CONTINUATION OF TEMPLES OF FOUR
BROTHERS : KOODAL MANICKAM
Friends,
After writing about the story of THRIPRAYAR TEMPLE , I am taking you to another temple of IRINJALAKUDA in THRISSUR DISTRICT of KERALA where the only temple of BHARATHA SWAMY is situated. This temple is also called as KOODAL MANICKAM TEMPLE. You might wonder why it is called KOODAL or Kootal Manickam . Here is the legend behind it. It is said that one devotee brought a gem to compare with the radiating brilliance of LORD BHARATHA which merged with the image while comparing. It is said that KOOTAL MANICKAM name was given to the Lord because of this KOOTAL or JOINING of the gem with the Lord’s shining image . Since the LORD is called SANGAMESHWARA this can also be taken as a Malayalam free translation. The image of Bharatha is also similar as of THRIPRAYARAPPAN. This lord is also called as SANGAMESHWARA since there is no idol of Lord Shiva or Devi inside the temple. Hence the lord is considered as the SANGAMAM of LORD SHIVA and DEVI. i.e the combination of Lord VISHNU, LORD SHIVA and DEVI.
LOCATION : This temple is about 150 meters away from the Municipal Bus Stand. As you see the eastern gate which is called GOPURAM is a massive structure. There are many carvings on the wall of the Gopuram. There are also Gopurams on the southern side and western side. One you enter the temple you can find the temple situated in a ten acre plot. I was told that the eastern and western side Gopram gates are so wide even twenty one elephants can be accommodated at a time to walk through the said temple gates.
SANCTUM SANCTORUM :- The sanctum Sanctrom is round shaped and copper plated. There is a 6 feet long CROWN or THAZHIKA KUUDAM at the top most part of the Sanctum sanctorum. There is a NAATYA GRUHA (கூத்தம்பலம் – കൂത്തംബലം) on the southern side for KOODIYATTAM ( a typical dance form ) - കൂടിയാട്ടം , கூடியாட்டம்.
THE TEMPLE TANK : “ It is also believed that the rishis brought in the waters of the celestial Ganga to sanctify the space. The temple tank, Kulipini theertham is named after one of the rishis. The Kulipini tank is filled with fish, but apparently has no other form of aquatic life such as frogs or Snakes “.
Historical References show that one Chera King called Sthanu Ravi varma donated vast amount of land to this temple in the year 854 AD. It means the temple existed even before 854 AD. The place he allotted was in POTTA which is near the temple. The temple was falling under the COCHIN MAHARAJA but the administration was falling under one THACHCHUDAYA KAIMALtill it is taken over by Governmrnt of KERALA as the Collector of THRISSUR as the chairman.
The KOOTHTHAMBALAM has lot of Carvings. Here many dance forms of KERALA like Kathakali, Koothu, Koodiyattom and Thullal etc were performed by eminent like AMMANNUR CHAKIAR FAMILY. UNNAYI WARRIER the famous NALA CHARITHAM POET was a great devotee of LORD SANGAMESWARA and he composed an abridged form of RAMAYANA the GREAT EPIC and dedicatec it in 50 Dasakas to LORD SANGAMESHWARA.

POOJAS & SEEVELIS : Although in Kerala most of the temples conduct FIVE POOJAS and THREE DEEVELIS daily , In Koodal Manickam Temple ONLY THREE POOJAS ARE PERFORMED. The peculiarity of this temple is that SEEVELIS are not performed except on FESTIVAL DAYS.
FESTIVALS : Sangameswara Temple of Irinjalakkuda is famous for the AARATTU which starts after a day after THRISSUR POORAM FESTIVAL in the Malyalam month of EDAVAM (VRISHABHA) which lasts for ELEVEN DAYS and ends on THRUVONAM DAY. Many devotees throng this temple on festival day to watch the CHENDA MELAM, COLOUR MUSIC AND ESPECIALLY THE FINE ARTS which cannot be seen in any other temple. Another festival called THRIPUTHARI ( തൃപുത്തരി – திருபுத்தரி ) on the THIRUVONAM STAR in the month of THULA (OCTOBER – NOVEMBER) on which day the newly harvested rice is cooked and offered to the deity and thereafter as PRASADAM to all assembled there. A special offering called MUKKUDI (മുക്കുടി – முக்குடி), an ayurvedic medicine is made to the GOD on the next day and after that it is given as a divine medicine to all assembled devotees as prasadam. Friends, it will not be an exaggeration if I say people from far and near throng the temple to receive this PRASADAM.
TIMINGS OF OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE TEMPLE DAILY : As in THRIPRAYAR, the temple opens at 3 AM and closes at 11.30 AM. Again on the same day it opens at 5 PM and remains open till 11.30 PM daily. GARLAND MADE OF LOTUS IS A GREAT OFFERING IN THIS TEMPLE.
This temple is only 20 miles away from KODUNGALLUR the famous DEVI TEMPLE of KANNAKI (ചിലപ്പതികാരം – சிலப்பதிகாரம்). KINDLY VISIT THIS TEMPLE ALSO which is called one temple of NAALAMBALAM TOUR ( നാലംബലം – நாலம்பலம் ).
Regards and Namskarams
P.R. RADHAKRISHNAN.
To be Cont’d.