small scrappings of this solidified ghee are given to devotees as ‘Prasada', which is believed to have medicinal and curative properties of herbal medicines. In the Ayurveda, old ghee is prescribed as cure for many diseases. Hence, the Vaidyas in Kerala are known to approach this temple for the ghee, which is as old as a thousand years. The ghee will not be removed. If and when any portion of the mount is collapsed, the same will be sold. If a collapse is taken place, it is believed as a sign of some evil about to happen in Thrissur. While ghee is the abhisheka for Siva, oil is offered for Rama and panchagavya for Sankaranarayana. Kadali bananas are also offered to Lord Shiva. The outside wall of the shrine has a big painting of Mohini holding a mirror.
Outside - Outside, at a distance from the temple, all round, is the Pradakshina vazhi (circumembulatory path) which has a uniform width of seven feet.' As you enter the temple from the main entrance-the western gopuram-there is a stone called 'Kali Purusha'.
A little to the north is the shrine of Gopalakrishna. The surroundings of the temple are the resting-place Gowshala for many cows, the favorite animal of Krishna. Lord Krishna is seen here in the form of Parthasarathy, with a whip in one hand and Conch shell in the other hand. The ritual is that we make a thud sound by striking a wooden plank situated on the right side of door of srikovil before we pray in front of the image.
In front of the temple is the famous kuttambalam.
Nearby, on the north side is the 'Shara theetham', a deep well. Arjuna is said to have brought the river Ganga here by shooting an arrow to the ground.
A little beyond on the north side, there is a niche of the fairly large white bullock Rishabha Nandikeswara, Lord Siva's mount. One has to offer a thread from their dress and clap his hands here before worshipping the deity, as it appears to be always sleeping and to wake it up, a noise has to be made. Then comes a thara or platform in the north-east corner in which Parasurama himself is supposed to reside. The shrine of Lord Parasurama is also seen here. Beyond this, on the East Side behind the nalambalam, there is a shrine for Simhodaran, one of Lord's Shivaganas. This shrine faces the Lord's sannidhi towards west. Simha - Lion; Udaram - Stomach, thus Lord Simhodaran with the face and stomach of a Lion evokes fear and respect of the devotees. On the north side of the shrine, devotees just put a small stone on the ground which is a symbolic representation of removing the burdens of their lives
After praying at this shrine devotees take a few steps towards the nalambalam where there is a small triangular opening on the wall. Through this the thazhikakudams or finials of the three main shrines can be seen. This darshan, it is claimed, is equal to seeing several holy temples of India like Kashi, Rameswaram, etc.
Further coming around the circumembulatory path at the southwest corner one sees Dharma Sasta installed in a small temple. This is apsidal in shape, a unique style adopted in Kerala. Behind this temple is platform full of grass. It is believed that when Lord Hanuman passed over this place while carrying the Sanjeevi mountain, a blade of grass fell down from the mountain here. So if we put one blade of grass here on our head, death will not come near us for that day.
Nearby, in a platform below a peepul tree, is supposed to be the shrine of Vyasa rishi. It is believed that our mind becomes sharper, if we write the words "Hari: Shree Maha Ganapathaye Nama:", near this shrine.
A little beyond there is a rectangular enclosure of stone walls without roofing in which there is a Sankha and Chakra commemorating Adi Sankaracharya. Adi Sankaracharya is supposed to have spent his last days in this temple.
Just outside the western gopuram there is a peepal tree with a paved platform, which is called "Sreemoolasthanam." It is believed it was at this spot that Parasurama, after consecrating the deities of the temple, met the Nambudiri Brahmins, the traditional priests of Kerala temples, and handed over charge of the temple to them and disappeared.
Story 1 - Lord Vadakkunatha sent Simhodara asking him to locate a suitable spot in the temple where he could sit. After coming inside the temple, Simhodara did not go back and sat down inside the temple after locating a suitable spot for himself. Angered by this, Lord Shiva cursed Simhodaran to sit near the hole through which the left over water of cooked rice in the temple kitchen would flow. This hole through which the left over water flows, can be seen today also near the shrine of Simhodaran.
Kuttambalam - It is the theatre hall for staging Chakyar kuttu, an ancient dramatic form of art famous in Kerala. There are kuttambalams in several temples in Kerala but there are few structures, which are as large and as beautiful as the one at Trichur. It is a marvel of structural workmanship with sloping roofs of carefully enmeshed copper plates, austere, dignified and aloof. With the three Kalasams or finials shining at the top this playhouse for Gods and Goddesses, for the worshippers and the worshipped' has an imposing appearance.
Story 2 - The Kuttambalam was planned by "Vellanazhi" Nambudiri known for his skill and knowledge of Thachu Sastra (architecture). There was an old and dilapidated structure at the same place where the present kuttambalam stands where Vellanazhi was ordered to build a new structure by the then Diwan Sankunni Varrier. He went to the temple with his carpenter and prayed to the Lord for a while. He then went inside the old structure, spread a cloth and lay on it for an hour. Coming out, he ordered the carpenter to demolish the old structure and start building a now one. The perplexed carpenter asked where was the "Puram Kuttu"' or sketch? The Nambudiri replied that he had already made 'Akam Kuttu' (mental sketch) and asked him to go ahead as he ordered. The final result was the beautiful structure, which we see today. The Highness was very much pleased with the skill of the Nambudiri. He wanted to test his skill on another occasion. He asked him to reconstruct the outer wall of the temple and wanted to know the exact number of bricks that would be required. The Nambudiri thought for a while and gave a number. The king had warned him that he would take him to task if the number was found less or more. Then he asked one of his trusted men to get the exact number asked for but hide two bricks somewhere, When the wall was completed finally, two bricks were still required. The king asked the Nambudiri's explanation. Undaunted he told him that his man has either brought two bricks less or hidden them elsewhere. The pleased king presented him with a golden bracelet such was the skill of the architect.
Adi Sankara - The parents of Adi Sankara, Shivaguru-Aryamba came here from Kalady and observed bhajan for 41 days and as a result Vadakkunnathan was born to them as Sankara. Legend has it that Shiva appeared to both husband and wife 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. Lord Shiva again appeared in their dreams and told them that he will be born as their extraordinary son. In honour of Shiva, they named the son Shankara.
Prayers - Every year a large-scale Ashta Dravya Maha Ganapathy Havana and Aanayootu is held on the first day of the Karkidakom month of the Malayalam calendar. Gajapooja is conducted once every four years.
There are no annual utsavams or other celebrations here except Sivaratri. And the Lord never comes out of his abode.
The famous Thrissur Pooram festival, fathered by Shaktan Tampuran, is celebrated annually in Medam (April-May). To facilitate the Pooram he cleared teak forests of 54 acres around the temple. The sprawling Thekkinkadu maidan is the main venue of the festival. However, Lord Vadakkunnathan is but a mere spectator granting the premises and convenience for the festival. No offering is received in this temple in connection with the Pooram festival nor it incurs any expenditure. Not even any special pooja is offered on the occasion. Only the dieties around the place come to worship Lord Vadakunnathan while mounted on colourfully decorated elephants. At present, eight deities assemble for the ceremony; six from the Devi temples including Paramekkavu and Tiruvambadi Devis and two from Sasta temples. About fifty elephants participate in the grand procession. These are magnificently caparisoned with the ‘Nettupattam' which covers the forehead. This is a thick cloth in which are sewn about six thousand gold plated glittering metal pieces. Each elephant carries three men; one holds the coloured silken parasol; the other two stand on the back. The ‘Panchavadyam' players precede the procession. As all the deities assemble near the Vadakkunathan temple, there will be a musical feast for two hours. This is the main attraction of the pooram i.e. Elanjitharamelam, a two hours Chendavadyam (with five instruments) near koothambalam, by the top most (Drummers) artists in the state. A little later, the umbrellas on the elephant are changed to different colour, known as ‘Kudiakazeh'. As the parasols are unfurled, there is an entrancing spectacle of rich array of mixed bright colours. Generally, there will be ten sets with each party. After the functions, the elephants return to their respective temples. Magnificent fireworks are set of during night to signal the end of the festival.
On the outer southern wall of the temple, daily poojas are held for Lord Vadakkunathan for which there is an interesting story.
Story 3 - Once Vilwamangalam Swamiar came to the temple to but he could not find the Lord inside the sanctum. On searching, he found the Lord sitting on the southern wall while facing south. When he asked, the Lord replied that Devi Karthyayini in the temple at Kumaranallur located on the southern direction, is a very sincere devotee and is coming here to worship me. Hence, I am sitting here and waiting to welcome her.
Timings - The temple opens at three in the morning and closes about 10-30 after the morning rites. For the evening worship it opens at four and closes at 8.30 at night after 'Trippuka', the last rite for the day.