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Dear friends,
And now about another famous temple of Kerala. It is called the womens' Sabarimala. Yes, it i the Attukal Bagavathy Temple. Many consider that a visit to the Sri.AnanthaPadmanabha Swamy Temple is not complete without a visit to this Attukal Baghavathy Temple.
Let us know about this Temple now.
Varadarajan
ATTUKAL BAGHAVATHY TEMPLE
Mythological Background
The story goes that the Goddess Bhagavathy revealed herself to a fervent devotee of a notable family viz. Mulluveettil family. It is said that one evening a young girl appeared before the head of the family while he was performing his oblations in the Killi river and requested him to help her cross the river. Impressed by her charismatic demeanor, the- old man bent before her with awe and reverence and not only helped her cross the river but took her to his house nearby. Strangely enough, while the household members were amidst preparations for intending a warm welcome to the young girl, she vanished. That very night the Goddess Bhagavathy appeared as an icon before the old man in his dream and demanded that he should establish an abode for her in the nearby sacred ground of shrubs and herbs (kavu), at a consecrated spot marked by three lines. The next morning the old man went to the spot revealed to him in the dream and to his great surprise he did find three marks indented on the ground. He lost no time in erecting a temple on this consecrated spot to house the Goddess. Many years later, the building was renovated by the local devotees. They also installed a beautiful and majestic icon of the Deity with four arms, bearing weapons of destruction in each, like spear, sword, skull, shield etc. The consecration ceremony of this Exalted Being was performed by no less a person than the high priest of the Badarinath Temple.
The Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, 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.
According to mythology, Attukal Bhagavathy is supposed to be the divinised form of Kannaki, the famous heroine of Chilapathikaram, written by Elenkovadikal, the Tamil Poet. The story goes that after the destruction of ancient city of Madurai, Kannaki left the city and reached Kerala via Kanyakumari and on the way to Kodungalloor took a sojourn at Attukal. Kannaki is supposed to be the incarnation of Parvathy, the consort of Paramasiva. The all powerful and benign Attukal Bhagavathy reigns eternally supreme at Attukal and nurses devotees as a mother does her children. Thousands of devotees from far and near flock to the Temple to bend before the Goddess with awe and reverence to prostrate and redress their affliction and agony.
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.
Incarnation of Goddess
India has ever been the holy land of gods and goddesses. Since ages past, men and women kings and emperors, saints and sages here were worshipping the Lord not only as the omnipotent and absolute 'one' but also as the 'one' whose manifestations are varied and manifold and who possesses different names, forms and divine attributes. Thus Almighty the Eternal God was worshipped in different forms such as Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, and their consorts; representing specific divine attributes of the Lord. Ancient puranas have described that Siva and Sakthi were simultaneously worshipped from the period of Aryans and Dravidians. Vishnumaya took the incarnation of Bhagavathy to annihilate evil and protect the good in this world. She grants every wish of Her devotees and resides in their hearts in multifarious forms.
Story of Kannaki
According to mythology, Attukal Bhagavathy is supposed to be the divinised form of "Kannaki", the famous heroine of Chilappatikaram, the sangham work of Tamil Literature written by ilamkovadikal. After the destruction of the ancient city of Madurai, Kannaki left that city and reached Kerala via Kanyakumari and on her way to Kodungalloor took a sojourn at Attukal. The hymns of the "Thottampattu ) sung during the annual temple festival, are based on the story of Kannaki. Moreover, architectural depictions of Goddess Kannaki seen on the Gopuram temple substantiate this mythology. Small wonder then. that, Sri. Vidyadhiraja Chattambi Swamy, the well known saint of Kerala, found this temple premises ideal for his meditations. And there are so many stories which prove the greatness of the Goddess and which attract thousands of devotees to the temple.
Aesthetics of Architecture
Anyone visiting the Attukal temple is first struck by the beauty and charm of the temple architecture. The temple structure is a harmonious conglomeration of both Kerala and Tamil styles of architecture. The beautifully carved figures of Mahishasuramarddini, Goddess Kali, Rajarajeswari, Sree Parvathy with Lord Paramasiva and various other depictions of the Goddess in and around the temple are undoubtedly the work of a gifted artist. Equally well presented around the corridors surrounding the temple, are the depiction of various other Gods and the epic stories of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu viz., the "Desavathara". On either side of the elegant front gopura - are the icons based on the story of Goddess Kannaki. On the southern Gopura, the puranic story of "Dakshayaga" is depicted in sculptures. The decorated gate at the entrance of the temple is by itself an excellent example of architectural beauty.
There are two idols of the Goddess in the sanctum sanctorum. The original idol is preserved in all its pristine beauty covered in ornamental gold embedded with installed stones.
The second idol of the Goddess is installed besides the original one. Within the temple corridors are also installed carvings and sculptures of Lord Ganesan, the serpent God and Lord Shiva. At the centre of the Sanctum within the Sreekovil, at a consecrated spot is installed the idol of the Goddess Attukal Bhagavathy emanating light and lustre to all.
Divine Gold Lockets
Divine Gold Lockets with the prathishta image of the Devi on one side and the imprint of Sudarsana Chakra on the other, are now issued to the devotees from the temple counter. This moderately priced pendant, which can be worn by men, women and children of all ages, at all times, is a talisman of safety and prosperity. Arrangement has also been made to send the lockets by post.
The temple is governed by a registered body viz. Attukal Bhagavathy Temple Trust. Ever since the trust commenced its administration, there has been considerable improvement and development in the temple. The renovation of the temple, improvement of the roads leading to the temple, expansion of areas for Ponkala, provision of facilities for the devotees to worship in the temple etc. have all been undertaken by the Trust. The newly constructed Gopuram ornamental gate in front of the temple and the southern Gopuram are richly decorated with visuals depicting the might acts of the Gods and Goddesses. A portion of the gold received as offering from the devotees has been utilised for making 'anki' to adorn the Deity. The Trust has also constructed a temple to perpetuate the memory of Chattambi Swamikal a great saint of modern Kerala and daily offerings poojas, prayers, bhajana etc. are held to his glory.
In addition to the effective administration of the Temple, many other public utility services are also undertaken by the Trust. The construction of the auditorium, North and south Gopurams, rooms to accommodate devotees, Thidappally and Dhyanamandapam, purchase of land for the expansion of temple premises, all come under the activities of the Trust. Several welfare activities for the benefit of the devotees have been initiated. A medical centre and an engineering unit are presently being run by the Trust. A hospital building is under construction. For the convenience of devotees, two luxury coaches and an ambulance have been provided. With the construction of a second auditorium for performing marriages, the facilities for the devotees have further increased. Gold lockets with the image of Attukal Bhagavathy have been made available for sale. There is also a publication wing under the Trust to collect, develop and bring out religious literature.
A religious and spiritual magazine entitled "Amba Prasadam" has been started from October 1999 and it is being widely received by the devotees and the public at large. The cost of the publication is Rs. 10 /- per copy and annual subscription is Rs. 100 /- inclusive of postage in India. For overseas subscribers, the annual rate of subscription for sending it by Air Mail is Rs.500 /-. The subscription may be sent by demand dmft drawn in favour of "The Secretary, Attukal Bhagavathy Temple Trust" payable at any bank having its branch office in Thiruvananthapuram.
The all powerful and benign Attukal Bhagavathy reigns eternally Supreme and nurses her devotees., as a mother does her children. No wonder that thousands of devotees from far and near flock to the temple to bend before the Goddess with awe and reverence and to prostrate to redress their affliction and agony.
Temple timings--Morning 4.30 to 1230 and evening 500p.m.-8.30.p.m.
Telephone, Internet, E-mail & Fax services are made available at the Trust Office
Phone (Temple): +91-471-2456456, Office: 2463130
Website: http://www.attukal.org
E-mail: attukal@md3.vsnl.net.in
Telefax: +91-471-2456457
---------------------------------------------------------------
And now about another famous temple of Kerala. It is called the womens' Sabarimala. Yes, it i the Attukal Bagavathy Temple. Many consider that a visit to the Sri.AnanthaPadmanabha Swamy Temple is not complete without a visit to this Attukal Baghavathy Temple.
Let us know about this Temple now.
Varadarajan
ATTUKAL BAGHAVATHY TEMPLE
Mythological Background
The story goes that the Goddess Bhagavathy revealed herself to a fervent devotee of a notable family viz. Mulluveettil family. It is said that one evening a young girl appeared before the head of the family while he was performing his oblations in the Killi river and requested him to help her cross the river. Impressed by her charismatic demeanor, the- old man bent before her with awe and reverence and not only helped her cross the river but took her to his house nearby. Strangely enough, while the household members were amidst preparations for intending a warm welcome to the young girl, she vanished. That very night the Goddess Bhagavathy appeared as an icon before the old man in his dream and demanded that he should establish an abode for her in the nearby sacred ground of shrubs and herbs (kavu), at a consecrated spot marked by three lines. The next morning the old man went to the spot revealed to him in the dream and to his great surprise he did find three marks indented on the ground. He lost no time in erecting a temple on this consecrated spot to house the Goddess. Many years later, the building was renovated by the local devotees. They also installed a beautiful and majestic icon of the Deity with four arms, bearing weapons of destruction in each, like spear, sword, skull, shield etc. The consecration ceremony of this Exalted Being was performed by no less a person than the high priest of the Badarinath Temple.
The Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, 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.
According to mythology, Attukal Bhagavathy is supposed to be the divinised form of Kannaki, the famous heroine of Chilapathikaram, written by Elenkovadikal, the Tamil Poet. The story goes that after the destruction of ancient city of Madurai, Kannaki left the city and reached Kerala via Kanyakumari and on the way to Kodungalloor took a sojourn at Attukal. Kannaki is supposed to be the incarnation of Parvathy, the consort of Paramasiva. The all powerful and benign Attukal Bhagavathy reigns eternally supreme at Attukal and nurses devotees as a mother does her children. Thousands of devotees from far and near flock to the Temple to bend before the Goddess with awe and reverence to prostrate and redress their affliction and agony.
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.
Incarnation of Goddess
India has ever been the holy land of gods and goddesses. Since ages past, men and women kings and emperors, saints and sages here were worshipping the Lord not only as the omnipotent and absolute 'one' but also as the 'one' whose manifestations are varied and manifold and who possesses different names, forms and divine attributes. Thus Almighty the Eternal God was worshipped in different forms such as Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, and their consorts; representing specific divine attributes of the Lord. Ancient puranas have described that Siva and Sakthi were simultaneously worshipped from the period of Aryans and Dravidians. Vishnumaya took the incarnation of Bhagavathy to annihilate evil and protect the good in this world. She grants every wish of Her devotees and resides in their hearts in multifarious forms.
Story of Kannaki
According to mythology, Attukal Bhagavathy is supposed to be the divinised form of "Kannaki", the famous heroine of Chilappatikaram, the sangham work of Tamil Literature written by ilamkovadikal. After the destruction of the ancient city of Madurai, Kannaki left that city and reached Kerala via Kanyakumari and on her way to Kodungalloor took a sojourn at Attukal. The hymns of the "Thottampattu ) sung during the annual temple festival, are based on the story of Kannaki. Moreover, architectural depictions of Goddess Kannaki seen on the Gopuram temple substantiate this mythology. Small wonder then. that, Sri. Vidyadhiraja Chattambi Swamy, the well known saint of Kerala, found this temple premises ideal for his meditations. And there are so many stories which prove the greatness of the Goddess and which attract thousands of devotees to the temple.
Aesthetics of Architecture
Anyone visiting the Attukal temple is first struck by the beauty and charm of the temple architecture. The temple structure is a harmonious conglomeration of both Kerala and Tamil styles of architecture. The beautifully carved figures of Mahishasuramarddini, Goddess Kali, Rajarajeswari, Sree Parvathy with Lord Paramasiva and various other depictions of the Goddess in and around the temple are undoubtedly the work of a gifted artist. Equally well presented around the corridors surrounding the temple, are the depiction of various other Gods and the epic stories of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu viz., the "Desavathara". On either side of the elegant front gopura - are the icons based on the story of Goddess Kannaki. On the southern Gopura, the puranic story of "Dakshayaga" is depicted in sculptures. The decorated gate at the entrance of the temple is by itself an excellent example of architectural beauty.
There are two idols of the Goddess in the sanctum sanctorum. The original idol is preserved in all its pristine beauty covered in ornamental gold embedded with installed stones.
The second idol of the Goddess is installed besides the original one. Within the temple corridors are also installed carvings and sculptures of Lord Ganesan, the serpent God and Lord Shiva. At the centre of the Sanctum within the Sreekovil, at a consecrated spot is installed the idol of the Goddess Attukal Bhagavathy emanating light and lustre to all.
Divine Gold Lockets
Divine Gold Lockets with the prathishta image of the Devi on one side and the imprint of Sudarsana Chakra on the other, are now issued to the devotees from the temple counter. This moderately priced pendant, which can be worn by men, women and children of all ages, at all times, is a talisman of safety and prosperity. Arrangement has also been made to send the lockets by post.
The temple is governed by a registered body viz. Attukal Bhagavathy Temple Trust. Ever since the trust commenced its administration, there has been considerable improvement and development in the temple. The renovation of the temple, improvement of the roads leading to the temple, expansion of areas for Ponkala, provision of facilities for the devotees to worship in the temple etc. have all been undertaken by the Trust. The newly constructed Gopuram ornamental gate in front of the temple and the southern Gopuram are richly decorated with visuals depicting the might acts of the Gods and Goddesses. A portion of the gold received as offering from the devotees has been utilised for making 'anki' to adorn the Deity. The Trust has also constructed a temple to perpetuate the memory of Chattambi Swamikal a great saint of modern Kerala and daily offerings poojas, prayers, bhajana etc. are held to his glory.
In addition to the effective administration of the Temple, many other public utility services are also undertaken by the Trust. The construction of the auditorium, North and south Gopurams, rooms to accommodate devotees, Thidappally and Dhyanamandapam, purchase of land for the expansion of temple premises, all come under the activities of the Trust. Several welfare activities for the benefit of the devotees have been initiated. A medical centre and an engineering unit are presently being run by the Trust. A hospital building is under construction. For the convenience of devotees, two luxury coaches and an ambulance have been provided. With the construction of a second auditorium for performing marriages, the facilities for the devotees have further increased. Gold lockets with the image of Attukal Bhagavathy have been made available for sale. There is also a publication wing under the Trust to collect, develop and bring out religious literature.
A religious and spiritual magazine entitled "Amba Prasadam" has been started from October 1999 and it is being widely received by the devotees and the public at large. The cost of the publication is Rs. 10 /- per copy and annual subscription is Rs. 100 /- inclusive of postage in India. For overseas subscribers, the annual rate of subscription for sending it by Air Mail is Rs.500 /-. The subscription may be sent by demand dmft drawn in favour of "The Secretary, Attukal Bhagavathy Temple Trust" payable at any bank having its branch office in Thiruvananthapuram.
The all powerful and benign Attukal Bhagavathy reigns eternally Supreme and nurses her devotees., as a mother does her children. No wonder that thousands of devotees from far and near flock to the temple to bend before the Goddess with awe and reverence and to prostrate to redress their affliction and agony.
Temple timings--Morning 4.30 to 1230 and evening 500p.m.-8.30.p.m.
Telephone, Internet, E-mail & Fax services are made available at the Trust Office
Phone (Temple): +91-471-2456456, Office: 2463130
Website: http://www.attukal.org
E-mail: attukal@md3.vsnl.net.in
Telefax: +91-471-2456457
---------------------------------------------------------------