CONTINUATION OF TEMPLES OF FOUR BROTHERS : PAAYAMMAL SHATHRUGNA SWAMY TEMPLE
Friends,
I have taken you around THRIPRAYAR SRI RAMA TEMPLE, IRINJALAKKUDA KOODAL MANICKAM TEMPLE dedicated to LORD BHARATHA and MOOZHIKKULAM SRI. LAKSHMANASWAMY TEMPLE during this Ramayana Month i.e KARKKADAKAM month. It will not be proper if I stop our journey here since NALAMBALAM DARSHANAM DURING AADI _ KARKKATAKAM is gaining high popularity among the masses. There is one more important temple called PAAYAMMAL SHATHRUGNA SWAMY TEMPLE to be seen now .Then only we can get salvation as per our belief . This Temple is also a very old temple. The original Vigraha of Lord Shathrugna made out of PANCHA LOHA ( consisting of GOLD, SILVER, COPPER, ZINC and IRON in equal proportion) is missing since long time. The present VIGRAHA of the deity is made of GRANITE which also emits lot of energy. Now a bit of AITHIHYA will not be boring. It is a belief among the people that the VIGRAHAS of these four temples used to be worshipped by Lord Krishna in DWAPARA YUGA and at the end of this YUGA there was a PRALAYA (പ്രളയം, பிரளயம்) and these IDOLS started floating in the water and reached CHETTUVA region of Arabian sea and landed on the sea shore. Sri Vakkayil Kaimal who was the head of few fishermen in Kerala and a minister in AYIRUR KOVILAKAM in PONNANI had a dream in which a devine person came and told him that four idols were ashore in Chettuva Sea coast and he being an ardent Bhaktha went to the place next morning and got these idols. Rest of the story has been already narrated by me previously. The Importance of these NAALAMBALAM PILGRIMAGE (നാലമ്പലം, நாலம்பலம்) can be guessed now.
This Temple of PAYAMMAL Lord SHATHRUGNASWAMY is situated about 7 Kms from Irinjalakkuda Koodal Manickam Temple in Irinjalakkuda -Kodungallur Route. Lord Shathrugna is said to be the incarnation of the great Wheel called SUDARSHANA, the ultimate and most powerful weapon of Lord Maha Vishnu. When one reaches here after visiting the three temples of Sri Rama, Bharatha and Laksmanaswamy devotees will feel a unique sense of satisfaction and this temple is really a heaven of peace and tranquility. But the government DEVASWOAM BOARD which has taken over almost all temples has not touched this temple. Kudos to the local people whose efforts are praise worthy this temple is well administered and the local people organize ANNA DAANAM ( അന്നദാനം – அன்னதானம்) in the limited space of Temple premises.
There are mainly THREE POOJAS called USHA POOJA, UCHCHA POOJA and ATHTHAAZHA POOJA. The temple opens at 4.30 AM and remains open till 10 AM. After Usha Pooja and Uchcha Pooja at 10 AM it closes and reopens at 4.30 PM and remains opened till night 8.30PM. after Deepaaraadhana and Aththaazha Pooja. In all these four temples people throng to have a glimpse of the Lord during NIRMAALYA DARSHANAM (നിര്‍മാല്യ ദര്‍ശനം – நிர்மால்ய தர்சனம்) I,e, the period when the old clothes are removed on the next morning when the temples open. In Payammel Temple one small lamp is seen lighted at the backside of the Man deity. When I asked the Poojari, he told me that the Lamp is called ( പിന്‍വിളക്ക്, பின் விளக்கு ) and is meant for SRUTHAKEERTHI the wife of Lord Shathrugna. The other deity is MAHA GANAPATHI and performing GANAPATHI HOMAM here is considered as very good. Other offerings are SUDARSHANA PUSHPANJALI and offering of SUDARSHANA CHAKRA which brings prosperity for the House and members of the house. The temple festival is on the month of KUMBHA which starts during the day of PUSHYA (കുംഭം, പൂയംനക്ഷത്രം மாசி பூசம் நக்ஷத்திரம்), which lasts for five days.
Friends, last but not least, I would like to tell that the temple priest told me that this temple was ruined by Tippu Sulthan and his army. The then priest took the PANCHA LOHA VIGRAHA and kept it in the temple pond which is on the western side of the temple. So far it could not be recovered. The ruined temple was rebuilt by the local people, and a Vigraha of Lord Shathrugna made out of granite is consecrated in place of the Original Vigraha made out of PANCHALOHA.
Friends, In this month of KARKKATAKA – (കര്‍ക്കടകം, ஆடி) I have completed the NAALAMBALA DARSHANAM – നാലമ്പല ദര്‍ശനം – நாலம்பல தர்சனம் with the blessings of all the readers
Regards and Namaskarams,
P.R.RADHAKRISHNAN
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