This Temple is more than 500 years old and is also known as the Mandaikattamman Temple. It is known as a Sabarimala for Women. Women visit the temple with the Irumudi (a bundle containing puja items for the Goddess) as men go to Sabarimala.
Legend – Bhairavar, one of the eighteen siddars, used to stay here. He was doing dhyanam and pooja on the Srichakra Puja placed on the ground. When he wanted to move to another place, he also decided to move the chakra. He began meditating when he had a vision of goddess Bhagavathy. She told him that she wished to reside in the same place where he had been doing puja. She also said “I bid you to sit beside me inside the earth and guard this place which is inside dense forests.” Immediately, the hermit buried the idol and he himself attained Samadhi next to where he buried the idol. The place where he buried the chakra began growing steadily like a small sand hill. Some time later, a few boys who were playing with a palm fruit dropped it inadvertently on the hill. Immediately blood began to ooze from the hill. Scared by this turn of events the children ran to bring the elders to the spot. The elders believed that this was Bhagavathy who was guarding the area and began lighting a lamp daily at the temple. Soon one day there was another incident. A few people were entering the village at midnight. Knocking at the doors of the villagers, they asked them to provide them some food as they were very hungry. The villagers however, were not very hospitable and directed them to the temple nearby to find their own food. Dusk was fast approaching and the village was on the fringes of a dense jungle on the coast. So the people were scared. Still they went to the temple and said “Mother please give us some food.” Miraculously they heard a voice that said “go take a bath and return, you will get food.” They dutifully did what they were told and Bhagavathy is said to have fed them herself. After a sumptuous meal they slept in the temple premises. The next morning when they woke up they had a vision of the goddess smiling benevolently at them. Immediately, they left several valuables they had brought with them in a sack and left. Meanwhile the Marthanda Verma, the King of Travancore had a vision of Bhagavathy in his dream. She told him to build a temple for her with the money left by the travelers. Next day the king visited the place which had appeared in his dreams and fulfilled the wishes of the goddess.
However as he began construction of the temple, the sand hill continued growing in size. They had to demolish the temple twice because of its gaining height. So the king implored the goddess not to grow in height. But the goddess said that it would not be possible. However, she said that she would grow only the size of a grain each year. It is believed that to this day the sand hill is growing in height each year.
An alternate version says that a woman sanyasi from Kollam is stayed here and prayed to Goddess Bhagavathy. The ant hill has grown over her Samadhi.
Temple - The temple is built in the Kerala tradition in a very simple style. It is spread over an area of 1 acre. The roof of the temple has orange colour tiles, and the anthill touches the roof. The Amman is in the form of anthill which is about 15 feet in height and with five heads and believed to be growing gradually. At the upper end is the face of Goddess Bhagavathi facing the north direction. There is a Srichakra at the ground of the anthill. The King Marthanda Verma had prepared a face kavacham made of silver for the goddess but it did not fit in the ant hill. Now, this can be seen, kept separately in front. The Holy tree of the temple is the neem tree.
Prayers and Festivals - Goddess Bhagavathy is believed to cure all the ailments which women suffer. She is also believed to rule the nine planets or the Navagrahas in one’s astrological chart.
Puja is performed only in the morning in the temple in typical Kerala tradition.
The women devotees who offer worship during festive occasions take a dip in the sea.
The women offer wooden toys, salt, pepper and other things obtained from the first harvest, to the Goddess. People cook a pudding (with all the facial features) here with rice flour, sugar, jaggery called Mandaiappam and offer it to the Goddess for relief from headache. Devotees offer silk cloths and Mangalsutra (for marriage) to the goddess. The handicapped offer limbs made of silver for cures. People also offer cradles in the temple for getting children. Crackers are fired to relief from the impact of evil looks and effects. Some use to have the food placed on the floor and eat it. This is known as Mansoru Eating. People make offerings to Mother human figures encraved in silver, brass or aluminum foils and also metallic snakes for the boon of children.
The major attraction of the temple is the `Kodai' of ‘Masi’ festival, an annual 10 day event held in March. The Goddess is taken out in a procession on the 9th day. The `Valiyapadukkai vizha' and the `Odukku pooja' (held after midnight on the 10th day) are the important events during the festival.
During Odukku Pooja, the rice is cooked and kept inside containers made from dry palm leaves. The devotees carry these containers to the temple during the night in a procession. On this occasion they wear new veshtis but no shirts. Their Mouths are shut, tied with red cloth and a blue cloth is kept on the head. The procession is lead by people carrying flame torches. After going around the temple, all the food is kept before the main entrance, facing the diety. Earlier a goat was sacrificed but now this practice has been stopped. Thereafter the temple flag is lowered and the temple gates closed to bring the festival to end.
Timings - Morning : 4.30 A.M to 11 A.M Evening : 5 P.M to 8 P.M. Nirmalya darshanam is at 4.30 am every day in the morning.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment