THE TEMPLES OF FOUR BROTHERS - SRI RAMA, BHARATHA,
SHATHRUGNA AND LAKSHMANA IN KERALA
Friends,
I had written whatever I know about the TEMPLE OF THRIPUNITHURA. Now, I am writing about the temples of Kerala dedicated to the four brothers whom we revere most and who were living in THRETHA YUGA whom we believe were born and brought up in AYODHYA but had visited Kerala also as per legends. They are none other than LORD SREE RAMA, LORD BHARATHA, LORD SHATHRUGNA and LORD LAKSHMANA. There are two sets of temples for them. One set is in TRICHUR DT. and ERANAKULAM DT. And the other set of temples is in KOTTAYAM DISTRICT. The Temples in KOTTAYAM DISTRICT are very near to each other within about 5 Kms. Radius They are RAMAPURAM SRI RAMASWAMY TEMPLE, AMANAKKARA SRI BHARATHASWAMY TEMPLE, KOODUPULAM SRI. LAKSHMANASWAMY TEMPLE AND METHIRI SRI SHATHRUGNASWAMY TEMPLE.
The other group of Temples about which I am giving hereunder are (1) THRIPRAYAR LORD SRI RAMASWAMY TEMPLE, IRINJALAKKUDA SRI KUDAL MANICKAM TEMPLE to SRI BHARATHASWAMY, MOOZHIKULAM NEAR ANGAMALI of Eranakulam Dt dedicated to SRI. LAKSHMANASWAMY AND PAYAMMEL SRI. SHATHRUGNASWAMY TEMP which in Trichur Dt. But near ARIPAAM, IRINJALAKUDA.
(1) SRI.RAMASWAMY TEMPLE OF THRIPRYAR :
“ ll वामाभ्याम शंखचक्रावरीकुलभद्वयं चापमप्यक्षमाला
मन्याभ्यां सद्भुजाभ्यांददधमखिल लोकैकनाथैक तीथंர்
तीव्रातीरालयस्थं नतजन सकलाभिषा भीषदं स्मेरवक्त्रं
लक्ष्म्याभूम्या समेतं रघुकुलतिलकं रामचन्द्रं भजामि ll “
Friends ,
The above given is a prayer to Lord Sree Rama. Thrippayar is about 22 miles away from THRISSUR and between GURUVAYUR and KODUNGALLUR. As per legends one KAIMAL( head of few fishermen) saw four idols lying ashore the Arabian Sea who picked them up and wanted to install them in different places but nearby. Although all were looking almost alike after Deva Prashna he found out the first one as the one of LORD SREE RAAMA. After prolonged search he with the help of a Thanthri ( A namboothiri Brahmin priest ) found the suitable place by the side of the River THEEVRA which the local people called as പുറയാര്‍ புறயாறு PURAYAAR or NANDIYAAR and immediately wanted to consecrate it there but were prevented by a divine ordain ( അശരീരി, அசரீரி) that they should consecrate it only when they saw a lonely peacock. They waited for a long period but could not see the bird. Hence the Thanthri installed it asking a person to appear with peacock feather. Immediately after they installed , a real peacock appeared . The Thanthri and the Kaimal felt sad that they did not wait for the peacock to appear and hence in order to remove this deficiency they decided to install a big sacrificial stone called ബലിക്കല്ല് , பலிக்கல்லு at the place where the peacock stood. They installed it but it started spinning on its own axis. It is said that it was fixed by NARANATHTHU BRANDAN( നാറാണത്തു ഭ്രാന്തന്‍ நாறாணத்து பிரான்தன் the son of a low cast woman and Brahmasri Vararuchi but taken and looked after by a Brahmin as their own son, among chanting of Manthras, with a nail. This mark of the nail can be seen even now. There is a very interesting story about the river. Mahavishnu when he took VAMANAAVATHAARA had to perform SANDHYA VANDAN while going to THRIKKAKKARA and he could not see anywhere water. So he took some water from his KAMANDALU and poured it on his legs and the water poured and went down to earth after washing his legs became holy water and started flowing as a river. That is why the people called it as തിരുപ്പുറയാര്‍ , திருப்புரயாறு THIRUPPRAYAAR which became THRIPRAYAR.
In this temple, Sri Rama is having four arms, Panchajanya the conch of Mahavishnu, Sudarshana Chakra another weopen of Mahavishnu and KODANDA the the bow of SREE RAMA CHANDRA MURTHY and a garland, showing the aspewcts of Lord Brahma, He alo got Lord Shiva aspects after killing the GREAT ASURA called KHARA. THRIPPAYARAPPAN is also known as KHARA SAMHARA MURTHY, This Lord of THRIPPAYAR has the aspects of all the THRIMURTHYS although he is primarily the Avathara of Lord Vishnu. i.e. SREE RAMA. As the Idol was not installed in the given time as professed Sri Devi was consecrated on the right side of the main Idol of Lord SREE RAMA and BHOO DEVI was installed on the left side by VILWAMANGALTHU SWAMIYAR since he saw both of them entering through the western side door to offer POOJA to the Main deity, which he closed thereafter so that they will not return. Even now nobody dares to open this door which is kept shut. Maha Ganapathi is also installed on the south-west corner inside the temple. Inside the sanctum there is an Idol of Lord Shiva in the Form of Dakshinaamurthy on the southern side. We can see a NAMASKARA MANADAPA but the principle devotee of Lord Ram i.e. HANUMAN or ANJANEYA SWAMY is missing in the temple. However , people presume that the presence of Hanuman is on the Namskara Mandapa and hence offer flattened rice called AVIL . Outside the Temple we can see a DHARMA SHAASTHA templeon the southern side. The locals said that originally Dharma Shaastha temple was inside where Lord Ram is placed but He moved out giving place to Lord Ram i.e His devine Mother ( here I remember the verse “ ll शिववीर्यसमुद्भूतं श्रीनिवास तनुत्भवं सिखिवाहनुजं वन्दे शासतारं प्रणमाम्यहम् ll “ Friends, In another place called AARAATTUPUZHA ( ആറാട്ടുപുഴ – ஆறாட்டுபுழை)there is an annual festval called POORAM which is very famous in KERALA, the presiding deity is LORD RAMA of THRIPRAYAR. Except this idol all thers are the idols of SHAASTHA and Hindu Goddesses from different temples. I forgot to say an important aspect of Thrippayar Temple i.e. the people say that Lord Rama at this temple is hard of hearing and hence offering of KADANA VETI ( കദന, கதனை வெடி) is an important event. People offer 1.5.10.101.1001 VETI to the Lord. Although it is to commemorate the arrival of Hanuman after seeing Seeta Devi in Lanka saying பார்த்தேன் அன்னை ஸீதாவை – കണ്ടു സീതാ ദേവിയെ. There is one more important aspect here. That is the men and women caught by frolicsome spirits come here to get rid of them as in Chottanikkarai. They call the GOD as Chathan Bhandaram. Besides this Palpayasam, Chandanam Charthu (smearing of the idol with sandal paste), different archanas and meenoottu(feeding fishs in theevra river) are other important offerings to the deity. For quick and easy delivery of pregnant ladies people perform different types of offerings called NERCHA (നേര്‍ച്ച – நேர்ச்சய் )
At this temple. Offering of a day or two or more days CHAKYAR KOOTHU is a speciality here. It is said that the temple was first under the ZAMORINS of CALICUT since it was in the island of CHETTUVA which was conquered by the DUTCH and later on under the MYSORE SULTHANS and ultimately under the Supervision of MAHA RAJA OF COCHIN now under COCHIN DEVASWAM BOARD. This Chakiar Koothu is celebrated in the month of VRISCHIKAM from the 1st day including the 12th of Vrischika and the KOOTHU ( A special type of dance ) is generally carried out dramatizing ANGULIYAANGAM of Ramayana depicting Sri HANUMAN saying HANUMAN COMING AFTER SEEING SEETHA DEVI with the RING to show it as a proof to SREE RAMA. When the temple was first under the ZAMORINS the then SAMOOTHIRIPPAD liked it and it still continues.
The temple opens at 3 AM IST and remains opened till 12 Midday. Again the temple is opened at 4 PM till 8.30 PM. The Main Poojas are USHA POOJA, ETHIRTHTHA POOJA , PANTHEERADI POOJA, UCHCHA POOJA and ATHTHAAZHA POOJA like in all big temples of KERALA. There are generally three SEEVELIS that is LORD is taken out in a precession inside the temple premises to see his subjects and to know their welfare. Generally Elephant is used to carry the Lord during SEEVELI except during UCHCHA SEEVELI. (ഉച്ചശ്ശീവേലി).
Friends, whenever you visit KERALA please visit this Temple which is rich in Wood Carvings also.
TO BE CONT’D.
REGARDS TO ONE AND ALL,
P.R.RADHAKRISHNAN