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Vadakkunnathan Temple, Kerala
Locality/village : Thrissur
State : Kerala
Country : India
Nearest City/Town : Arimbur
Best Season To Visit : All
Languages : Malayalam & English
Temple Timings : 4.30 AM to 11 PM and from 5 PM to 8.30 PM.
Photography : Not Allowed
Vadakkunnathan Temple, Thrissur, Kerala
Vadakkunnathan temple is positioned in Thrissur district, in the state of Kerala, India. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple has been declared a National Monument of India under the AMAS Act.
The history of the story is briefly narrated in Brahmanda Purana. The temple is said to have found by Parashurama. Parashurama exterminated Kshatyas twenty-one times. In order to expiate the sin, he performed a yajna at the end of which he gave away all his properties to Brahmins as Dakshina. He then required a land to continue his Tapasya. So, he requested Lord Varuna to give a new piece of land from the sea, the place where in the temple is built now. Another part of the history says that some sages approached him at the end of the yajna and requested him to give them a piece of land. Parashurama, then, requested Lord Varuna, the sea god, to give them the land they requested. Lord Varuna gave him a winnow and asked him to hurl it into the sea. As he did a large territory of land and thrown into the sea, the territory rose out of the sea, which is now called as Kerala.
The temple stands as a classic example of the Kerala Architectural style. The mural paintings of the temple depict the various episodes of the epic Mahabharata.
The temple opens daily at 04:00 AM, closes at 10:00 AM, reopens at 04:30 PM and closes at 8.20 PM after ‘Trippuka’, the last rite of the day. Three poojas are performed daily. No deities are taken outwards to procession. Everytime the nada opens, there is niyamavedi.
Mahashivarathri is a major festival celebrated in a grand manner with many cultural and musical programs that attract huge number of devotees every year. Cultural and musical programs are held in the temple premises. Around one million temple lamps (one hundred thousand) are lit during the festival. The idol of Vadakkumnatha is not taken out in procession. Abhishekam with ghee and tender coconut will continue on this day. The temple is not closed at night and special poojas with abhishekam will be held during the day.
Aanayoottu is another important festival of this temple which feeds elephants and marks them as incarnations of Lord Ganesha. Aanayoottu elephant feeding is the second biggest festival held in the temple. Devotees refer to elephants as an incarnation of Lord Ganesha. The festival falls on the first day of the month of Karkkidakam (timed according to the Malayalam calendar), which coincides with the month of July. For the past 20 years, it has been a regular annual practice at the temple to perform extensive Ashta Dravya Maha Ganapathy Havana and Aanayootta on the first day of the Karkidakom month of the Malayalam calendar. It includes several unadorned elephants that are placed among a crowd of people to be worshiped and fed. A large number of people throng the temple to feed the elephants. Gajapooja is also held once in four years.
A colorful Thrissur Pooram is also celebrated in the temple premises. Thrissur Pooram is called the mother of all Poorams in Kerala. In Malayalam it is called “poorangalude pooram”. This is done in the Malayalam month of Medam. The Parmekavu and Thiruvambady temple deities along with other little poor people come for the festivities before Vadakkumanathan. It is a 36-hour festival that 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 who enjoy it.
The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is revered in the form of a huge Lingam. Other deities of the temple include Lord Krishna, Nandi, Lord Ayyappa and Lord Shiva in various forms. The temple is open from 4.30 pm to 11 pm and from 5 pm to 8.30 pm.
By Road
The nearest bus stop is the Bini Bus Stop at a distance of 750 m. Thrissur is 100 kms from Arimbur. Buses, auto-rickshaws and taxis are available almost all the time to reach the temple.
By Rail
The nearest rail head is the Thrissur Railway station at a distance of 17 kms from the temple.
By Air
The nearest airport is the Cochin International Airport at a distance of 54 kms from the temple.
