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Home > Temples of Kerala > Kasaragod district Kasaragod district(a)Kasaragod taluk Adooru, Madhuru, Kaavu, Kanipura is a familiar saying all over Kasaragod taluk indicating the four presiding deities of the realm of the Rajahs of Kumbla of by-gone days in Thulu Naad. Over the centuries these temples - stand unique and have great influence on the Hindus of the region known as Kumb1a seema. Adoor Sree Mahotthara Mahalingeswara temple, on the left bank of Payaswini river and at the foot hills of Sahyaadri mountains (40km. east of Kasaragod town), is an ancient temple, believed to have been made and worshipped by Arjuna. The place was known as Indrakee1a in ancient times and is mentioned in Vaayu-puraana. Architecturally it is a thri-thala apsidal vimaana (gaja-Prashta in shape) and the adhishtaana made of laterite stones. The valia-balikkall is unique with silpas in its adhishtaana. A notable feature is that the idol (Siva-linga) of 3 feet high is made up of mud and covered with copper sheets. It is believed that the mud idol was made by Arjuga himself. The important vazhipaats are Ekaadasa-rudra, Satha-rudra, SlJmavaara- pooja, paal-paayasa- and bilwa-pathra-archana. The Sreemad Ap-antheswara Vimiyaka temple (Dwi-thala type) at Madhur (8 km. east of Kasaragod town) has Lord Siva as the presiding deity. There is reference to this temple in Skandapuraana and Brahma-puraana. It has a gaja-Prshta vimaana and perhaps it is one of the largest of its kind in Kerala. From the late medieval times a Ganesa shrine installed at the valiambalam (maha-saala) facing south became prominent. The offering of appam (locally called appoppa), also known as Mootappaseva, is a rare vazhipaat by which the deity of Ganesa is covered with appam upto His neck. The last mooi:appa seva was conducted in 1992, previous to that in 1962, and before that in 1797 (ie 165 years back). Another ancient temple (temple authorities ascribe it to Dwaapara-Yuga) of great importance is the Sree krishna Deva Parthasarathhi temple at Mujangavu (or Mucham-kaavu) near Kumbla: It has a beautiful attractive idol consecrated by Muchukunda Maharshi. The large tank in front of the temple known as Muchukunda theertham is famous. It is believed that a holy dip in the tank, after three pradikshanas of the tank and offering a handful of navadhaanyas is considered as sacred as a dip in the Kaveri theertham at Thalakaveri and that this dip is a sure remedy for all warty growths in the human body. A special offering to this deity is cucumber nivedya. The Kannippura (or Kaniyara) Sree G6palalqishna temple (a graama-kshethra) at Kumbla is famous and tradition ascribes the consecration of the idol to Kava Maharshi. This dwi-thala temple has a beautiful image of BaIa Gopalalkishna made of Krishna sila, a jet black sila. The main offering is paal-paayasam. It has exquisite wood carvings and some paintings (not mural). Another important temple (a graama-kshethra) in the vicinity of Kumbla is the famous lake-temple of Aganthapura dedicated to Sree Ananthapadmanabhaswamy. The lake is about 302 feet in length and in width and h;s pure perennial abundant spring water. The dwi-thala sreekovil, namskara-mandapa and the thitappalli of the temple are all situated in the middle of the tank with a connecting passage from the front. There is a functional pradakshina way around the sreekovil. It has exquisite wood carvings on the ceiling of the mandapa, besides mural paintings on the exterior walls, which are ornamental, based on the story of Dasaavathaara. The stucco images of deva-koshtas of the garbha-grha date back to 11th century, though the temple is ascribable to much earlier period. The inain idol made in panchali5ha is that of Sree Padmanabhaswamy (about 90cm high) in sitting posture on santha (the serPent God) having five hoods. Two other idols of Sree Devi and Bhoo Devi seated on padmas are also installed by the sides of the main deity. In the tank one crocodile lives and it responds to the call of temple servants. It is fed with rice daily and some devotees even offer cocks to it on all days except Tuesdays and Fridays. On all Tuesdays after atthazha-pooja, thambilam (kuruthl) is offered to Raktheswari. At this time women are not permited to enter the temple. The main offering is Sraavana-pooja. There is a cave in the temple associated with Sree Vilwamangalath Swfuniyar and the temple has historical association with Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, Trivandrum. In Kasaragod town there are number of temples either big or small. The Mallikaarjuna (Siva) temple is an ancient one and the idol is swayambhoo. The principal offering is rudrabhishekam. The Varadaraja Venkita Remana temple (near Kasaragod Railway station) is dedicated to Maha Vishnu in standing pose besides an idol of Sree Kodanda Rama. There are other subsidiary shrines of Mahalekshmi, Hanuman, Garuda and Ganapathi, all made of sila. In addition to these, there are other shrines of Sree Rama, Sree Seetha and Sree Lakshmana in marble. There is an old Kurumba (Chirumba) Bhagavathi temple at Thalankara. There is no idol but a jackwood peetham, the sankalpa being Bhadrakaali. Another important temple is Pulikunnu Ivaru Bhagavathi with five chaithanyas as per sankalpa ie, Pulli-Karinkaali, Pulluran, Pulikandan, Kaalapuliyan and Puliyurukaali,Vishnumoorthi, Manthramoortthi (a fierce god) with Ali ( A Muslim Kaaryakkaran) are the upa-Devathas besides a separate peetham for Gulikan. The Sree Subramanya shrine at Nellikunnu.is an important one in the town and the Shashti Mahothsava here attracts a large number of devotees. Sree Aqantheswara temple, Manjeshwar indicates combination of Sree Siva and Sree Anantha and the temple is referred to in the Skanda-puraarana. Sree Mahalingeswara temple, Manjeshwar (5 lan. south-east of Manjeshwar) is an ancient one. The Chakra-theerttham in the temple complex is famous. At the Udayavara Sree Daivasthhanam, Kunjathur (2 km. from Manjeshwar) the idols are seated on a swing having exquisite wood carvings. The Naaga Brahma temple at Vorkadi (5 km. east of Manjeshwar) has a swayambhoo-prathishta in the form of an ant-hill. The important Vazhipaats are thambilam (rice, pepper and turmeric, in the leaf of arecanut tree) and vellinool (silver string). The Sree Kaavi Subniya (Subramanya) temple is the other one at Vorkadi. The Suryeswara temple, Pathur(15 km from Manjeshwar) has a silq.-liriga prathishta said to have been built two thousand years ago. The Sankaranarayan temple, Koliyiir (12 km east of Manjeshwar) has two swayambhoo idols in the shape of small Siva-linga. Sree Bhagavathi (Durga) temple, Uppala, an ancient temple, has the idol being daaru-silpa (wood carving). The Mahalingeswara temples at Badaje, Moodambail and Mulinja villages, and the Sree Vinayaka temple, Pattath Mogaru (in Mulinja village) are also ancient ones. The Durga-Parameswari temple, Uppala has the sankalpa of Mahishaasura-marddini.Ambar Sree Sadasiva temple Manga!pati is another famous one The Gulikan Bana temple at Mangalpati dedicated to Gu!ikan has no idol and the offering is sacrifice of cocks during festival days in June. The Maha Vishnu temples at Ichilangode and Heroor villages are also famous. The swayambhoo temple-of Durga Parameswari (Vana-Durga) in Koodalmerkala village is more than thousand years old. Panchalingeswara temple, Bayar village has five Siva-lirigas. The Jatadhaari (Siva) Daivasthhaanam (in Enmakaje village) is unique with thri-sool at the peetha representing the idol. The temple opens in the evening of sankrama and has only one pooja in the night. The MahaJingeswara temple, De1ampati, an ancient temple over one thousand years old is located on a hillock and feast is a special offering of the temple. The Subramnyya temples in Mugu, Padre and Katukukke villages are other important ones. The Subraya (Subramanya) temple at Puthikke (about 17 km from Kasaragod via Seethamgoli) is very ancient and during rainy season the temple is covered on all sides with water and the priest conducts pooja sitting in a canoe. The Sree Veera Anjaneya temple, Kumbla (in Arikkati village) has an excellent image of Sree Hanuman carrying mountain in one hand and club in the other hand in running-pose with a bell on his tail. Offering of amI is an important vazhipaat. Those who travel by NH stop here and offer vazhipaat for comfortable journey. The nearby Mucchil6t Bhagavathi temple (Perurbhana kaavu) of Chaamundi Devi has weapon as prathishta. There are number of important and ancient temples in and around kumbla viz. Sree Narayanamangalam Vishnu temple, Dhoomaavathi temple at Poomaani-Kinnimanni in Puthoor village and the Siva temples at Shribagilu and Kudlu village. The very ancient Chathur-bahu (amrth-sila) idol of Maha Vishnu at Kaavugoli in Kudlu village is remarkable and the chief offering is panchaamrtha abhishekam. The Santhana-Gopalakrishna of Kuthiyola is yet another temple of importance and the idol has four hands, two hands used for holding a child and the other two having conch and discus. The Subramanya temple at Kuthirappati (in Patla village) is an ancient temple. The Shedikkaavu Sankarananiyana temple, Kumbla (Koipaty village) has a swayambhoo idol of Siva in the sankaipa of Uma-Maheswara and it is a misnomer to call it Sankaranarayana. The main offering here is Rudrabhishekam. Apart from those mentioned above, the taluk has large number ofVaishnavite shrines. They include the Maha Vishnu temples at Bela, Malliyoor, Vegoor, Karadke, Kolathur, Munnad, Kuttikol and Adhur villages. The Saivite shrines belong to either MahaliIigeswara, Panchaliilgeswara, or Uma Maheswara categories. Of them the most important are those at Nekraje, Ubrangala, Delampadi, Adhur, Karadka, Thekkil and Bediadka villages. Among Devi temples the important ones are the Durga Parameswari at Ubrangala and at Mallom besides Mahishasura-Marddini temples at Gosada (in Kubdaje village) and Anjavaram (Muttathodi village). The Vaga Durga temple at Adhur and Adukkath Bhagavathi temple at Bedudka are equally important. The SubramaI)ya temples, Mouvar, Muliyar, Chengola and Thalaklayi are famous while the Dharma Saastha temple at Chandragiri attracts large number of devotees. (b) Hosdurg taluk There are several Vaishnavite, Saivite and Bhagavathi temples in this taluk. Among the Vaishnavite shrines the Kodavalam Sree Vishnu-umangalam temple at Haripuram (in Pullur Village) is very ancient and has a four-armed image of Maha Vishnu. On the outer walls of the temple there are exquisite granite images depicting the stories from puraanas. Towards the south of the main temple, in front of the Ganapathi sub-shrine there is a granite slab 'which contains a vattezhuth inscription of the time of Chera King Bhaskara Ravi Varman III alias Manukulaadichchade"var (1035-90AD). It records the gift of three Kalanj of gold for the bathing of the deity, thereby indicating the existence of the temple prior to the setting up of the donatory record. As the inscription is dated-in the fifty-fifth regnal year, the gift was probably effected in the last year (1090) of the Bhaskara Ravi Varman III. In that case the temple might have been built in the middle of the eleventh century or so In the same village there is an ancient Sree Vishnumangala temple, the consecration of which is believed to have been done by Lord Parasurama. In this temple there are beautiful sculptures of two dwaara-paalakas in kaaliya-marddana pose. Thri-madhura and paal-paayasam are important vazhipaats. Some of the other Vaishnavite temples which deserve special mention are Udayamangalam Sree Maha Vishnu temple (uduma village), Sree Vishnumoortthi temple (Puthur), Sree Maha Vishnu temple (Kallarvillage),Cheeman Vishnu moorthi temple (Kinavoor village) and Alanthatta Sree Maha Vishnu temple, Elambachi (South Thrikaripur). The Udayamangalam Maha Vishnu temple has a beautiful idol in Krishna sila of Maha Vishnu' in standing pose believed to havebeen installed by Sree Hanuman. Elaneer-dhaara (abhishekaoftender cpconut water)is an important vazhipaatin Kallur Maha Vishnu temple. Among the Saivite shrines the most important one is the Thaliyil Sree Neelakanteswara temple at Neeleswaram. This temple is associated with the history of the principality of Neeleshwar which formed part of the ancient Kolathunad and even prior to that with the Ezhimala kingdom. The temple takes its name from the famous Neela Muni who had his Ashrama here and did penance for propitiating Lord Siva. The Sree Mahaliilgeswara temple in Paniyal village is another ancient one. The idol is swayambhoo and it has Navagraha prathishtas of good sila images. Rudrabhishekam is the main offering of this temple. The Perumthrikkovilappan temple in Chittari village otherwise known as Ravaneswara temple, has a swayambhoo-vigraha. There is a cave nearby which is believed to have been the place where Ravana did penance on his return from Kailas. The temple is believed to have the chaithanya of Rajarajeswara of Taliparamba. The main offering is ghee placed in a silver vessel. There is another Perumthrikkovilappan temple at Pulhlr village, locally known as Meengoth Siva temple. The Thrikkannad Thrayambeswara (Siva) temple is also famous. There are two Kiraathamoortthi temples of importance, one at Kinavoor and the other at Pudukai. Kinavoor Sree Kiraateswaram,Edathil temple is dwi-thala and very ancient and has a panchaloha image in standing pose. The temple at Pudukai (in Kanhangad town) also very ancient has some naagari inscriptions on the granite door frame of the sreekovil. The idol is in panchaloha, about 2 1/2 feet high, in standing pose with four hands and having bow and arrow and abhaya and varada poses. Rudrabhishekam is the main offering of the temple. The Sree Veerabhadra temple at Cheruvathoor is worth mentioning. Bhagavathi is worshipped in different forms as Durga, Mookaambika, Bhadrakaali, Mucchilot Bhagavathi etc. The Mannampurath kaavu dedicated to Chanda-yogeswari in Nileshwar is known throughout Kerala as one ofthe famous shrines of Bhadrakali of Rurujith-vidhaana. An important procedure done in the temple is sathyam-chollal ie, asserting the truth by standing on a separate granite stone kept before the shrine of the deity (outside the valia-balikkali to disprove false statements. In earlier times even courts or police authorities accepted this system, as none dared to tell a lie standing in front of this most fierce goddess. The idol of the ancient Chooliyar Bhagavathi in Uduma village is swayambhoo. Another ancient temple, Bannarath Bhagavathi temple in Bare village has the principal offering known as arithravel in which rice, oil, molasses, pookkula, plantain and flowers are used. The Mukkunnoth Durga temple is also famous, the chief vazhipaat being raktha-pushpaanjali. The manja-poti (consisting ofturmeric and pepper) is the main offering to Palakunnu Sree Bhagavathi for cure from infectious diseases particularly small-pox. The idol of Muchilot Bhagavathi temple at Karippodi (Pallikkara II village) is sword. In Chithari village there are two ancient Devi temples, one dedicated to Sree Vishnu Chamundeswari and the other known as Kalarikkal Sree Mulavannur Bhagavathi; and in both these temples sword has been installed representing the deity. At Kudru (in Chithari village) a temple has been built in an island, dedicated to Sree Mookambika Devi. It has the same pooja system as followed in the Mookambika temple, Kollur with the exception that the temple is opened only on Fridays. The Durga-Parameswari temple in Keekan village is also famous. The idol ofthe ancient Kamba1lur Bhagavathi temple (in Chittarikkal village) is a panchaloha mirror and the main offering is sarkkara paayasam. The Pul1ikkarinka!iyamma temple and the Vellikunnath Bhagavathi temple in Ajanur also attract a large number of devotees. The idol of Kuttamath Bhagavathi temple is bell-metal. It is rare that in one Sreekovil two prathishtas are done side by side one idol of Sree Someswari (in humanoid form) facing east and the other that of Rudra Bhagavathi in bell metal mirror form facing west. The important offerings of this temple are swayamvara-pushpaanjali and raktha pushpaanjali. The Melayirappa Veera Bhadra in Kilayikkode Village and Rayaramangalam Bhagavathi (in Pilikode village) are other ancient temples. The latter one has a beautiful pancha-loha vigraha (mirror type) and the famous Vazhipaat is chovva-vilakk (offering given on Tuesday) for which different items are used. The Madaneswari (Mariamma) temple in Kanhangad town attracts a large number of devotees. The Pallikkara Sree Bhagavathi temple, Nilashwar is dedicated to sree Durga Bhagavathi and is a stone image in standing pose and has the main offering of swayamvara-pushpaanjali. The Vettakkorumakan idol at Nileshwar is quite attractive, five feet high and made up ofjackwood. However abhisheka and archanas are done on a panchaloha vigraha. The Sree Subramnya temples at Aravavatt (Pall.iyal village), and Athiyambur (Kanhangad town) are also important. In Ajaniir village there is an ancient temple dedicated to Sree Kshetrapaala known as Matiyan kooloom temple. It is a dwi-thala temple with copper roofmg and gold plated sthoopa and with exquisite wood carvings, based on stories of Dakshayaaga, Ramayana, Paalazhi-madhana etc. (The temple was renovated in January 1993). There is another Sree Kshethra-paala temple in Udimir village which was built around 1991. The Mukhya-praana Deva temple dedicated to Sree Hanuman at Kottakunnu is also worth-menti.oning. The Saastha-Vishnu temple at Karippodi (Panayil village) is an ancient one. The Saastha idol here is swayambhoo and the main offering is sarkkara-paayasam.
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