Vamanamurthy Temple-Thrikkakkara Mahakshetram

There are five Mahakshetrams(Prominent Temples) in Kerala.Four of them are Vishnu Temples and one belongs to Lord Shiva They are 1)Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple,Thiruvananthapuram,2)Shri Poornathreyasi Temple,Thripunithura,3)Shri Vamana Moorthy Temple Thrikkakkara and4)Shrikrishna Temple Guruvayur.Allthese Temples are Vishnu Temples .The fifth one is5)Shri Vadakkumnathan Temple,Thrissur pertaining to Lord Shiva In the first of these series of Temples,the Vamanamoorthy Temple (Thrikkakkarappan Kshetram)at Thrikkakkara near Edappally&Kakkanad around 10 KM from Ernakulam City is being discussed. The name THRIKKAKKARA came into existence over a legend when Lord Vishnu in His 5th incartnation as Vamana Murthy came to this place to drive Mahabali,an Asura King away from there to restore the Authority of Indra. With this motive in mind Vishnu in His 5th incarnation as Vamana,a Brahmin Boy approached the King Mahabali for just 3 feet of Land.Mahabali being a generous King loved by everyone,readily agreed to the request much against the advice from his trusted Shukracharya. As soon as consent was granted Lord Vishnu assumed his real Giant form of Thrivikrama measured the first feet from heaven to Earth,the second within the Earth resulting in nonavailability of space for the third feet/ step. Mahabali ,with all his humbleness allowed the Vamana to keep his feet on his head&bowed in front of Vamana. Lord Vishnu was highly pleased with the humble nature of the King & liked to grant him Immortality by pushing him down to the netherworld(The Patahalam).Incidentally there is a place near Ernakulam called Pathalam but does not appear to have any relation to the legend. Lord Vishnu also granted permission to the King to visit his Prajas(People ruled by him)every year during the festival of ONAM between August&September during the month of Vernacular Month of Chingam. Thus as a result of the three feet of the Lord ,the place was called "Thiru""Kaal""Kara"{Land of Three feet}. This gave the name Thrikkakkara to the Place in the Fifth Century.So goes the Legend on Thrikkakkara. Since then every year during the festival period of Onam,the people all over Kerala make Clay vigrahas called Thrikkarappan to perform Poojas in order to Welcome their beloved King Mahabali. During this 10 Days festival of Onam from Atham (a Star) to Thiruvonam(another Malayalam AStar),the people of Kerala collectively recite the popular Malayalam Song"Maveli Naadu Vaanidum Kalam Manusharellarumonnu pole" the meaning of which is "during the rule of the King Mahabali the people of Kerala were equal in Status &Happy" The Great Mahakshetra of Thrikkakkara is believed to be 13 centuries old& built by Chera King Kulasekhara Varma The Temple is believed to have constructed in the rare mode of Temple Architecture There is also one Shiva Temple nearby outside the Thrikkakkara Temple.It is very interesting to note that though the Thrikkarappan or Vamana Is worshipped for 10 days of Onam during August- September,the Lord Shiva is also being worshipped with equal Fervor. In the Lord Shiva Temple Complex ,LordGanapathy,lord Dharmasastha,Goddess Bhagavathy,Goddess Durga,Goddess Parvathy,Lord Goplakrishna,Lord Subrahmanya are also being worshipped with equal geity along with Lord Vamana& Lord Shiva. The Equal status of Different Hindu God& Goddesses are being Demonstrated in Thrikkakkara Very clearly visible by providing different Temple complexes inside one compound. Thus this place is worth visiting by Hindu Devotees. The Temple Pond Is called Kapila Thertham on the north side of thr main shrine& is being considered Holy.The Temple Priests alone are allowed to enter the Kapila Theertha Complex. There is one seat also provided to King Mahabali inside the Sreekovil of Mahadeva The prominent¶mount Festival of the Thrikkakkara Temple is the ONAM FESTIVAL being celebrated between star ATHAM to THIRUVONAM in the Vernacular(Malayalam)month of Chingam. In the olden days the celebrations began under the personal supervision of the Kochi Maharaja &is called ATHACHAMAYAM being taken as a Military Procession in colorful &traditional robes from Thrippunithura to Thrikkakkara. Nowadays,however,the Athachamayam is symbolic &restricted to Thrippunithura alone.The Festival ends with welcome to the great Asura king Mahabali on the tenth day of the Celebrations. Besides the usual Temple rituals &Poojas,the Onam Fesival for 10 days is being highlighted by staging specialities of KERALA like KATHAKALI,CHAKYAR KOOTH,OTTAMTHULLAL ,PATAKAM &similar artistic programmes including dances&dramas. Apart from this,Musical&drum performances from famous artists populary known as PANCHAVAADYAM&THAYAMPOKA are also being staged here daily during the ten days of Onam Celebrations.These performance lasts for hours as is being held at THRISSUR Pooram.The style of Poojas&Temple rites are similar to those performed in yet another highly famous Vishnu Temple GURUVAYOOR in the district of Thrissur. The Onam Festival ends on the tenth day with Aarat a bathing to the idol of Vamana The peculiarity of Thrikkakara is that All Gods&Goddesses in the Temple Complex mainly the MAHADEVA are participating in the Festival with Equal Status as Vamana. The present day Temple complex looks a bit different froom the traditional&conventional existence a few days ago. The reason is the outside Temple Complex is being renovayed without keeping the old Glory in tact.Under whose advice this kind of change is being made to the design of the Famous Tem,ple is unknown. In every Temple the devotees perform the Pradakshina(Going around the Temple in clockwise direction) once or thrice or as many times as they prefer. In a Mahadeva Temple,however,this Pradakshina is terminated after half distance &the devotee retuns in the anti- clockwise direction to complete the Pradakshina.While performing this,at the end of first half distance the devotee looks up at the Tip of the Temple Where the Thazhikakkudam exists &salutes the Thazhikakkudam.(The pictures above denotes this) Unfortunately due to the Renovation process the Thazhikakkudam cease to Exist much to the disgust of the devotees. It is hoped the Thazhikakkudam would be back in the renovated Temple wherefrom many of the Gods&Goddesses have been driven out of the original place .The new temples including that of the Great GANESHA is under construction. The newlook Temple looks like the ghost of the Original.Whether the Sanctity of the original Temple Complex would be kept in tact after the renovation is a matter of concern to the Public& is to be seen&experienced. There is yet another Vamanamoorthy Temple in Ernakulam District near Perumbavoor called Chelamattom Sreekrishna swamyTemple. The Festival of the Vamana moorthy Temple is being held in the Malayalam month of Chingam but with a slight difference from Thrikkakkara.The Kodiyettum of the Festival here begins on the Malayalam star CHOTHI instead of ATHAM at Thrikkakkara.However,like Thrikkakkara the festival ends on Thiruvonam day.In other words,the festival is restricted to 8 days instead of 10 days.In the month of DHANU, however,there is another famous event here called "Dasavatharam Charthal".Again in the month of KUMBHA the Temple Festval is being held from the star day CHOTHI to end after 10 Days. The speciality of the Festival is The LAKSHADEEPRCHANA on the VISAKHAM star day early morning/Night. Thousands of Devotees visit this Temple during Festival. Besides,The Mahadeva Temple in the Ernakulam Town facing the Ernakulam Kayal(river)is yet another added attaraction in Ernakulam. SreedharanMundanat 30th May2014 07-26HRS(IST)